2022 Swift Caravans

Table Of Contents

Many years ago a friend of mine wanted to buy himself a video camera. Each time he went to buy one, he changed his mind because he knew that in six months time a new and better camera would be released. He never bought a video camera as he was too scared he would buy one and something better and cheaper would be released.

June of 2021 we got a new Swift Challenger and in September Swift announced new 2022 models. Maybe I should have heeded my friends advice and waited?

I know why they’ve done this. Back in the 1990s Swift bought 1.7 billion of these control panels and they didn’t sell as many caravans as they wanted, so, they’ve gone into the depths of their storage cellar and found them, blew off the dust and fitted them as “simplified”
CaravanVlogger Sept 2021

New Models

Swift have reintroduced the Conqueror. When we were looking to replace our caravan we decided early on to get a Swift. I’d spent some time talking to Mandy about what we (she) wanted and pretty much everything pointed to the Conqueror, but they stopped making them in 2018. Our caravan at the time was 2018 and I wanted something newer. The reason I wanted something newer is that in 3 years time I plan on retiring and we could have extended holidays. I thought a 3 year old caravan would be perfect, we’d have got rid of all the snags by then, surely. The caravan we had would have been 6 years old, now there’s nothing wrong with a 6 year old caravan of course. It was just the right time for us financially.

So, the Conqueror was perfect but a little too old, we weren’t over keen on the 2019 Challenger, there were just a few things we didn’t like and the 2019 Elegance were too expensive and we weren’t over keen on the colour schemes, a bit too much black on the interior, although I personally prefer the exterior of the Elegance.

With the reintroduction of the Conqueror I was reminded of my mates dilemma with the video camera purchase. Had I bought the Challenger too soon, should I have waited another year? As it turned out the Conqueror model of 2022 doesn’t have a twin axle. No twin axle model? That for me was what the Conqueror was all about. What are Swift playing at?

Model Restructuring

So, it’s back, but not really the same as it was in my opinion. What Swift have done is to place the Conqueror in between the Challenger and the Elegance, sort of where it was before. As I have said there is no twin axles in the range.

What they’ve actually down is introduced the Conqueror and got rid the Elegance Grande. Well, really they’ve got rid of the Elegance as the Grande was the 8 foot wide, not the Elegance is only available in 8 foot wide. I assume sales of 8 foot wides is strong.

Swift Conqueror 2022

Let’s take a look at the all new Conqueror line up.

Swift Conqueror 480

As you can see the 480 is a 2 berth, single axle.
Length: 6.59m
Width: 2.28m
MTPLM: 1477kg

This one starts at £29,395. I’ll give you a second to get your breath back. I’ll not go through all the specs, as you can see these yourselves on Swift’s website. It’s positioned between the Elegance and Challenger so it has a lot to live up to. But we’re in for a few surprises on our tour of Swift’s 2022 caravans and I’m not sure everyone is going to like the difference.

Swift Conqueror 560

Here’s the 560
Length: 7.54m
Width: 2.28m
MTPLM: 1714kg

This model starts at £32,495. Rear island bed and it’s probably the model we would have been interested in, bit again, single axle, but 4 berth.

Swift Conqueror 565

Conqueror 565
Length: 7.54m
Width: 2.28m
MTPLM: 1701kg

Starts at £32,495 for a 4 berth single axle. For me, it’s an odd layout this on. I can see that single beds may be popular but the layout of the two beds at the rear are strangely offset from each other with one being slightly nearer the back and if the doors open you could see straight into the toilet.

Swift Conqueror 580

Conqueror 570
Length: 7.54m
Width: 2.28m
MTPLM: 1686kg

Starting at £32,495 which is the same price as the other layouts, so it’s 4 layouts the same price, layouts are a personal thing, so me saying one is good and another isn’t is worthless. A purely personal opinion, I don’t think this layout (transverse bed) works well with non 8 foot wide caravans.

Swift Conqueror 2022 Features

I’ll list a few things that I noticed from the spec sheet, it isn’t a full list.

Swift Command
Tracker
Onboard Water Tank (30 litre)
High quality Jockey Wheel
ALKO jacking point & jack
Heavy duty corner steadies
Truma mains water line
Entrance step
A pillar lights
ATC
ALKO Wheel lock

For me, Swift are aiming this squarely at the Unicorn market. They have added little bits that were not on the Challenger such as ALKO locks, jacking point and jack, onboard water tank etc. OK, speaking of the Challenger, let’s do a little digging shall we…

Swift Challenger 2022

Here are my thoughts on the 2011 Swift Challenger. No, 2011 was not a typing error, read on…

I’ll just start by saying this; Swift caravans you are an absolute bunch of loonies. There. I’ve said it. “What’s wrong caravan vlogger, have you lost your marbles?” I hear you ask. I most certainly have not, but Swift on the other hand have! Let’s take a look at the Challenger. In fact, I’ll just give you some information on the specs…

They’ve added USB charging point in the reading lights, which is great. There you go, I have something positive to say.

Last year our Challenger was a list price of £27,140. This year it’s £28,995 and increase of £1,855. What extra do you get, well as I mentioned the USB charging lights. I’ve gone through the specs with a fine tooth comb..

For 2022 you don’t get Swift command anymore, they’ve gone back to the 90s and gave us a “simplified control panel” Oh, thanks!

I know why they’ve done this. Back in the 1990s Swift bought 1.7 billion of these control panels and didn’t sell as many caravans as they wanted, so, they’ve gone into the depth of their storage cellar and found them, blew off the dust and fitted them as “simplified”, I’d call it low tech and cheaper.

I’ll just stop there and say I was never a Swift fan boy, I don’t mind what manufacturer I buy, I just buy whatever we can a) afford and b) suites our needs. For me personally, the overriding factor, the thing that swung my purchase Swift’s way was Swift Command. Now they save it for the Conqueror and the Elegance.

Something else the extra £1,855 gives us is no tracker. It also gives us no TV brackets. Despite the increase ATC is still an optional extra on the Challenger.

Final Thoughts

I realise there are more models in the range, there’s the Sprite, which offers value and of course the Elegance that offers premium price tag. By the way the Elegance is now from £37, 795. At that price E&P levelling is an optional extra too. If I had that much money burning a hole in my pocket I’d be looking more at the Coachman Lusso.

Let’s look again at what Swift have done with the ranges. They’ve inserted the Conqueror between the Elegance and the Challenger. To do that they’ve increased the price of the Challenger and down spec’d it. With the Elegance they’ve increased the price and added underfloor heating. The Elegance is only available in 8 foot wide now. Last year they had the Elegance and Elegance Grande (which was the 8 foot)

I’m trying to think of an analogy for the car market. It’s a bit like Mercedes removing the fancy digital dashboard, replacing it with a 3 year old analogue one and saying they’d simplified the dashboard, oh and increased the price! Caravan manufacturers must be very confident about the current market. I’m a little concerned they’ve got a bit carried away. It was only a couple of years ago they were making people redundant after over diversifying.

I’ve heard stories about Command being too expensive, also it’s been problematic and that it’s because of a world shortages of computer chips. I’m not buying any of those reasons, I think they’re just trying to differentiate more between the Challenger / Conqueror / Elegance. Personally I think reintroducing the Conqueror have given them a bit of a problem. It’s the typical thing all manufacturers do. They have the caravan they think everyone would buy if money was no object. In Swift’s case the Elegance. They take that caravan and start stripping features off, replacing more pricey parts with cheaper alternatives. They carry on doing that until they have the entry level. Nothing wrong with that, of course, in fact it’s good as it opens up caravans to people with all budgets. However, increasing the price and making a caravan more feel more “budget”? Is that a good idea? It’s not good for the customer, but obvious Swift are in a buoyant mood due to recent sales figures. This is a guess on my behalf, I have no access to Swift’s sales data..

After everything I’ve said there, about the new Challenger, am I glad I bought the 2021 model? Well, yes I am. Normally if you wait for the next year’s model, you’ll get a bit more value added. In 2021 Swift restyled the Challenger and as luck would have it the changes they made suited us down to the ground, most of the changes, if not all, went in our favour, as it turned out if was the perfect time for us to buy. it doesn’t always work this way. Maybe it seems like I’m always moaning, but I’m just giving you my opinion, I’m not an expert and caravan manufacturers know more about their business than me, obviously. I just look at things as a customer, or punter if you like, much like you do.

In 2021 Swift made changes that I personally liked, in 2022, I wouldn’t be buying a Swift. Of course the opposite might be true for you. If after writing our Caravan off in April we’d have waited for the 2022 models, as it was only a couple of months to wait I’d have been gutted. It was a bit of a gamble in some ways as usually things are improved and added. In 2021 Swift added the lux pack, so it was included in the price. This included things like external gas point, sliding door fly screen and a few other bits. But this year they’ve removed some things I liked, so have actually, in my opinion, taken a step back. I guess it’s the way it goes, but it’s all a bit strange. Isn’t it?

I will do a vlog on this subject in the coming weeks. Be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel:

https;//youtube.com/caravanvlogger

Lastly, I have a new motto for Swift, which they can use free of charge. There’s really no need to thank me…..