Full review

Even a small motorcaravan seems more complete when it has bathroom facilities on board.

It makes you feel more independent and, even if you always use full-facility Club sites, it’s nice to know that you could be more adventurous if the mood should take you. Human nature being what it is though, we don’t want to compromise on the kitchen, the beds, the storage or – most important of all to many Brits – the lounge area. So your motorhome must be BIG.

On the other hand, the whole point of motorcaravanning is to tour. Trailer caravanners park their white boxes on a site and drive round and around, always limited by the fact that they have to go back to base.

We motorcaravanners sensibly take everything with us, so we can stop at the next site – two or 200 miles away – for a different view.

But if you really want to explore – down those country lanes with grass growing down the middle to the beaches, coves, villages and hideaways that the hordes haven’t spoilt – or even discovered – then you need your motorhome to be small.

Hmmm. Doctor Who seems to have the answer, but I can’t see a motorhome shaped like a phone box catching on, even if it had Billie Piper with it. So what we have to content ourselves with is some clever use of space and practical design from people who really understand motorcaravanning.

Of course, the idea of fitting a quart into a pint pot is nothing new, but the arrival of a rash of new conversions of the long wheelbase VW T5 van brings with it fresh promise of the perfect compromise.

We never had any doubt that we’d enjoy driving this sophisticate of motorcaravan base vehicles. The T5 wowed us when it first arrived on the scene and the five-cylinder versions impress just as much now with further  familiarity. Add a few choice luxuries and a Tiptronic gearbox and you’ll be leaving the car at home to drive your T5 motorhome instead.

And in truth, we had few doubts about the Lezan, even before this test. We were impressed when we first saw it, and in real life camping use – we were the first journalists to really live in it – it fulfils our high expectations. 

Bilbo’s campers have always scored top marks for practicality, but the Lezan goes further. It may lack an onboard shower, but it provides a high standard of self-sufficient camping in a really compact package. I want one. I really do. And so does Jo.

Bilbo’s Lezan

• Base vehicle: VW Transporter LWB high-top
• Starting price: £34,950 on-the-road
• As tested: £40,330 on-the-road
• Warranty: Conversion two years, base vehicle and paintwork three years, body protection 12 years.
• Make & model: VW Transporter LWB high-top
• Engine: 2.5-litre turbo-diesel producing 130bhp
• Berths: 2 + 1
• Travel seats: 4, including driver
• Maximum gross vehicle weight: 3,000kg as tested. Manual gearbox version available at 3,200kg
• Payload: 445kg as tested with Tiptronic automatic and various options (vehicle weighed with full fuel and water, 75kg driver). Standard manual gearbox model can have payload of over 650kg
• Length: 5.29m (17ft 4in)
• Width: 2.03m (6ft 8in)
• Height: 2.46m (8ft 1in)
• Internal height: 1.88m (6ft 2in)

Plus points: Drives like a dream, the best automatic gearbox you can get in a motorhome, modern décor and practical finish, well-planned kitchen (especially for storage), sensible toilet/changing area, very comfortable and flexible lounge, superb rear travel seats, car-like base vehicle can be further enhanced with upmarket options.

Minus points: Untidy wiring in wardrobe, larger table has inconvenient leg position, no lights over head end of beds, small hob limits pan size
Overall score - marks out of five – 4.5

Rivals

Auto-Sleeper Topaz
Based on: VW Transporter LWB

Devon Sundowner
Based on: VW Transporter LWB

Timberland Discovery XIX
Based on: Renault Trafic LWB