The family-focused Lunar Lexon 580 is the first to fall under the spotlight in this week’s episode on Practical Caravan TV – and with a 1455kg MTPLM, impressive for a five-berth, you won’t need a massive tow car to pull it. Priced at £19,999, kit includes smart items like alloy wheels and Al-Ko ATC, and practical touches like storage with external access and a step on the front to help when cleaning the van. Storage also stars in the lounge, which benefits from the Skyview rooflight. The large offside kitchen impresses with its microwave, separate oven and grill, a dual-fuel hob with an electric hotplate, a fridge and a worktop extension flap. Beyond the kitchen is a super side dinette opposite bunk beds, with a washroom running across the rear of this Lunar caravan. Could this be the family van you don’t grow out of? Tune in and decide for yourself.

This show will be broadcast on Practical Caravan TV at these times, on these days:

  • 8pm on Monday 2 May (bank holiday Monday);
  • 5pm on Wednesday 4 May;
  • 7pm on Friday 6, Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 May 2016.
         

You’ll find our channel on Showcase, which is on Sky 212 and Freeview 254 (for the latter you’ll need a smart TV), or you can watch live online. 

Next on Practical Caravan TV, our Group Editor Alastair Clements reviews the Bailey Unicorn Barcelona. A shade under 8m long, this top-spec, twin-axle tourer has a fixed nearside bed and is warmed by Alde central heating. The lounge is bright and comfy, but it’s in the centre of the van that the extra length is really felt. The large kitchen is well-endowed when it comes to storage, no bad thing in a van that might be used as a seasonal pitch, and its separate oven and grill, dual-fuel hob, microwave and huge fridge with a separate freezer compartment tick the right boxes. At 6ft 2in-long, the fixed double bed is easy to get comfortable in and the bedroom has a generous wardrobe and lots of overhead lockers, perfect for longer stays. Tune in to see all this and the good-sized, L-shaped washroom with a fully-lined shower.

Now, do you think a four-wheel-drive estate is the perfect tow car? If so, make sure you watch this week’s TV show as our Tow Car Editor David Motton puts the four-wheel drive Ford Mondeo Estate to the test, to see what tow car ability it has. Of course, that four-wheel-drive tech adds weight, and this Mondeo has a 1448kg 85% match figure. On test, its 178bhp/295lb ft torque engine made light work of towing a twin-axle van, and it is also a very practical tow car. It’s fair to say our Motty came away rather impressed. Tune in on Sky 212 or Freeview 254, or watch live online, and see if you agree.

After the break, Alastair reviews the Sterling Eccles 565. Another four-berth family van, this sharp-looking model has fixed twin beds and costs just over £19,000. Its striking external appearance is complemented by its attractively modern interior. The comfy lounge converts into a spacious double bed, while in the kitchen the pale-coloured cupboards do a great job of opening up the space. Watch Practical Caravan TV to see the twin singles set in a chic bedroom, and the end washroom.

Next we’re off to Cofton Country Holiday Park in Devon, a finalist in our Top 100 Sites Guide 2016. It’s a great site for family caravan holidays, with indoor and outdoor swimming pools, an on-site cafe, restaurant and bar, a shop, three play areas for the kids, an arcade, coarse fishing and more. Grass, hardstanding and super pitches are available, too – get the full story in this week’s TV show.

Finally, we take a look at some clever new towing technology from Land Rover. Called Transparent Trailer, it uses cameras on the car and trailer to create an image on the screen in the cabin which looks like a ghost trailer, meaning you can see the road behind whatever you’re towing. It is super-clever kit, you really need to see it to believe it. Which means there’s only one thing to do – watch this week’s TV show!

So find Practical Caravan TV on Freeview 254 (if you have a smart TV), Sky 212 or watch live online. We hope you enjoy it.