• Home
  • Reviews
  • Advice
  • News
  • Buying Guides
  • Travel
  • For Sale
  • Forums
    • Reviews
    • Advice
    • News
    • Buying Guides
    • Travel
    • For Sale
    • Forums
    • Awards
    • Back To Basics
    Your browser is out-of-date!

    Update your browser to view this website correctly. Update my browser now

    ×

    NewsletterWinHave Your SaySubscribe
    • Reviews
    • Advice
    • News
    • Buying Guides
    • Travel
    • For Sale
    • Forums
    • Awards
    • Back To Basics

    Home › Reviews›Bailey›Ranger›S5 620/6

    Bailey Ranger Series 5 620/6 2008

    £12,195

    Published: December 23, 2010

    It seems that six-berth, fixed-bed tourers are growing in popularity, thanks to the combination of convenience and space that they can offer families. Bailey has always been among those quick to respond to such trends and its current offering brings the marque's experience and comprehensive dealer network to the fixed-bed fray.

    Verdict

    This is a well-built van that has all the basic requirements for a large family. It’s good value for money, too.

    Pros

    Wet tray under fixed bed
    Large lounge sunroof.

    Cons

    Low-spec washroom
    Poorly fitting bunk mattress.

    Pitching & Setting-up

    A good-sized front locker with support struts and space for two gas bottles helps make setting up straightforward, as do the well-placed corner steadies and waste outlet point.

    As a twin-axle tourer, the Bailey won’t be as easy to manoeuvre on site as a single-axle van, but at least there are receivers for Al-Ko Secure wheel locks.

    Among the little details that aid usability is external access to the storage area under the fixed bed. This space has a plastic tray and drain making it an ideal short-term option for storing wet items. Moreover, Bailey has introduced alloy wheels as standard.

    Living

    Large sofas provide plenty of room for six, even though the seats are sharing lounge space with a spacious central chest.

    What’s more, the free-standing table is easily large enough for six when joined to the chest’s extension, although, slightly irritatingly, the table sits lower and is narrower than the extension.

    During the day, the lounge is flooded with light from the one-piece front window and Heki 2 tilting rooflight. Once the sun sets, there are plenty of options for lighting thanks to the front corner lights, adjustable spotlights and ceiling lights. We particularly like the four downlights around the sunroof.

    Kitchen

    The specification in the kitchen is very good for a van in this price bracket. It includes a reasonably large fridge, a four-burner hob and a separate oven and grill. There’s also a removable drainer. Worktop space is fair, bolstered by a fold-down worktop extension over the fixed bed. If small kids can climb onto the bed, you’ll need to be careful what you place here.

    Storage is taken care of by three overhead lockers with built-in plate and cup racks, plus shelves, and three cupboards under the ovens for pots and pans. You also get two cupboards with a cutlery drawer and wire racks.

    Washroom

    In this floorplan, the rear-corner washroom is compact. This makes it fine for brushing your teeth and night-time toilet trips, but not for getting everybody in the family showered in the morning.

    The basin is outside the washroom proper and includes a mirror lit by spotlights. Inside, there’s a swivel toilet, a curtain to separate the toilet from the shower, a small sunroof and a shelf above the toilet so you can get the loo roll out of the way of any splashes from the shower.

    One niggle: the light switch is up on the light itself, meaning little ones will need Mum or Dad to turn the light on.

    Beds

    As is usual in a six-berth of this sort, the fixed double is at the rear, the front seats convert to a double bed, and the side dinette becomes two bunks.

    The Bailey has a great combination of lockers, cubby holes and two small corner shelves around the fixed bed for a versatile mix of storage options. For privacy, a fabric folding door separates the fixed bed and washroom from the rest of the van.

    The front lounge turns easily into a double bed, supported by slats. Six-footers will have plenty of room, and the sofas can be used as two singles – important for families with older children. Assembling the bunks is also trouble-free, the Bailey using the table as the base for the lower bunk, and providing a guard rail for the top bunk, a ladder and a privacy curtain.

    The dinette cushions fold out to form the bunk mattresses. It’s a quick, easy operation to perform, but the cushions don’t fit quite right on the lower bunk.

    Storage

    Storage is especially important for a van such as the Ranger, because large families will need a lot of space for clothes, food and holiday equipment.

    A large storage locker under the front sofas gets the Bailey off to a good start in this section, and the bed boxes have slatted tops for easy access. Overhead storage, in the shape of lockers with shelves, is provided in abundance too, and there are plenty of cubby holes for smaller items.

    The side dinette also provides valuable storage, with space under and above the seats. The overhead lockers are a great place to store the kids’ clothes, and are near enough to the kitchen to double as extra kitchen storage.

    There is a large storage area under the fixed bed, and the space can be accessed externally. The wet-tray gives this feature added versatility.

    A modest-sized wardrobe, deep enough for standard coat hangers but not full-length, completes the picture.

    Technical Specifications

    Berth6
    MiRO1281 kg
    Payload259 kg
    MTPLM1540 kg
    Shipping Length7.89 m
    Width2.19 m

    Related Reviews

    The ID.5
    Tow Cars

    Volkswagen ID.5 77kW 204PS Pro Performance Style 2022

    1000 kg Max. Tow
    229 lbf-ft Torque
    £52,100

    It looks good and has plenty of room, but you’ll need a big budget and a...

    You can choose from eight distinctive graphics in black, orange and grey
    Caravans

    Swift Basecamp 6 2022

    6-berth
    1331 kg MTPLM
    £25,995

    Active families will love the new, larger version of this popular van, which now accommodates six...

    The exterior of the Bailey Alicanto Grande Evora
    Caravans

    Bailey Alicanto Grande Evora 2023

    4-berth
    1855 kg MTPLM
    £38,499

    You’ll need a hefty car to tow this big twin-axle, but the Bailey Alicanto Grande Evora...

    The full-hybrid Ford Kuga 2.5 FHEV 190PS ST-Line X Edition FWD Auto
    Tow Cars

    Ford Kuga 2.5 FHEV 190PS ST-Line X Edition FWD Auto 2022

    1600 kg Max. Tow
    148 lbf-ft Torque
    £38,045

    Reassuringly stable and well equipped to handle regular towing, the full-hybrid Ford has promise

    The KIA Sportage 1.6 T-GDI HEV AWD GT-Line S Auto
    Tow Cars

    Kia Sportage 1.6 T-GDI HEV AWD GT-Line S Auto 2022

    1650 kg Max. Tow
    258 lbf-ft Torque
    £41,000

    The hybrid version of this capable family SUV is the pick of the range for towing...

    The Vauxhall Grandland parked up
    Tow Cars

    Vauxhall Grandland 1.5 Turbo D 130PS Ultimate Auto 2022

    1300 kg Max. Tow
    221 lbf-ft Torque
    £35,130

    Stable and competent, this new, improved SUV is also well equipped and economical on fuel

    Volvo V90 Cross Country B5 (P) AWD Plus towing caravan
    Tow Cars

    Volvo V90 Cross Country B5 (P) AWD Plus 2023

    2400kg kg Max. Tow
    258 lbf-ft Torque
    £56,465

    Well built and thoughtfully designed, this reliable four-wheel-drive makes an appealing tow car

    The Seat Tarraco 1.5 TSI FR Sport 150PS DSG
    Tow Cars

    Seat Tarraco 1.5 TSI FR Sport 150PS DSG 2021

    1800 kg Max. Tow
    184 lbf-ft Torque
    £37,415

    Will we miss the extra pull of a diesel and the traction advantages of four-wheel drive...

    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Content Funding
    • Cookies Policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Accessibility Statement
    • Categories
    • Tags
    • Authors
    • Privacy Settings

    © 2023 Practical Caravan is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher.
    Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.