What's the difference between 7ft and 8ft Wide Caravans?

Why caravan width matters

Before diving in, it’s worth clearing up the measurement confusion:

What is the difference between an additional 20 cm (8 inches to you and me) caravan width?

That’s roughly the difference between a 7ft 4in and an 8ft-wide caravan, and while it may sound small on paper, it can make a big difference to how your caravan tows, parks, and feels inside.

How does it compare towing a 7ft to a 8ft wide caravan?

To get a feel for how the extra 10cm on each side of the car felt, I plotted a route to our very first campsite that took in a bit of motorway, some A roads and windy B roads, too. The trip is about 50 miles, and this would give me a good understanding of how it felt to tow a far bigger caravan.

Road Type	Experience and Observations
Motorways	A wider axle gives smoother, steadier towing and eliminates motorway rut sway. To start, and to put it into context, the motorway where we live is in pretty dire condition. Lane 1 has some incredible ruts and grooves where HGVs trundle back and forth, and the soft ground beneath has created these tramlines that I’ve always had an issue with. Although it’s a minor thing, our previous caravan would ride in one of these ruts and, in gusty wind or when passed by a large vehicle, it would pop out of one rut and into another; not the most comfortable tow. I noticed, almost immediately, that with the wider axle, this just didn’t happen. The whole tow felt steadier and more controlled.
A Roads	Twin axle setup smooths ride and reduces pitching on A roads. On the A roads, and perhaps this is the benefit of the twin axle, the ride was noticeably smoother. There was no pitching up and down between the caravan and the car, and the camber or uneven road surface just didn’t seem as noticeable as before.
B Roads	Wider caravan quickly feels natural, and other drivers give more space. The biggest difference was on the B roads. With a larger vehicle, you naturally take a wider line around roundabouts or through towns, but other road users seemed to give me more space, which made things easier. By the time we reached the Cotswolds, the caravan didn’t feel as big as when we first set off. It reminded me of driving a new car: at first, you’re unsure of the corners and overhangs, but soon it just feels natural.
Overall Feel	It’s a confident, comfortable tow with good carriageway fit and visibility. All in all, the 8ft-wide caravan felt absolutely fine to tow. In fact, it gave me a streak of confidence to tackle non-trunk roads. On every stretch we travelled, I noticed how the caravan filled the carriageway nicely but still left plenty of space on either side, something you can easily see from the mirrors.

Ok, so the layout of the Evora is completely different to our previous caravan. This already means the living space feels bigger, but the space from side to side has made a huge difference when just walking around or passing each other in the kitchen.

No longer do we have to complete the synchronised, passing place dance. Instead, we can simply walk past each other. I would love to know how much extra space in cubic centimetres an extra 20cm can give you on the design of a caravan.

Feature	7ft Caravan	8ft Caravan (Alicanto Grande)
Width	Approx. 2.23m (7ft 4in)	Approx. 2.45m (8ft)
Layout feel	Feels cosy but narrower for two people moving around.	Feels noticeably wider and airier. There’s more space to pass each other, especially when cooking.
Kitchen space	It’s a little tighter when preparing food or washing up.	There’s enough room for two to move easily without bumping into each other.
Living area	This is noticeably more compact, and potentially better for shorter breaks.	The extra width feels much more luxurious, which is ideal for longer stays and holidaying with the whole family.

Up to this point, we have navigated around 5 campsites with this caravan, and some sites can be a little snug on the entrance and navigating around the site.

I have found that being a twin axle, the caravan does want to hug the corners a bit more than a single axle, but taking a wider line means this issue is quickly avoided.

Being 8ft provides no immediate issue whilst moving around on site, yet you may think it might be a problem for some pitches.

Our experience so far has been fine. The pitches have all been wide enough to accommodate us, and reversing onto the pitch has again been without issue.

But being a twin axle, the caravan is more stubborn to turn when reversing. And this is a good thing. It’s more predictable, slower and easier to place on the pitch.

Scenario	Experience
Tight campsite entrances	A twin axle hugs corners a bit more than a single axle, but taking a slightly wider line avoids any clipping them.
On-site manoeuvring	The 8ft caravan posed no problems when trying to get onto pitches or site roads.
Reversing	With the twin axle, the caravan is more stubborn to turn, but in a good way: it feels more predictable and a little slower, which makes it easier to place on a pitch.
Pitch sizes	Every pitch so far has been wide enough to accommodate us comfortably.

Overall, we’ve not found any campsite that couldn’t handle the 8ft width. It’s been surprisingly straightforward.

If you’re curious about an 8ft-wide caravan, my recommendation is simple: go for it.

The bottom line is our experience so far has been very positive. We have yet to encounter any issues with a bigger caravan and have been very surprised at how little difference the 8ft wide caravan has had during towing.

But, we have appreciated the huge difference it has given us for living in. If you are curious about an 8ft wide caravan, my recommendation is to go for it! Make sure your car can tow it, you have wider mirrors, and you will not regret it!

I made a video answering more points about owning an 8ft wide caravan, including the tow car and storage site considerations, on our YouTube channel, so why not pop over and have a watch?

Frequently Asked Questions

Not necessarily, but you do need to check your car’s towing capacity and the caravan’s MTPLM before you buy. In my case, our existing car was more than capable, and it’s just about making sure the match works safely. A wider caravan doesn’t automatically mean a heavier one, but always double-check your figures.

Surprisingly, no. Once you’re used to the slightly wider body, it feels very similar on the road. I actually found it steadier, especially on motorways and A roads. The extra width gives it a more planted feel behind the car.

Yes, with a bit of awareness. You might need to take slightly wider lines on tight bends or roundabouts, but after a few trips it feels natural. Other road users tend to give you space too which really helps.

In my experience, yes. We’ve been to around five sites so far and never had a problem getting in or finding a pitch. Most sites these days are designed with wider caravans in mind. You might just need to take your time on narrower entrances.

Absolutely. It’s the first thing you notice once you’re inside. There’s more room to move about, cook, or pass each other without doing that little “caravan shuffle.” It makes day-to-day life feel easier and more comfortable.

Yes, legally you do, and it’s just good practice anyway. Wider towing mirrors make a huge difference to visibility and how confident you feel when you’re on the move.