Verdict
You don’t see many caravans with this layout on twin axles, so with the Lexon 640, Lunar has certainly come up with something original. You can really feel the extra inches in the washroom, and having an upright fridge/freezer at the foot of the nearside bed frees up space for a large cupboard in the kitchen.
These pluses come with a minus, though: a small front lounge in which accommodating up to four adults will be cosy. This won’t matter much if the caravan is used mainly by a couple, though, because two people will have plenty of space.
This is a very capable and stylish tourer with a sub-1700kg fully laden weight. The kitchen, bedroom and washroom are stand-out areas, and Lunar deserves praise for creating such an open-plan feel. At £21,395 it’s not cheap, but it’s a lot of caravan for the cash and we’re happy to recommend it heartily.
Pros
The washroom is large and well equipped
Storage is abundant
The single beds are a good size
Cons
The front lounge is a touch small
In 2012, for the 2013 season, Lunar took a giant step forward, introducing a radical external overhaul to a number of its key ranges: Clubman, Delta and Lexon. Although it opted against introducing the fashionable sunroof that some rivals have now rolled out across a number of their ranges, these updates represented significant improvements to the maker’s products.
The 2013 Lexon range now has a one-piece roof, flat one-piece aluminium sidewalls, a white powder-coated awning rail and a redesigned full-height rear panel. Up front, the windows are larger and flush-fitting in a curvaceous new front panel – it’s a radical rethinking that makes for a very stylish Lexon indeed.
The twin-axle, twin-single-bed Lexon 640 model tested here was one of two new floor plans introduced for 2013. Tourers with fixed twin single beds and an end washroom are now among the most fashionable and best-selling layouts on the market today. They first appeared a couple of years ago in luxury ranges, but now they’ve become a regular feature in mid-market tourers, such as the Lexon.
Their prime appeal is to couples who prefer not to sleep together on tour and who enjoy the convenience of an end washroom. But its beauty is in its flexibility: those with young children or grandchildren may appreciate the ability to make up the lounge sofas into a transverse double bed, while retaining the privacy of separate bedrooms and the luxury of an en suite set-up.
The washroom is so big you could almost get lost in it
Pitching & Setting-up
This caravan has Al-Ko’s AKS stabiliser and excellent ATC anti-snaking system. We hooked it up to a Chevrolet Captiva, which has a kerbweight of 1878kg, making for an outfit match of 90% given that the van was pretty much fully laden. It felt very stable on the road, as you would expect of a twin-axle tourer.
On site, the buttonless handbrake is gas-assisted which takes the grunt out of both applying and releasing it, while access to the heavy-duty corner steadies proved straightforward.
Lunar worked hard to produce a more user-friendly gas locker for 2013 that complemented the redesigned front panel, and came up with a larger locker that features a cantilevered lid. This has twin locks, and lifts up to enable unobstructed access to the space inside. The A-frame fairing is also step-on for easier cleaning.
The hook-up lead attaches to the offside and shares a locker with the battery box, which is sited alongside the water inlet. The battery box also houses a digital TV connection point and the toilet locker is sensibly sited on the offside. Lockers on the nearside give good access to underseat storage space, and there’s a 240V socket, too.
We like the attractive alloy wheels and were also fans of the remote control key fob which operates the alarm and awning light, and will help you identify your caravan on a busy site or after dark.
Living
The Alde wet central heating system is one of the key upgrades that this model benefits from. Radiators distribute heat throughout the van, and the washroom enjoys a heated towel rail. The controls for the Alde system are next to the caravan entry door, alongside the usual main control panel.
The parallel seat benches are comfortable and are upholstered in a patterned fabric. A two-drawer centre chest, which has a slide-out top and a cubby at the bottom, separates them. We found the deep window ledge great for keeping extra bits and pieces, and it also houses a TV point.
Up front, Lunar chose not to follow the current fashion for sunroofs, but instead has enlarged the front windows considerably, all three of which open. Combined with a large Heki rooflight, lots of natural light gets inside.
When it’s dark outside, there’s plenty of artificial lighting throughout, all of which is provided by LEDs, including four directional reading lights, one at each end of both sofas. All windows come with flyscreens and blinds, although they are of the non-pleated variety.
Kitchen
The lengthways single beds and spacious rear washroom layout have put the squeeze somewhat on kitchen workspace, but it’s a perfectly workable area for caravanning cooks when there are just two occupants on board, rather than four.
The hob has three gas burners and a separate electric hotplate, which is good news for those who pay for electricity and cook on site. It is also fitted with a separate oven and grill. The large, circular, black sink has a swan-neck tap, so there’s plenty of room to get a decent-sized kettle under it – it also comes with a removable drainer and a chopping board.
There’s no built-in extractor fan to remove cooking smells though – you’ll have to make do with opening the kitchen window. Lighting comes from a single strip, plus there’s a single 240V socket.
A cutlery drawer and shelved storage beneath the sink are good for pots, pans and condiments. Across from the galley is a large fridge/freezer with a 20-litre microwave above it. Overhead lockers and a cocktail cabinet feature frosted acrylic fascias.
Washroom
Look no further to see which part of the caravan benefits most from the extra length of the twin-axle floor plan – this washroom is so big you could almost get lost in it.
Enter through a domestic-style door with a smart handle and a lock to find a swivel toilet on the left, the handbasin straight ahead and a large shower unit on the right. Further homely design cues come in the shape of a domestic-style radiator, one-piece shower door, and his-and-her wardrobes.
We’re pleased to report that Lunar has – finally – fitted a pair of hooks for bathrobes on the back of the washroom door, while a rail in the shower provides somewhere to hang wet clothes and towels up to dry.
The shower unit itself is well sealed, with a mixer tap and water-efficient showerhead, and it has its own light. Tall people may have to stoop slightly to get their heads under the water, but the compartment is quite wide so it doesn’t feel claustrophobic.
A deep oval basin will hold plenty of water for washing and shaving, while the half-length mirror above benefits from LED lighting and natural light from a rooflight. There is an under-sink cupboard, but bottles and gels can also be stored on shelves at the bottom of the mirror, and over the offside window, which is frosted for privacy.
The large dimensions of the washroom, plus its two wardrobes and storage available for towels and bathrobes, make this among the most comfortable places in which to get dressed within the confines of any caravan. It really is excellent, and our test team spent a lot of time in there while getting ready, enjoying the space.
Beds
At just over 1.86m long, the twin fixed single beds will suit a variety of people. Although this layout is often perceived as targeting older caravanners who don’t want to share a double bed, our experience is that couples sometimes take the lounge double, while their children, who have grown too old to share a bed, sleep in the singles.
We found the beds to be comfortable, their 0.78m width ideal for getting a good night’s sleep – indeed, the space is generous compared to the width of some rivals’ fixed singles.
The bedroom ambience is agreeable, too. With large windows on each side, plus a rooflight near the washroom door, plenty of natural light pours in. For the evenings, each bed has a spotlight for reading, and there’s a ceiling light if more illumination is required. The fabrics are well matched, with the headboards picking out the colours of the curtains.
At the foot of the beds, a privacy concertina screen draws across from the offside, and a TV bracket above the nearside bed will accommodate a small, flat-screen set. Our testers also appreciated the plug socket located at the foot of the offside bed box, at the kitchen end.
In the lounge, the double bed measures 2.1m x 1.67m and is easy to make up, using slats that pull out from the bottom of the centre chest. This was comfortable in use and the length (a smidgeon under 7ft) will be welcomed by taller caravanners.
Storage
We were impressed with the amount of storage in the Lexon 640. Space under the rear beds can be accessed from above, or from the gangway via flaps. The bed boxes can be accessed from outside, too.
There are plenty of overhead lockers throughout the caravan to choose from, and the kitchen offers no end of places in which to stow foodstuffs and cooking equipment. In particular, our testers raved about the large under-sink cupboard – with no fridge to accommodate in this area (it’s on the offside), the space can be used for storage instead. The cupboard is accessed via a pair of double doors and has dedicated cutlery and utensil drawers, as well as plenty of shelf space. There are three overhead lockers, which are configured to store a variety of differently shaped items.
Opposite the kitchen, you’ll find a drinks cabinet, with a cupboard in the dresser beneath, and there’s another cupboard by the fridge. The lounge seat boxes are not very long, so storage here is restricted, but we liked the fact that we could load from the top or from the front via pull-down flaps.
There are two overhead lockers on each side of the lounge, plus a pair at the front. We also appreciated the flexibility afforded by the removable shelving inside the lockers, allowing them to store a variety of different items.
At the rear, the two large wardrobes in the washroom will swallow plenty of clothes, and the one on the offside has three drawers that are ideal for towels.
Technical Specifications
Berth | 4 |
MiRO | 1528 kg |
Payload | 166 kg |
MTPLM | 1694 kg |
Shipping Length | 7.92 m |
Width | 2.28 m |