Verdict
It’s brave of Lunar to replace last year’s Lexon 560 – boasting an en vogue layout – with the 590’s altogether more unusual floorplan. Its shorter lounge aside, the 590 has no real layout weaknesses, is well-equipped, decent value and extremely competitive in weight terms. Plus it’s different, and for many buyers that’s a big draw.
Pros
It’s a different layout that works extremely well
It’s a stylish, comfortable tourer
It should appeal particularly to year-round ralliers
Cons
The layout is a little rear-heavy
Washroom basin and showerhead are low-set
At first glance, little seems to have changed in Lunar’s Lexon range of caravans for 2015. Sitting between the cheaper Quasar and premium Clubman, the Lexon shares much of the Quasar’s smart styling, albeit with a larger and deeper gas-locker lid and a redesigned rear panel. New graphics and colours are the only obvious differences over 2014’s models.
Inside, however, the Lexon has enjoyed a gentle makeover, with updated ‘Montana Oak’ cabinetry offset by new glossy cream kitchen locker doors, satin-finish door handles and tasteful ‘Kyla’ upholstery. Striking pale-purple scatter cushions and curtains enliven the overall picture.
Specification remains broadly unchanged, bar the switch from an Alde wet central heating system to Truma’s 6Kw Isotherm heating.
Lunar ditched last season’s transverse-island-bed, end-washroom Lexon 560, although that floorplan is still fashionable. It has been replaced by the unusual 590, whose fixed twin beds flank a central wardrobe.
Each of the fixed single beds is 6ft 2in long and 2ft 8in wide
Pitching & Setting-up
The Lexon shares the Clubman and Delta’s large front locker, and much of their stylish rear elevation treatment. It misses out on the premium models’ full-width trim strip between the tail lights and panoramic rooflight.
All four corner steadies are reached easily – holes in the sideskirts lead to those in front, while the heavy-duty rear ones are accessed via guide channels cut in the lower panelling. Sensibly, all exterior services are banished to the offside wall.
The chassis specification is impressive, with Al-Ko’s ATC trailer control and AKS hitch stabiliser as standard fit. The alarm and awning light are both operable via a remote-control fob.
Living
The 2015 Lunar Lexon 590’s lounge is a little on the short side; its 5ft-long settees can take four adults but are comfortably bettered by rivals. That said, the van is likely to be used almost exclusively as a spacious two-berth.
Warm woodwork, ample lighting (two large corner lights, four adjustable reading lights and a ceiling dome), thickly contoured seat cushions and removable end bolsters make it clear that this van is part of an upmarket range. A large Heki rooflight makes the area feel bright and airy.
The TV stand plus a pair of mains sockets and a dedicated aerial point are sandwiched between the offside seat and the washroom. There are two more power sockets in the kitchen and another in the bedroom.
Kitchen
The sink has a removable drainer to free up a considerable worktop space, and the separate grill and oven are topped by a dual-fuel hob. We’d have preferred to see the microwave fitted slightly lower, but it’s useful for when a ‘ping’ meal is the only option.
Only the twin-axle Lexon 640 warrants the big 180-litre fridge/freezer, but the 590’s smaller all-in-one unit is more than up to the job for two people.
Washroom
Having a sizeable washroom slung along one wall creates a ‘corridor’ effect in the middle of the van, but there’s little to quibble about with the room itself.
The door opens a full 180˚ to reveal a Thetford swivel toilet to the right, above which are three stacked shelves for toiletries. Alongside is the tall vanity unit. The basin is set a little low, but it’s usefully deep and the mirror above is enormous. Full marks for the opening rooflight, too.
Standing space in the separate shower cubicle is nibbled by the adjacent wheelarch, but Lunar has made a virtue of this by lining it to create a raised ledge – ideal for washing those hard to reach toes! The mixer tap is curiously low, and there’s only one drain in the shower tray. The walls are fully lined and, while the lack of a window limits natural light to what the Heki lets in, at least it’s private.
Beds
The Lexon 590’s third and fourth berths are likely to be used only occasionally, since the 5ft-long front settees are usable as single beds only by small children. They do, however, make up into a sizeable 6ft 10in-long double bed.
Each of the fixed single beds is 6ft 2in long and 2ft 8in wide approximately and the colossal wardrobe is, depending on your outlook, either anti-social or a blissful touch of privacy. Each person gets a reading light, storage shelf and padded headboard. It’s good to see the sliding partition, too.
Storage
We have no complaints here. There’s a total of four roof lockers each in the lounge and bedroom, three more in the kitchen (including one for crockery), and a huge wardrobe with four drawers below. We imagine it will be difficult to fill all this, plus the bed boxes and chest of drawers, to capacity.
Technical Specifications
| Berth | 4 |
| MiRO | 1270 kg |
| Payload | 175 kg |
| MTPLM | 1445 kg |
| Shipping Length | 7.3 m |
| Width | 2.33 m |
