Campervan, RV & Vanlife News
The Caravan 2026 exhibition will be held at the Lahti Exhibition Centre on the last weekend of September. It is Finland's largest four-day specialised event for motorhomes, caravans and campervans, showcasing next season's models, equipment and services. Organisers note a rise in new user groups who use a motorhome, van or caravan as a base for trips, holidays, hobbies and events.
United States
On Sunday in Janakkala, at Leppäkoski, a motorhome caught fire while driving. The driver and a passenger traveling from Tervakoski along Leppäkoskentie noticed that the vehicle began to overheat.
On Sunday shortly before 4 p.m., a motorhome that had just been parked caught fire in Etelänkylä, Kalajoki. According to the North Ostrobothnia rescue service, there was a risk the fire would spread to a nearby detached house and other buildings.
A motorhome caught fire on Sunday morning on Leppäkorventie in Janakkala. The Kanta-Häme rescue service received the alert at 11:00. The driver and one passenger exited the vehicle on their own; no injuries were reported. The motorhome was completely destroyed by the fire.
United States
The Kaukkila family from Pori and the Laihinen couple made separate motorhome trips to northern Finland. The family of four (parents and children aged 13 and 4) spent two weeks in the North Calotte region, where the sun did not set. Both trips were affected by injuries: Kari Kaukkila was hit by a car at a pedestrian crossing in Pori in early June, breaking his collarbone, while his wife used crutches. The Laihinen couple also faced injuries. Despite this, both trips were successful.
The Caravan 2026 show will be held from 24 to 27 September 2026 at the Lahti Exhibition Centre. The four-day event will present next season's motorhomes, caravans and campervans, along with equipment and services. The theme is 'For All Roads'. Organisers are Eventum Lahti Oy and the Association of Motorhome Importers (MAT) ry. A Vanlife day will take place on Saturday 26 September, and DogFest on Sunday 27 September.
The third season of the Finnish documentary series Van Life premieres on September 20, 2026, on Yle TV2. The series follows a woman named Aino who has lived in an orange van for several years. In the new season, she decides to renovate the vehicle because daily use has revealed impractical solutions. Filming takes place in Norway, Lithuania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Portugal. In the sixth episode, Aino ends her journey by the Atlantic Ocean.
Hobby has unveiled changes to its 2027 model range aimed at improving ease of use for motorhomes, caravans, and campers. Caravans feature redesigned kitchens, storage solutions, lighting, and refrigeration, along with new corner supports ready for retrofitting the motorized Knott leveling system. Campers gain a new rear-view camera with three live views and upgraded seats, while motorhomes receive refreshed interiors and two new floor plans in the PRESTIGE T series.
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has purchased an Airstream travel trailer branded with Supreme, estimated by The Sun to cost around 78,000 euros. In a YouTube video, Haaland said he bought it in the United States and plans to travel in it. His weekly wage at Manchester City is about 582,000 euros.
In Australia, a Toyota Hilux driver took the vehicle's off-road capabilities to the extreme by driving a loaded pickup with a trailer down a muddy, near-vertical wall. The video, published on the Ghost X Overland account on Instagram and YouTube, shows a 2024 Toyota Hilux navigating the Gunshot Creek obstacle on the Old Telegraph Track in Cape York, Queensland. The truck features modifications such as a steel bumper, snorkel, lifted suspension, and larger tires, but retains its standard 2.8-liter turbodiesel engine. The trailer, designed for sleeping, followed the vehicle's line without tipping over.
In Parainen, Finland, a motorhome parked next to a building caught fire on Thursday morning. A person sleeping inside woke up and escaped, sustaining minor injuries. The fire started from a heater connected to the mains. It was extinguished before rescue units arrived.
A motorhome caught fire in Parainen on Thursday morning. The sleeping occupant woke up and escaped with minor injuries. The fire was extinguished before firefighters arrived.
A motorhome was completely destroyed in a fire early Sunday morning on Kabanovintie in Kirkkonummi. The rescue service received the alarm at 5:51 a.m. A nearby boat also suffered fire damage. No injuries were reported, and police are investigating the cause.
The Pirkanmaa District Court on August 12 found a 70-year-old man guilty of embezzlement of a motorhome purchased on an installment plan. The court determined that the man failed to make payments and did not return the vehicle, claiming it was stolen. He was sentenced to three months and 15 days of conditional imprisonment and ordered to pay an 80-euro victim surcharge.
Germany
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At Caravan Salon 2026 in Düsseldorf, Volkswagen presented the ID. California Cruise, the first fully electric camper in the California line. German price starts at €60,761, deliveries begin in early 2027.
Finnish publication Moottori compared fuel consumption when towing a Kabe caravan (max weight 1570 kg) with two used cars: a diesel Volvo XC90 and a petrol Saab 9-5. The Volvo averaged about 13 l/100 km, costing 29.4 euros per 100 km at a diesel price of 2.264 euros/l. The Saab averaged about 15 l/100 km, costing 31.4 euros per 100 km at a petrol price of 2.093 euros/l. The extra cost compared to driving without the caravan was 12.5 and 10.3 euros per 100 km, respectively. The authors note that aerodynamic drag affects consumption more than weight, and that differences in consumption between cars tend to level out when towing.
Moottori magazine tested a used Saab 9-5 Aero as a tow car for a caravan. In July, the car was hitched to a suitably sized caravan and taken on the road to assess its towing capability and fuel consumption. The rear of the Saab appeared to sag unusually low under the load, although the nose weight was deemed reasonable. During the trip, it became apparent that many other traditional passenger cars towing caravans also had sagging rears.
Finland
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On 25 August, a motorhome burned down in Rovaniemi's Perunkajärvi. The fire started after a trip; no injuries, no spread.
Finland
2
Elina and Juha Lahti from Iitti spent four months converting a trailer under 750 kg into a camper. Costs were about 3000 euros. First trip: two weeks through Eastern Finland to Lapland.
The purchase of a new Hymer BML I 790 motorhome for 224,680 euros in May 2024 led to a consumer dispute. The buyer claimed the vehicle had numerous defects from the start, including faulty interior lighting and non-working USB ports, as well as a delivery delay of nearly three weeks. The seller maintained that warranty repairs were carried out properly. The first foreign trip was interrupted, and the case was referred to the Consumer Disputes Board.