Full review

Among the 18 single-axle, twin-bed tourers on the market, the Lunar Lexon 570 is a best-seller. And, for 2018, Lexon gets stunning new styling

Amid the heaps of attention currently being focused on tourers with shower rooms across the centre of the layout, which divide the caravan into two rooms, it's good to remember not every buyer wants this arrangement. The popularity of rear shower rooms is definitely alive and well, especially for buyers looking for tourers with twin beds.

This layout appeals to two sectors of the buying public: couples, and families with teenage offspring. They get the twin beds, while mum and dad transform the lounge into their bedroom. And both generations enjoy a totally secluded shower room, well away from the sleeping and daytime sectors of the caravan.

All manufacturers have rear shower room, twin-bed layouts in their portfolios — there are 27 from which to choose. Of those, 18 are on single axles — and three are in the ranges made by Lunar. Among this sector's best-sellers is the Lexon 570.

Lexon, Lunar's mid-priced range, has undergone significant detail change for 2018. Its exterior styling has moved up a notch or two, with chunkier grab handles and a simpler, sleeker gas bottle locker door which spans the entire width of the caravan and delivers a 2.16m-wide space; that's 76cm on each side of the two gas bottle retainers.

The door lifts vertically, on substantial hinges linked by a heavy-duty metal bar, to sit parallel to the window, giving you a wide aperture to make lifting stuff in and out easy.

Inside, some stunning new styling features have been introduced for 2018, including matt, dark grey upper kitchen cabinet doors and a new white splashback with a cream pattern of interwoven elliptical shapes. Elsewhere, the cool, calm palette of gentle fawns for the soft furnishings works beautifully alongside the pale grey carpet.

The open-plan 570 layout shows off this pastel colour scheme superbly for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the soft grey deep-pile carpet with a light-catching shimmer draws your eyes from the lounge down the caravan into the bedroom, giving the feel of a long, spacious tourer.

Secondly, because the twin beds are the same height as the settees, the bed area looks rather like a second lounge, which underlines the 570's versatility as a caravan for both a family or couple.

There's much detail to notice about the Lexon range this year. Among the new features are domestic-style white sockets and light switches, two circular LED ceiling lights, more LEDs concealed behind a silvery grey strip, edged with white, running around the caravan above the front windows, lots of lighting above — and below lockers, all adding up to stunning styling.

Add in the long (1.5m long, to be precise!) roof light over the lounge and kitchen area, set into a white frame with inset spotlights, and you begin to see why we are so enthusiastic about the 2018 Lexon styling.

Showering B

The same silvery-grey strip that runs through the lounge continues along the vertical edges of the large mirror, with LEDs set within it. It illuminates the cream and white mirror frame that matches the kitchen splashback. The beautiful, refined styling mixes nicely with practicality here; the washbasin, a new, 15cm-deep, rectangular shape for 2018, is a little reminiscent of Belfast-style and the shower cubicle is a generous 80cm x 66cm.

It has two shelves for shampoos and a towel rail running across the roof. A towel loop hangs on the wall immediately outside the shower. There's enough space in the little room; it measures 86 cm at its deepest point, by the door.

Sleeping B

The twin beds are 1.85m long. If you want to make your 570 into a two-room caravan, a pleated blind answers the need — and neatly disappears into its own recess within the part-wall aft of the kitchen.

The twin room has a television bracket, connections and two power points. It's worth noting, however, that neither power point is within normal hair dryer cable distance of the wash room mirror. So most buyers will be asking their retailers to install an extra socket, into one of the bed bases, close to the wash room.

Head-height lockers run above each bed. Each contains a shelf, making the capacity huge.

Two semi-circular shelves by the beds are plenty large enough for phones, wristwatches and coffee mugs. Lighting runs across the top of each locker. Deep headboards are plain fawn, with edge panels of the same fabric as the curtains. Here, the pattern is aligned vertically, contrasting with the horizontal alignment of the pattern in the curtains.

Making the bed in the lounge involves drawing lightweight metal-framed slatted structures from under each settee to meet in the middle. It's done in seconds.

Storage A

There are three options for getting to the storage areas under the beds: raise the top, lower the full-length doors or open the exterior hatch; it's super-convenient!

Under-settee storage offers two entrance options — drop down the full-length doors or lift the top. And, because the pull-out bed frame is made of lightweight metal, it's easy to lift.

With excellent top lockers in the bedroom, two more (both with shelves) in the lounge, plus triangular-doored corner lockers alongside the sunroof, and a 62cm-wide wardrobe with three drawers and a locker below, the 570's storage comfortably earns our

A rating.

Dining A

It's easy to get the table in and out of its wide slot in its own sector of the kitchen cabinet. Pulling out the chest of drawer-top extension creates a level surface of 79 cm x 60 cm. Time to notice another Lexon styling feature.

All the surfaces — that's the pull-out table, the 'proper' table, the small dresser and kitchen — are totally matt fawn; it's almost a linen-look, and appealing, adhering to the modern styling theme.

Lounging A

Now for the fun bit of the 570's décor: the cushions. 'Beach this way', 'Sail away', 'Soak up the sun', 'Oh I do like to be beside the seaside', 'Enjoy ice cream'… All these holiday phrases appear in type that mimics old-style wooden advertising hoardings, on the pale cream cushion fabric.

We love the fun and we love the look. Matt white top locker doors, plain fawn seating and the horizontally patterned curtains in fine white, cream, grey and fawn all come together to create a beautiful lounge. Comfort? That's excellent, too.

Kitchen B

The work surface stretches 1.31m with the extension up into position; that certainly satisfies our 'suitable for keen cooks' criterion.

Storage space, though, doesn't draw as much praise. Lower space, other than below the oven, is a 27cm-wide cabinet containing a cutlery drawer and a two-shelf space, 68cm deep. A second two-shelf cabinet, of the same width, is in the dresser. In total, it's enough, but only just enough, considering that the amount of surface will sell this caravan to people for whom cooking is an important part of holidays.

The microwave, set into the lovely, dark grey top cabinet run, will be considered too high by cooks who aren't tall. That factor, together with the modest lower storage space, limits the 570's kitchen to a B rating.

Towing A

Lunar caravans get a longer tow test than most; it's 20 miles of motorway and lanes from the factory, north, to Little Orchard Caravan Park in the hinterland of Lytham St Annes. Even with no help from gas bottles to create normal noseweight, the 570 demonstrated inherent stability.

No high winds or overtaking king-sized lorries attempted to wake up the ATC stability control system. The 570's journeys to and from Little Orchard Caravan Park were an enjoyable and easy tow.

Verdict

This twin-bed tourer oozes cool style. The lighting design is lovely — and there's much of it. Its big kitchen surface will endear the 570 to foodie buyers. And, the inclusion of ATC wins our praise, too, as does the amount of storage space. Other praiseworthy practical points to note are the towel rail across the ceiling of the shower cubicle and the neat recess concealing the pleated room divider.

White sockets and switches, silvery grey strips to conceal lighting above the lounge windows and down both sides of the washbasin mirror and those awesome beach-themed cushions are icing on a tasty cake.

Options

AL-KO Secure wheel lock at £249