Coachman Amara 640

£18,945 • MTPLM 1700kg • MIRO 1510kg

Family caravanning with lots of flexibility demands a caravan like this Coachman, which is on a twin-axle…

Coachman doesn’t really do budget caravans. This manufacturer’s lowest-priced range, Amara, with it’s high standard spec and superb finish, feels anything but entry level. But since the company launched its new body style for the higher-spec Pastiche and VIP, the gap between the Amara and its stablemates has widened.The downside to being so well made and comprehensively equipped is that Coachmans tend to be a bit on the hefty side. So while Amaras are desirable caravans, does the biggest of the bunch, the twin-axle 640/6, really make sense as a family caravan?

 Showering 8/10

 With such a long body, there’s ample scope for a proper end shower room and, in this respect, the 640/6 certainly doesn’t disappoint us. Unlike some of the end shower rooms being squeezed into single-axle caravans, this is a shower room in the best traditions of the genre, featuring acres of space and a colossal wardrobe.

The shower is circular and, while it’s not as roomy as a square shower, it’s certainly up to the job for adults, although showering the sand off a couple of squirming kids might not be as easy.

The other important function of an end washroom is as something of a sanctuary for mum – an oasis of calm in which to indulge in a bit of me time. With a sizeable vanity unit, good lighting and storage, it’s definitely fit for this purpose.

Sleeping 8/10

With a full complement of six on board, the Amara is flexible enough to cope with children aged from 18 months right up to teens. The extra space freed up by folding the lower bunk can be filled with a cot for very young children, while the bottom of the Pullman bunk area will comfortably accommodate a teenager. Up front, the settees are long enough for under six-footers to use as twin single beds, and Coachman’s neat pull-out bed base mechanism makes creating the large front double child’s play. The extension slats to bridge the central divide are integrated within the offside seat base and the mechanism effortlessly slides across to reach the other seat.

Storage 18/20

With 11 overhead lockers – some with shelves – plus ample storage under the four seat bases in the main living area, the 640/6 is not short of storage options. But it goes much further than that. The wardrobe in the shower room is huge and, as well as ample hanging space, has shelves inside it and drawers underneath.

We’ve already touched on the folding lower bunk which, if not used as a berth, can be folded up to provide additional storage space for large items such as cycles or possibly an awning. And there’s also the central chest of drawers in the lounge, with three drawers instead of the more usual two. Thanks to Coachman’s alternative approach to building the front double bed, this cupboard offers significantly more storage space than most equivalents.

Dining 8/10

With three potential dining locations, flexibility is the watchword here. The table atop the central chest of drawers is ideal for coffee and light lunches for two, while the dining area will easily accommodate another two. There’s ample room to seat six around the standalone table which, like the side dining table, is stored in a slot in the shower room.

With six on board, most family mealtimes will need to be taken in the lounge. But with four or five on board, the rear dining table will almost certainly come into play more frequently, meaning children who rise early can have breakfast while parents might even get away with a lie-in in the front double.

Lounging 8/10 

The roomy front lounge is certainly large enough for six to sit around, but the likelihood is that the kids will want to do their own thing in the evenings. Whether this playing computer games in the small dining area, or charging around with their friends, the Amara can cope. The cushions are firm and supportive and there are plenty of 230v sockets throughout – including two in the lounge, two at the dresser and another in the rear dining area.

Kitchen 14/20

Even in a large twin-axle tourer, somewhere there has to be a compromise. In the 640/6, that compromise has been made in the kitchen. It lacks nothing in terms of kit, wtih a dual fuel hob, microwave and a 107-litre fridge. But there’s precious little worktop space and storage is somewhat squeezed.  

Build 8/10

Coachman has an enviable reputation for building very solid caravans and the Amara is no exception. The downside of this durability tends to manifest itself in a weight penalty and there’s no doubting the Amara looks heavy alongside some other family-oriented twin-axles.

The interior finish is unimpeachable, but externally, when parked next to its more expensive siblings, the Amara looks just a tiny bit like the poor relation, so the sooner Coachman rolls out its new bodyshell to the rest of the range, the better.

Towing 6/10

As long as you have a big enough towcar, twin axles tend to have superior road manners to long single-axle tourers – and that’s exactly how it behaved on its test tow behind our Kia Sorento.

 

VERDICT 78/100

A touring caravan for committed family caravanners

TOWMATCH INFO

Weight (MTPLM): 1700kg

To tow this caravan at 85% you need a car kerbweight of 1510kg

To tow this caravan at 100% you need a car kerbweight of 1700kg

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