SHOWROOM STARS

The trend towards smaller, more economical cars is focusing attention on lighter tourers. Here are seven bargain buys

The conundrum

You might have a vehicle (perhaps a company car) that only has limited towing capabilities. Or you could be struggling between your desire not to have to buy a gas-guzzling car, and your suspicion that lightweight caravans are usually spartan. Have no fear: our selection of great used vans with an overall weight of less than 1200kg will help you buy with confidence…

Lunar Ariva (2019)

Layout End kitchen 

Berths 2

L/W 6.88m/2.30m 

MTPLM 950kg 

Payload 114kg

MiRO 836kg

Plus points Great spec, with full oven and microwave 

Minus points No sunroof; exterior a bit dated

Our review said…

Introduced as a replacement for the Meteorite back in 1995, by 2019 the Lunar Ariva had spent more recent years acting as the two-berth introduction to the Quasar range – although there was also, briefly, a four-berth Ariva.

So in this caravan you get Quasar spec, and that’s what impressed our reviewer, even if the exterior and washroom were starting to look a little dated.

There is a full oven in the end kitchen, as well as a microwave, and you also get a radio/CD player hidden away in one of the lockers. Internal flaps provide easy access to the underseat areas, and when it comes to bedtime, the double is easily made up by pulling out platforms; although anyone under 6ft could use the settees as singles if preferred. You don’t, however, get a front sunroof.