Verdict
Good motorhome with a reasonable specification, well-made interior and airy living area. Shame a couple of big practical problems (the bed and grill) let it down.
Pros
High-quality interior; good washroom; well-equipped kitchen
Cons
High gas locker; no exterior locker; high grill; awkward to make up bed
For those unfamiliar with the Home-Car brand, it is the French division of Lunar. Both brands have similarities even though the ’vans are built in separate factories.
The PR522 is built on the popular 2.5-litre Renault base, which provides electric mirrors and windows, and a driver’s airbag as standard. For those who want it, an extra £800 buys an automatic gearbox. In the cab, we liked the comfortable Isringhausen swivel seats and we were delighted with the large glass sunroof (with blind), which makes the cab feel light and airy.
From the outside, the PR522 looks modern. Its novel construction method – a mix of GRP reinforced with aluminium – means that the bodywork should be better able to withstand knocks.
When it comes to the outside lockers, though, the gas bottle store is uncomfortably high off the ground – loading it may be a problem for some owners. More significantly, there is no general storage space, so hook-up leads, levelling ramps and other paraphernalia must be stored in the habitation area.
Stepping into the Home-Car, you are greeted by an abundance of light and colour. We’ve already mentioned the cab sunroof, but we were also pleasantly surprised by the amount of window area together with the inclusion of a Heki roof light.
The quality of the furniture belies the price of this ’van. For instance, the two-tone curved locker doors give the impression of well-crafted, high-quality, workmanship. Around the dinette table there is seating for four, and although the red and cream trim may be too fussy for some tastes, it looked cosy enough to us.
The kitchen, with its large 175-litre refrigerator, offers a reasonable amount of space for this class of motorhome. This Dometic unit, known as the ‘Tec Tower’, has a Cramer grill mounted above it. While this is a good use of space the grill, to us, seems too high up for comfort.
The rear washroom is a strong feature in the PR522, running the full width of the ’van, with toilet and shower on separate sides. The only complaint we have here is that the shower head is a little low for comfortable use.
Most small motorhomes have a compromise, and the PR522’s is the dinette bed. It is something of a Chinese puzzle to make up. The table, which forms part of the base, is extraordinarily heavy to handle. To compound matters, the foam in the dinette seat base is contoured for lounging and dining, and this makes for a rather ‘wavy’ mattress.
Overall, the Home-Car is a well-built motorhome at a tempting price. It might suit those who want to trade up from a small rally caravan and are not averse to making up a bed each night. It is a shame then, that a few flaws manage to mar what really should be a great package.
Technical Specifications
Payload | 690 kg |
MTPLM | 3500 kg |
Shipping Length | 5.99 m |
Width | 2.35 m |