Lunar Lexon 590 caravan review: where four finds light favour

When Lunar announced its offerings for the 2015 season, it trumpeted “an approach to caravan design and manufacture that considers and responds to socio-economics and aims to eliminate a caravanner’s need to compromise.”

Just words? Or is there something to this?

It does offer a small hint, though at a mini conundrum: at what point did we caravanners become so conservative? And, although the 590 floor plan really is like no other on the market, in all other respects it does as little to offend as possible.

Despite a “smartening up” exercise for the latest Lexons, they can hardly be accused of standing out from the crowd. Instead, their appeal will be to those who refuse to get carried away by the current trend for deeper front windows and sunroofs.

The 590 here – one of four Lexons available this season, five if you count the two-berth Stellar – borrows some of its good, but safe, looks from its Quasar and Delta stablemates and it’s sensible enough to offer alloy wheels as standard to complement its bright white bodywork. There’s a spare wheel, housed in an underslung carrier, but it’s steel.

Putting the kitchen and the washroom on opposing sides directly over the axle should help with overall stability. AL-KO’s ATC trailer control system and AKS stabiliser will add further towing reassurance.

The kitchen has a decent among of worktop, thanks to the decision to have a loose drainer for adding when necessary. You get a cooker with dual-fuel hob as well as separate oven and grill – and a high-level Daewoo microwave oven – plus a Dometic 8-series fridge, with removable freezer box if you want all-larder space, squeezed in under the sink. The hob’s splashguard will come in handy, as the habitation door is directly adjacent.

A cream gloss finish to the locker doors helps distinguish kitchen storage from the rest of the living area.

Arguably, the short lounge is the Lunar Lexon 590’s Achilles heel as well as helping it define itself. Each settee is just 1.50m (5ft) long, although there are no complaints about the supportive comfort here.

It’s a four-berth, but who’s going to sleep where? Those permanent single beds are a generous 1.87m x 0.77m while the front lounge makes a 2.08m x 1.50m transverse double. Or, if you have small children, keep the settees as 1.50m x 0.74m mini singles.

The wardrobe is between the two fixed beds. There’s a good hanging height here, as well as three drawers coming up from floor level, so most clothing can be catered for here without adding too much undue weight at the back.

Those twin singles also offer generous three-way access storage – via exterior and interior hatches as well as hinging up the whole metal-framed base.

Meanwhile, the chest of drawers and tabletop extension have proper metal runners.

With its fixed basin taking centre stage and swivel-bowl toilet to its right, the washroom may not be the biggest, but you do get a separate shower cubicle with bi-folding door and a water-saving/enhancing Ecocamel showerhead.

Set on the wheel arch actually can make showering your feet a bit easier – there’s somewhere to rest them! The lack of a window – for more efficient ventilation – is a bigger gripe.

A decent kit count is rounded off by Truma’s 6kW Isotherm heating system, a Status 530-5 TV aerial and a stereo radio/CD/MP3 player.

As with any Lunar, its relatively light weight will make it a more attractive proposition to many. You can accuse some of the internal construction for veering towards the flimsy, but that’s a price worth paying for a lighter unit.

If anything, it just lacks a bit of personality. But sometimes that’s what you get when such a unit is fault-free. To be fair, there’s nothing to stop you adding a splash of colour to bring it all alive a bit.

However, the 590 has no other direct rivals with this floorplan. It’s decently equipped, decently priced, decently presented… and yes, in a word, decent.

Verdict: The Lunar Lexon 590 has a unique layout that serves anything up to four

Plus: Exclusive layout, two fixed single beds

Minus: Small lounge

In-a-nutshell: Decent. Light, but far from lacking

Cost to insure: £311

In summary

• Lunar Lexon 590
• Dimensions 7.30m L, 2.33m W, 2.66m H
• Internal length 5.76m
• Berths 4
• MTPLM 1445kg
• MIRO 1,270kg
• Payload 175kg
• Key options: Al-Ko Secure wheel lock (£239), wrap-around front seating in lieu of chest of drawers (£139), alternative upholsteries (from £299), Phantom Tracker (£449), electric extractor fan (£199)
• Safety and security Al-Ko ATC trailer control system, receiver for Al-Ko Secure wheel lock, AKS stabiliser, remote control alarm and awning light, smoke alarm, carbon monoxide detector, snake-cut key to all locks

Recommended retail price from £20,294**

There’s more information on the Lexon range on the Lunar website. To find out more about our low-cost premiums visit the caravan insurance discounts page or for a quick quote online in minutes, visit the Quote and Buy page.

Alternatives: None

*Caravan insurance cost based on Lunar Lexon 590 caravan retailing at £20,294 fitted AL-KO ATC, hitchlock and optional axle wheel lock. Kept on drive at HX4 0BE. Caravanner aged 30 years old, claim free for 3 years and a member of a caravanning club. £100 excess. 180 days European cover and up to £75 per day for up to 15 days emergency accommodation cover included. Legal expenses cover, extended European cover and other emergency accommodation expenses cover options are available at extra cost. Quote includes 10% online discount and 6% Insurance Premium Tax and is correct as of 11/05/2015.

**On-the-road, including VAT at 20%