Verdict
The 2016 Lunar Lexon 580 seems to punch above its weight. It is a smart caravan with a practical, family-friendly layout, all in a single-axle tourer with an MTPLM under 1500kg. It’s well-specced, too, with a fresh, modern feel throughout.
A super-luxurious caravan this is not, but it is a very comfortable option for touring families.
Pros
It has a great, full-width end washroom
The fixed bunk beds have been thoughtfully designed
There’s lots of storage
The kitchen is well-equipped
Cons
Extra lighting in the kitchen would be welcome
There’s no external barbecue point
It doesn’t have a bonded roof
The Lunar Lexon received a makeover interior wise for 2016, gaining a more contemporary look. The exterior has been tweaked, too, and if that wasn’t enough, the Lexon range has been added to with several new models to further tempt buyers to the range.
One of these is a new family model, a five-berth which has an attractive lightweight MTPLM of under 1500kg, so making it available to more family car owners. Named the 580, this new layout made its debut at the October 2015 NEC show – and it attracted a good amount of interest, too.
This new model adds the appeal of sleeping five in comfort, and still also having plenty of living space for a family and the specification to match. The Lexon 580 looks set to provide some great caravan holidays. And for those who don’t use large sites with full facilities, then the end washroom will also meet their needs. And to see other Lunar caravans for sale, click here.
Each of the fixed bunk beds has a window, a reading light, decent headroom and a curtain
Pitching & Setting-up
Like all Lunar caravans, the Lexon is built on an Al-Ko chassis which also has an AKS hitch stabiliser, and comes equipped with ATC for added safety. Heavy-duty corner steadies are employed and an exterior mains socket is also fitted, but on a family tourer such as this, a barbecue point would have been the icing on the cake.
The front locker is large and easy to operate – it can accommodate other caravanning bits apart from the gas bottles. The front and rear panels are ABS moulded, full height units, which add to the smart profile of the Lexon 580.
The Lexon also comes with the latest Status TV aerial, plus a spare wheel and carrier. Newly-designed for 2016 is the entrance door, a one-piece unit, although we do still like to see a stable door arrangement.
All the mains points are on the offside, as is an awning light and exterior access to the locker beneath the bottom bunk bed.
We are pleased to report that access to the corner steadies is easy. And as the handbrake has a light action, the Lexon is a doddle to set up. Large grabhandles make the 580 easy to manoeuvre, too.
In terms of security, there’s an alarm, the sensor for which is fitted below the front central seat.
Living
The Lunar Lexon 580’s lounge is a wraparound design (which is a £139 option over a chest of drawers), with sprung seating ramping up the comfort. The new upholstery design (called Baptiste) might shock some at first glance due to its red curtains, but once you’re sat and settled in the lounge, we think it really grows on you.
The lounge also features larger-for-2016 roof lockers with new-look gloss white doors. Night illumination comprises a snazzy LED set up including four corner spots, as well as new overlocker lighting.
In addition, the lounge has a CD/radio, with speakers under the front overhead lockers. The new Skyview rooflight is placed just aft of the lounge and is great for letting natural light flood into this area.
We suspect that most customers will opt to keep the central chest of drawers. While this does make the 580’s lounge feel a little less spacious, it might be a compromise many are happy to make.
Kitchen
In a five-berth van primed for family caravan holidays, the kitchen is set to play a pivotal role on tour. It needs to be well-equipped, with ample storage and a decent amount of worktop space for food preparation. Well, we can safely say the 580 ticks all the boxes.
There’s an oven with a dual-fuel hob and a separate grill, plus a microwave. The latter is neatly fitted, sitting flush with the overhead lockers, however it might be a little too high-set for some. There is also a 42-litre Dometic fridge/freezer, while the stainless steel sink has a plastic clip-on drainer and there’s a stylish Bamboo Rain splashback.
Storage-wise, in addition to the two, aforementioned overhead lockers, there is a large cupboard with a drawer. And we are pleased to see that the dining table is stored in the kitchen, too. Worktop space is good and is enhanced further thanks to a neat, fold up extension flap.
Lighting is confined to the integrated lighting and the large Skyview rooflight, but we think a strip light under the overhead lockers wouldn’t go amiss. There’s also a single mains power socket.
Overall, the 580’s kitchen is a very practical space.
Washroom
The full-width end washroom in this Lunar Lexon 580 does not disappoint and should prove practical in use.
There is a nearside moulded shower cubicle with a shelf for your soap/shower gel, and it features an Ecocamel showerhead. The toilet is of the Thetford electric-flush variety, and it is accompanied by a new-for-2016, deeper-than-before and really rather stylish hand basin, beneath which is a cupboard.
The Mini Heki along with a side window provide welcome ventilation and let plenty of natural light in, and the large, backlit mirror brings a touch of luxury.
Beds
The front lounge can quickly and easily be converted into a double bed, using the pull-out slats from the front seat base.
On the offside, the side dinette makes up into a single bed, using the table for the base. Opposite this are the twin fixed bunks, each of which has a window, a reading light, decent headroom and a curtain. There’s also a wall-mounted TV bracket by the bunks, with power and TV aerial points.
Storage
With new deeper overhead lockers, storage is enhanced in the Lunar Lexon 580. There are six lockers in the lounge, three over the side dinette and two in the kitchen, plus a cupboard which has shelves and a cutlery drawer.
Opposite and next to the entrance door is a small cupboard, with a bit of worktop space, two little shelves, a power point, and TV and aerial points. The nearside wardrobe is quite spacious and has three drawers in its base, plus a shoe cupboard.
You’ll also find good storage space under the lower bunk bed, plus there’s space in the seat bases of the side dinette. There’s also the previously-mentioned cupboard in the rear washroom.
Technical Specifications
| Berth | 5 |
| MiRO | 1271 kg |
| Payload | 184 kg |
| MTPLM | 1455 kg |
| Shipping Length | 7.33 m |
| Width | 2.33 m |
