Touring Caravan

Swift Charisma 565

The Swift Charisma range offers a good package, the 565 fixed bunk layout is ideal for families especially newcomers – check one piece panels for bad dents

Maker/model: Swift Charisma 565
Year: 2009
Berths: 6
Length: 5.49 m
Width: 2.21 m
MIRO: 1247 kgs
MTPLM: 1490 kgs
Typical tow car: VW Passat

Layout: Front end dinette, side kitchen, centre washroom/wardrobe, rear side dinette and rear offside triple fixed bunk beds.
Pros: Light weight, spare wheel, TV aerial, shower, oven, blown heating
Cons: Washroom a little tight on space

Look out for: check end panels for cracking, charger can become faulty

Extra equipment? Do look for some bits left in by last owners, such as awning, towing mirrors.

Interiors still look modern with curved lockers; spec is decent with microwave, oven, fridge, mains front lighting, TV aerial, Shower and blown air heating

The front dinette is comfortable, check upholstery for stains and any support loss

Jenkinson’s opinion:
The Swift Charisma range from 2009 was a decent range of models catering for all tastes, and had a good selection of layouts. It was a sad day when they dropped the range after 12 years in favour of the new then designed Challenger Sports. The Charisma also had a following for dealer specials too offering even more value for your cash. Dealers had upgraded Charisma branding them with their own names sometimes such as Fairways from Broadlane Caravans. These specials are worth looking out for providing such extras as alarm and BBQ gas point

The side kitchen offers a fridge and oven plus grill and three gas burners and an electric hob, plus a microwave too. Front lounge has 6ft length seats making them comfortable with access flaps in the seat bases so no moving seat cushions around while a central chest of drawers adds to the excellent storage. Blown air heating makes this a good all year round tourer. Seat comfort is good to with support plus scatter cushions so this is an ideal tourer for a family up to six with popular side fixed bunk beds.

_Rear end bunks are a big hit with parents and children _

How to find a good one
Do the usual checks of dealers forecourts, go on-line and track one down, they have proved very popular over the last few years so have kept prices firm. Solid one piece sides are strong but check for damage especially for poor repairs. Exteriors wear well but look for the usual damaged corners and check the condition of the spare wheel and the alloys while also look for a mover added. Blown heating works well and also it’s on a single axle yet sleeps up to six. Washroom is a bit small but will do if needed urgently.

_Washroom is compact but fine for emergency use! _

If a private sale, ask to see the heating and cooker working and also the charger, these had been known to pack in after a few years with a new charging unit being required. Make sure the bunk bed mattress are clean and that blinds on bunk windows haven’t been damaged. Also check the hob for flaking enamel and rust. Touring Caravans such as this Swift Charisma 565 have flown off the forecourts in 2022 and so if you see one check it out quick!

Article written by Andrew Jenkinson August 2022

If you are thinking of buying or have a used Swift Charisma that you are looking to insure try Caravanwise caravan insurance