The latest addition to this popular budget range offers innovative design touches and appealing interior décor
Words and photos Peter Baber
Price £21,499 Berths 4 MiRO 949kg MTPLM 1082kg
BAILEY UNVEILED its budget Discovery range a couple of seasons ago, offering funky interiors, light weights and a truly innovative L-shaped air awning.
That awning has gone, but the youthful design remains. Shortly before the range’s debut at the NEC show, we took a look at the new layout in its ranks, the D4-4L. With an end washroom and a side dinette, it comes in at £21,499.
Pitch and set-up
The exterior has been revamped, with silver side and back panels. The decals also run around the curved rear corners to the back.
The white front panel now has decals spreading up both sides of the large central window. Bailey has extended the A-frame and left it unadorned, so you should be able to mount a bike rack there.
An external hatch gives access to a clear nearside underseat space, and there is an awning light and mains socket here, too.
Bailey is offering as a cost option a Thule roll-out awning – unusual in a British van, but those who like to set up quickly might well appreciate it.
Lounge
The lounge is separated from the side dinette by a removable cushion, held by a metal frame. Remove the cushion and you have either extra seating for the lounge, or more space for one of you to stretch out in. As this van only has an internal length of 4.17m, the settees are not hugely long, although they still have room for four.
The chunky settee cushions have beige tops contrasting with dark blue sides, and that dark blue continues on panels up each front corner. The effect is striking.
There is no front chest, but the sill under the window is deep enough for mugs. The main table is stored by the door, so you may have to negotiate getting it past a busy cook. Bailey has cleverly sought to save weight by leaving the storage space open once the table is removed – you don’t really need that extra panel. There’s also a clip-on table, big enough for two.
Ambient light stretches right to the front corners, and one of the two spotlights here has a USB. There is a mains socket to the side of the kitchen, in addition to sockets within the unit itself, designed for the TV. If you do put a set here, however, you are restricting the kitchen space.
Carpets on all the new Bailey Discovery models are an optional extra.
Kitchen
If you don’t bring a TV, you should have ample well-lit workspace in the kitchen, with two mains sockets close by. If you do bring one, space could be a bit limited because Ba
