Built for over 50 years, now with a toilet: Can the cult egg from Poland hold its own against the Turkish mini caravans?

White and blue waves, rounded corners, a one-piece body. If you went camping in Poland or East Germany in the '80s, you'll recognize this cult caravan instantly: the Niewiadow N126 ET.

The N126 has been in production since 1973. Back then it still sat on the chassis of the Fiat 126p, which is where the name comes from. Today it's one of the micro or mini caravans that's been produced almost unchanged for the longest time.

The "ET" in the name stands for the version with a toilet compartment. Niewiadow packs a kitchen, a seating area with a double bed, and an enclosed washroom with a cassette toilet into a body just 270 centimeters long inside. Gross vehicle weight: 750 kilos.

That puts the classic up against two roughly equally compact newcomers from Turkey: the Tosbiq TK 240 and the Ankaravan Micro 240. Who wins?

The egg from Poland: build and dimensions

The body of the N126 ET is made entirely of GRP, i.e. glass-fiber reinforced plastic. Underneath sits a welded, hot-dip galvanized steel frame with an AL-KO or Knott axle. There's no wood in the outer shell that could rot.

Under the roof is a pop-top with a mosquito net. Opened up, it raises the standing height inside to almost 185 centimeters.

The dimensions according to the spec sheet at the trade show booth:

• Total length (including drawbar): 388 cm

• Width: 194 cm

• Height: 218 cm

• Interior: 270 × 184 cm

• Sleeping area: 184 × 122 cm

The German Niewiadow website lists slightly different figures (395 × 195 × 223 cm). So depending on the equipment and measuring method, the numbers vary by a few centimeters.

Things get interesting when it comes to weight. According to Niewiadow Deutschland, the unladen weight is 570 kilos. Dealer miniCaravan, however, states a payload of only 111 kilos – which points to a figure closer to 640 kilos. The gross vehicle weight is 750 kilos, and on request the mini caravan can be upgraded to 900 kilos. It's approved for speeds up to 100 km/h.

Floor plan and equipment: convertible seating area, kitchen, toilet, battery

The kitchen sits crosswise at the front, the seating area is at the back, and the small washroom is permanently built into the body. In the evening, the seating area turns into a sleeping spot measuring 184 × 122 centimeters. It's a tight fit for a couple, but fine for one person alone, as long as they're not too tall. This model doesn't offer a third sleeping spot.

Standard equipment includes:

• 2-burner gas stove and sink with retractable faucet

• Dometic compressor fridge (50 or 57 liters, depending on the source)

• 10-liter water canister with immersion pump

• enclosed washroom with folding sink and Thetford cassette toilet

• 80 Ah battery, 12V/230V charger, USB socket, LED lighting inside and on the awning

• blinds with mosquito nets, shock-absorbed chassis, spare wheel, entry step

What's missing here: a shower. The ET is a toilet model, not a bathroom model. Heating, solar, and an awning also aren't included as standard.

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What does the N126 ET cost?

The base price at the trade show: 15,060 euros. The Niewiadow website lists it as "starting at 14,620 euros."

The show vehicle came with the following extras:

On top of that come €795 for preparation and €99 for COC papers, registration certificate, and gas inspection. At the trade show there was a 5 percent discount on the entire order, bringing the price down to €16,615 plus additional costs.

Our tip: You should order the heater if you're not just traveling in midsummer. It's by far the most expensive extra, but it's what makes this small caravan usable in cooler weather.

Niewiadow vs. Tosbiq vs. Ankaravan: the comparison

Shape: egg vs. box

Optically, the three worlds go their separate ways. The N126 ET is a rounded fiberglass egg, flat and narrow. At 218 centimeters tall, it's a good 20 centimeters lower than the two Turkish models and a bit slimmer too. You only get standing height once you pop the roof.

Tosbiq and Ankaravan are tall boxes with a fixed roof. That means you can stand upright inside right away, no need to flip anything open first.

Equipment: The Polish classic keeps it basic

When it comes to comfort, the newcomers take the lead. Both come with a shower option, a diesel heater, and solar power on board, and the Tosbiq even has a 90-liter fridge. The Niewiadow sticks to the classic gas setup: gas stove, gas heater on request, no shower.

That has its upsides too. Gas works without a mains hookup, while the induction hob in the Tosbiq only runs on a 230-volt connection. And less tech on board means less that can break.

Price: In the end, they're all pretty close

Bare-bones, the Ankaravan is the cheapest at around 10,000 euros, though that's without a braked axle, solar, or heating. With comparable equipment, all three land somewhere between 15,000 and 17,500 euros.

The real difference lies elsewhere: Niewiadow has over 50 years of series production experience, a dealer network in Germany, and solid resale values. With Tosbiq and Ankaravan, you should take a closer look at COC papers, warranty terms, and spare parts availability.

Does the N126 ET work behind an electric car?

This is where the Niewiadow really shows its strength. With a gross weight of 750 kilos, your tow vehicle only needs a braked towing capacity of 750 kilos. Plenty of smaller EVs can handle that. You'll find the towing capacity in your vehicle registration under section O.1. The only model that matches this is the Ankaravan Micro 240, which also has a 750-kilo gross weight and, starting at 440 kilos, is even lighter.

You're also on the safe side with your license: a trailer up to 750 kilos gross weight is always allowed with a Class B license, as long as your tow vehicle stays under 3,500 kilos gross weight. With the Tosbiq at 1,000 kilos, you'll need a car with a gross weight of no more than 2,500 kilos, otherwise you'll need a B96 or BE license.

If you upgrade the gross weight to 900 kilos, the same rules apply for car and license as with the Tosbiq. So that upgrade only makes sense if both pieces fit together.

Range mainly comes down to frontal area, and the flat, rounded N126 ET has a noticeably smaller one than its taller, boxier competitors. Even the lighter Micro 240 can't keep up here. That should translate into a fuel or energy consumption advantage.

Verdict: Who is the Niewiadow N126 ET really for?

The N126 ET is the mini caravan for couples and solo travelers who like to keep things simple and fit into a relatively short, narrow bed. It's light, flat, towable with any Class B license, and fits behind almost any electric car. Having your own toilet on board also saves you the nighttime trek across the campsite.

If you want a shower, need plenty of cold storage, or want to camp off-grid with solar power, you're better off with the Tosbiq or Ankaravan. With the Niewiadow, though, you're buying into a concept that's been working for over 50 years, backed by a German dealer network.