Offering the hugely popular Maxi Lounge layout in a sub-6m motorhome is the result of brilliant design, and there’s no compromise on luxury, either making it an understandable choice for Best compact motorhome 2020.

Chausson’s Maxi Lounge concept – where you have two facing settees beneath a drop-down bed, with a huge washroom and dressing room at the rear – is several years old now, and has proved very popular on both sides of the Channel.

With the fixed bed tucked up and out of the way, the sense of roominess inside is remarkable, and continues even when you head to the washroom and open up the huge cupboards that you’ll find in here.

But never before has the concept been available in less than six metres, to cater for those who might have less than substantial driveways, or who just enjoy the extra possibilities such a compact length brings when it comes to stress-free parking.

So we really welcome the arrival of the 520. You still get the sense of roominess. You still walk in and think that this is a comfortable lounge, where you would actually choose to spend a wet afternoon. And you still get a luxurious washroom.

Of course, at such a length, something had to give; and it’s true that the 520 doesn’t have the large garage that three other Maxi Lounge models – the 650, 640 and 630 – enjoy.

But Chausson makes the most of the space that it does have, by providing shelves that are accessible through an access hatch at the back.

There are other nice touches this season, too. As with all of the other Maxi Lounge models, the 520 comes with Isofix fixing points for a child seat in the front dinette.

You also get a 60cm-wide habitation door, with storage pockets at the bottom, if you go for a VIP package, and a bin if you go for Premium.