Lunar Newstar 58E - Practical Motorhome

Find out what the Practical Motorhome review team makes of the Fiat Ducato based Lunar Newstar 58E

Verdict

The Practical Motorhome review concludes that the Lunar Newstar 58E is a no-frills family ’van. The Lunar does little wrong, but gets outshone by more polished-looking rivals. It is worth considering if you can drive a hard bargain on the price.

Pros

Good value
Nicely finished
Well specced
Supportive seats

Cons

Limited kitchen work area
There are no external storage areas
It feels basic

Living

When you want to have a meal and relax at the end of the day, the type of layout in the Newstar excels. It seats four at mealtimes and the dinette accommodation is comfortable. The Lunar has a wide seat base with a short, vertical, backrest.

Kitchen

The kitchen is across the back of the ’van, between the washroom and side wall. This limits available space on the worktop.
At 77 litres, the refrigerator in the Lunar is small, because it has been fitted over the wheel arch. Food preparation facilities around the sink and hob area are non-existent, but at least the sink has a recessed drainer, making it easier to stack dishes. The four gas burners on the Caprice cooker are preferable to many buyers than the three burners and electric hotplate in many other rivals.

Washroom

The Lunar’s washroom feels a little basic with their plastic cabinets, but has a side window that makes it appear bright and clean. You get a bench cassette toilet fitted along the back wall, which makes it feel less like a domestic toilet but makes good use of the limited space available.
Integrated hand-basin/shower control units control water to the shower, rather than having a separate shower tap.

Beds

Generally, if well executed, the end-corner washroom layout opens up the opportunity for five berths – but the Lunar’s layout is compromised. The dinette beds are fine – a single and a double that are comparable in soze with most rivals – but the overcab bed is let down by having poor headroom. It’s a price you pay for a smoother roofline on the outside.

Storage

There’s no externally accessed storage, so your mains cables, ramps and other grimy items will need to be stowed inside.
The Lunar also lacks a dedicated television storage cupboard at roof level, but the shelf next to the door would provide space to place one.
However, there’s plenty of storage under the bunks and in lockers around the dinette, and a half-length wardrobe above the heater, too.