Full review

Sunlight has built up a strong reputation for manufacturing sturdy, high-quality low-profile and overcab coachbuilt motorhomes since its inception over a decade ago. But 2018 is an important milestone in the brand’s relatively short history as it moves into new markets: A-classes and van conversions.

This expansion of the line-up is mirrored by Carado, the sister company which is to Hymer (its entry-level line-up) as Sunlight is to Dethleffs. Coachbuilts from both Carado and Sunlight come from the Capron factory in the former East Germany and, together, they claim market dominance in their homeland. However, the new van ranges hail from the brand-new Laika (another Erwin Hymer Group marque) factory in Tuscany. 

Confused? Well, suffice to say that, if you like the Sunlight Cliff seen here but can’t find a dealer near to you, then the Carado Vlow
V 600 is, effectively, the same ’van – at exactly the same price. Only the cosmetics are used to differentiate, although Sunlight claims to aim at a younger audience.

A tempting price tag of just over £41k is a good starting point, however, with far fewer opponents at this level – think Dreamer, Rimor, Sun Living and, of course, the sister model from Carado.

OK, you’ll not want to go without the £1,970 Chassis Pack (cab air-con, a passenger airbag, electric mirrors, cruise control, radio pre-wiring, height adjustment for the passenger seat and a 120-litre diesel tank). Or the Basic Pack (another £1,230) for a duckboard in the shower and a bathroom clothes rail, cab armrests, a galley worktop extension flap, bathroom window, cab blinds, an external step and flyscreen for the sliding door, and a table extension.

Now we’re up to £44,450 but our message is this – don’t get too carried away with the extra toys and the Sunlight looks like a very good-value package.

Certainly, we’d think twice about forking out £870 for the 130bhp engine as the standard 115bhp motor is 15kg lighter and, in our experience, more economical. Metallic paint or colour-coded bumpers will add nothing to your holiday memories...

In tune with other Sunlight vehicles, the conversion holds few surprises. Up front, the half-dinette has separate head restraints for rear passengers and the reading lights clip to a rail and can be positioned wherever you deem most suitable – that feels like a touch from a considerably more expensive vehicle.

Where the overhead lockers have a traditional wood finish, the galley adopts a more modern white and grey mix with large drawers making excellent use of the storage space. The extension flap is vital extra worktop once the hob’s glass lid and sink’s chopping board cover are out of commission, but the table is close by. In this regard the Cliff is typical of its type.

The compressor fridge has a generous 90-litre capacity and is mounted at chest height for super-easy accessibility. Opposite, between the washroom and lounge is a surprisingly large wardrobe with a very useful shelved locker below – just one indication that storage is well-thought-out in this vehicle. That’s before you consider the usual fold-away rear bed which allows bikes, etc, to be carried on board – one of the reasons that this layout has been so successful since the first Adrias landed here in the mid-noughties.

Meanwhile, the step for the rear bed and the bathroom’s tambour door and fixed corner basin are more pluses. Although it seems to take up very little interior space, the washroom is actually one of the best features of the motorhome. The tap swivels so you can get your face right over the basin, there’s good storage behind the mirror (with fiddle rails to keep everything in place), the loo has plenty of room for sitting and there’s a hanging rail for wet clothes – in tune with Sunlight’s sporty brand image. Best of all, you won’t be getting yourself all tangled up in a shower curtain.

The bed, of course, along with the storage below, is a key reason to buy and you’ll welcome the thick, comfy mattress, the heater outlet and the movable/removable reading lights. But, if it’s bikes you want to carry, the way the bed folds away is simplicity itself.

A vehicle like this is not about fancy fittings but practical camping, and simple, high-quality design is what Sunlight does best. As does Carado, if you prefer the Vlow’s trim or have a dealer closer to home.

If you enjoyed this review, you can read loads more like it in What Motorhome magazine. You can get a digital version of this latest issue of What Motorhome magazine here.