Fashions in caravan design come and go. Only a few years ago, central washrooms were thought most fashionable if they had a central basin, particularly if it was against the pillar at the foot of an inline island bed. Now, though, that caravan layout seems to have faded from favour a little, and the Coachman’s 545 has a newly redesigned washroom.
You can find out more about Coachman by heading to our caravan manufacturer guide.
Pitch and set-up
It’s not just the washroom that has changed. This season, all Acadias sport silver-grey sides and diamond-cut black alloys.
A locker door on the nearside gives you access to a clear storage area under the seat – perfect for stowing outdoor furniture.
If you use an awning, there is an external barbecue point and mains socket on this side, too – the former out of the reach of the awning (see our best caravan awning guide if you’re looking for one). The redesign of the washroom does mean that access to the toilet cassette is also on this side.
Lounge
Having a rear island bed in a caravan that’s less than 6m long inside means the lounge isn’t particularly large. It will seat four, but probably no additional guests, especially if you pull out the kitchen-worktop extension.
The area does, however, receive loads of light, thanks to the large sunroof and windows, and there are four spotlights at the corners, as well as ambient lighting.
Radio speakers are well positioned by the switches in the corner and the table is easily retrieved from its storage slot. Sockets for a caravan TV sit above the sideboard containing the fridge to the right of the door. If you were to place a TV here, it could be seen from most of the lounge.
Kitchen in the Coachman Acadia 545
Even without the extension, there is ample workspace in the kitchen, albeit with only one socket. To the right is a rectangular sink with a glass cover, and a four-burner dual-fuel hob above an oven and grill.
The two-way opening, 92-litre half-height fridge on the other side is only just large enough for four on a long tour. But it has a drawer above with a cutlery tray, so the sideboard should be great for plating up.
Washroom in the Coachman Acadia 545
Getting rid of the central handbasin has allowed the designers to expand both parts of the washroom. But has this gone too far? The central aisle between the basin and the toilet on the nearside and the shower on the offside feels very narrow.
There is only just enough room for the single shower door to swing out. When it does, it covers the mirror on the rear side of the door opening out to the kitchen and lounge. There isn’t a huge amount of space to get dressed here. The shower tray itself is slim, although headroom is reasonable, and there is no roof vent here, either.
Given the partitioning of this section, it feels odd that a bulkhead partially closes off the toilet. It seems unnecessary.
Still, you get a small amount of space around the salad-bowl-style basin, along with a radiator, a towel ring, a robe hook, a roof vent and a large mirror. The whole section is well lit, too, by LED lighting and a substantial opaque window.
Beds in the Coachman Acadia 545
The inline island bed is well kitted out at the head, with two individually switched spotlights, each with a USB, and Acadia-branded magazine slots either side of the headboard.
There is no dressing table here, but you do get a mirror that is close enough to the TV sockets to let you use a hairdryer.
A big Heki and two large side windows let in plenty of light during the day.
Storage in the Coachman Acadia 545
The area under the nearside settee in the lounge is completely clear and accessible from both the outside and the inside. Remove the base cushions and the slats still stay up. The offside underseat area is occupied by the electrics, but there is still some space to store gear here.
There is a sizeable area under the island bed, but it has no external access, so big (light) items stored here will need to be carried out through the van, along that narrow aisle in the washroom.
There’s a wardrobe on either side of the bed, with cupboards below. There are also two overhead lockers and the central chest in the lounge.
In the kitchen, there is one large drawer under the sink, with a cupboard beneath it and a pan locker below the oven. There is a deep overhead locker next to the microwave, housing a crockery and mug rack, and another locker above the fridge.
In the washroom, there is a double cupboard above the window, and another one underneath the handbasin.
Verdict
The central basin layout has perhaps had its day, but the washroom replacing it here feels a little cramped for a type of caravan that is only standard width. The lounge is big enough for four, but no additional guests. That aside, this is a stylish, comfortable four berth caravan with a good kitchen and plenty of storage space.
- Take a look at our guide to the best caravans for more inspiration
What we like:
- Great kitchen, useful features outside
What we don’t like:
- Very narrow washroom aisle, no external access to area under island bed
Technical spec:
- Price: £30,850
- Berths: 4
- MTPLM: 1585kg
- MiRO: 1430kg
- Payload: 155kg
- Shipping length: 7.39m
- Interior length: 5.76m
- Overall width: 2.26m
Spec list
- ATC
- AKS3004 stabiliser
- Black alloys
- Silver-grey exterior walls and door
- External mains socket and barbecue point
- Alde 3030 boiler
- Dual-fuel hob
- Separate oven and grill
- Two-way opening 92-litre fridge
- Microwave
- Low-energy LED lighting
- Electric-flush toilet
- Heated towel rail
Or what about these?
- Adria Altea Dart: this smart four-berth feels anything but entry level, with a warm interior.
- Swift Challenger Grande 560L: coming with a revamped interior, this popular model has a lot to offer.
- Coachman VIP 675: this big twin-axle tourer provides an excellent kitchen and a cleverly put together interior.
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Technical Specifications
Berth | 4 |
MiRO | 1430 kg |
Payload | 155 kg |
MTPLM | 1585 kg |
Interior Length | 5.76 m |
Shipping Length | 7.39 m |
Width | 2.26 m |