Full review

Words: Val Chapman  Photography: Richard Chapman

The Coachman Laser 665 Xtra

Laser has always been synonymous with luxury caravanning. Now, the marque that was first introduced in 2000 has grown in width – as well as, of course, specification. 

The three Laser models are now eight feet wide – hence the name Xtra, a designation introduced in 2022. Two have island beds and one, the 665, has twin beds. 

Although the island bed Lasers are also four-berths, it’s the 665 that offers flexibility in terms of family use. The bedroom area can be the domain of young caravanners, with parents converting the lounge into a double bed. 

And the central position of the shower and toilet area means that people sleeping at either end can get to it without walking through a bedroom.

Until recently, there were several twin-bed caravans from which to choose. But layout trends change, and now the 665 Xtra is the only twin-bed, twin-axle, eight-foot-width caravan with a central shower room.

There are some single-axle, twin-bed caravans; among them Coachman’s VIP 565 and Adria’s Alpina Colorado and Adora Seine, though all of these have rear shower rooms, so are not directly comparable to the 665 Xtra. 

So, apart from now being unique in the market, what’s special about the 665 Xtra? We spent a day at Campbells Caravans & Motorhomes’ base at Lostock Hall, south of Preston, to find out.

The spec

The 2024 Laser models are even more luxurious than their predecessors. Introductions for 2024 include a 40-litre inboard water tank and a Thetford 159-litre fridge with separate freezer. 

Perhaps more importantly, the single beds are wider than those in previous models, at 86.5cm; that’s only 3.5cm less than a standard domestic single bed width. (The length is 1.93m.)

As we explored the bedroom, we discovered an interesting twist to the family flexibility that the twin-bed 665 offers. This isn’t just a bedroom. With the help of some of the 665’s six cushions, it becomes an extra lounge – and it could also be used as a dining area. The free-standing table is 55cm wide and fits nicely between the beds, or in this mode, seats. 

Other introductions for 2024 include a high-end, domestic-style, chrome and black kitchen tap with a flexible arch, so that you can rinse items anywhere in the sink, and a flatbed microwave, with no rotating plate that you have to remember to remove when you tow. 

Altogether, the Laser has become even more refined – and that includes the lounge upholstery, which has higher backrests for 2024, so are more supportive.

The lounge

Eight-foot width means the snack time dining arrangement is nicely spacious, with a pull-out table that is 66cm wide and a windowsill that curves forward to meet it, giving a width of 92cm. 

With the pull-out table in position, the windowsill and table together give you a depth of 81cm. The free-standing table lives in its own cabinet to the right of the door. The cabinet’s top provides a perfect place for a television. 

All connections are there, including two mains sockets and two USB ports (an 18W USB-C charger plus a standard USB point).

Lounge niceties to notice include the contactless charging pad fitted flush into the windowsill. 

Lighting

The four lounge spotlights are on flexible black stalks so that their positions are infinitely adjustable, for task lighting or general illumination. Lighting runs under the edges of the seating as well as under the pelmets. And, conveniently, there’s a shoe cabinet by the door.

A slim light strip is set into the base of the top locker; its brightness has two levels, operated by touch control. There’s an extractor fan directly above the hob and this has a built-in light. 

There are three spotlights above the (white gloss finish) top locker. And there’s an aesthetic lighting feature, too; lighting runs between the three kitchen drawers and under the edge of the work surface.

The kitchen

Another of the Laser Xtra’s strong points is the size of the kitchen surface. With the 30cm by 58cm hinged extension in place, there is a 1.1m long surface, and it’s L-shaped, giving an 85cm-by-38cm width forward of the sink. 

The three kitchen drawers (36cm wide) have smooth-action, chrome, tilt catches. The L-shape section of the kitchen houses a cabinet that contains three drawers that pull out on a runner. Each is 65cm deep and 26cm wide. 

The top locker is generous in size, at 77cm wide. Like the lower drawers, it has a chrome tilt catch. There’s also a cabinet above the fridge/freezer. The sink sits rimlessly into the surface and it’s nicely large at 40cm in diameter. Altogether, this is a splendidly practical kitchen.

The washroom

Coachman does things differently and the door arrangement of the central shower and toilet area is an example of this. Instead of the often-found toilet compartment door opening to provide a barrier across the caravan, the 665 has a separate forward door to close off the ablutions zone.

The toilet area door opens towards the rear, providing the division between here and the bedroom. Both doors have magnetic catches. 

The washbasin/toilet room is spacious, at 1.35m long and 86cm wide, and features a domestic-style tall towel warmer and a cabinet that’s wider than most, at 67cm.

The shower cubicle is amply supplied with places for shampoo bottles, with two small shelves and a large shelf provided by the position of the wheelarch. 

A foldout towel hook in the shower cubicle, plus a loop on the door and two hooks in the washbasin area cater well for towels and dressing gowns.

Storage

Plushly upholstered bedheads, a two-drawer chest between the beds, and two more drawers beneath the 50cm-wide wardrobe, plus a staggering nine overhead lockers, together amount to phenomenal bedroom storage capacity. And that’s before you even consider the spaces under the beds.