Analysing the findings

New Caravans

This is the third year in four that Adria has won the New Caravan Manufacturer category.

The Slovenian caravan maker is the only company to earn a Gold Award for new caravans in 2024, with an excellent score of 83.1%.

There’s clear water between Adria and the other contenders. Second spot goes to Coachman, with a Silver Award and a score of 79.8%. Third place goes to the Elddis Group (EHG), scoring a solid 77.8%.

The big two in terms of sales,

Swift and Bailey, aren’t far behind. Both take Silver Awards, with Swift scoring 76.6% and Bailey 72.4%.

Those results look quite different to last year’s, with first (Knaus) and second (Eriba) both missing from 2024’s main results.

Both fall short of the minimum sample size, although there were enough Eriba owners in the survey to earn a ‘mention in dispatches’.

Even so, it’s disappointing that just one manufacturer has earned a Gold Award this year. Last year, with a similar number of survey respondents, there were four Golds to give out. Five awards in total is down from seven in 2023.

Coachman came closest of the Uk-based manufacturers to earning another Gold to add to its collection, but missed the mark by just 0.2%.

Elddis (including Buccaneer, Compass and Xplore) shows an improvement of 3.1% year-on-year, leapfrogging Swift and Bailey in the process to be second among the domestic caravan builders.

New Caravan Dealers

So, those are 2024’s award-winning caravan makers. Let’s move on to the top-performing dealers.

A great caravan is only as good as the service provided by the dealer. It’s the dealer who must help each customer choose their ideal tourer, who will demonstrate its features and deal with any niggles that crop up. The best dealers make buying and owning a caravan a pleasure.

That’s not always the case, though. This survey consistently shows a gulf between the standards set by the top dealerships and those at the bottom of the league table.

You could argue that choosing the right dealer is at least as important as finding the right caravan.

You’ll be more than happy with your choice if you shop at Salop Leisure. The score of 90.8% makes the Midlands dealer a Gold Award winner once again.

A number of other dealers rival the standard set by Salop Leisure. Second place is taken by MG Caravans in Royston, with a score of 89.3%. Third spot goes Lee Davey Caravans in Kent, scoring 88.4%.

Three more dealerships earn Gold Awards. Congratulations to Couplands Caravans in Louth, Broadlane Leisure in the Midlands, and Swindon Caravans, in Wiltshire.

There’s a strong supporting cast for the Silver Awards. Congratulations to White Arches in Northamptonshire, Raymond James in Atherstone,

Highbridge in Somerset and Devon, Robinsons Caravans in Chesterfield and Worksop, and Glossop Caravans in Derbyshire.

With 11 awards in total, 2024 sees a small drop from the 14 award-winners last year. That’s largely down to sample sizes, rather than a drop in standards.

Many other dealers don’t quite meet the minimum number of responses for inclusion in the main survey results, but do score highly. So take a good look at the list of dealerships ‘mentioned in dispatches’ if our Gold and Silver Award winners aren’t local to you.