Verdict
A solidly built offering from the entry-level arm of Dethleffs. Those seeking pizazz should look elsewhere, though.
Pros
Good construction; attractive and sensible design features
Cons
Not as exciting or as clever as some rivals
Living
It is in the roomy lounge area where compact coachbuilts really trump ’van conversion models of a similar layout. The Sunlight’s lounge table extends, but to do so you have to slide it outwards and pop in a fill-in piece, which doesn’t have a dedicated storage space when not in use. Since it lacks side-facing lounge seats, its lounge will accommodate only four, but it does so very well, with enough space for people to move around, even when the lounge is in use.
Aptly, the Sunlight provides good natural light, thanks to a large window and rooflights over the kitchen and lounge. At night you’ll have to rely on the directional reading lights, though, because the main light fixture in the lounge area is positioned over the entrance rather than the half-dinette.
Kitchen
The Sunlight’s designers have dispensed with the side-facing lounge seat so an extra workspace can be squeezed in, a vital factor that allows you to do some real cooking in your ’van’s kitchen.
Cleverly, the kitchen has been designed so the hob is furthest away from the bed, which in a ’van this compact is necessary both for safety reasons and to prevent cooking smells from seeping into bedding.
Washroom
The Sunlight’s washroom suffers from limited knee- and legroom for the toilet, and the shower curtain seems unlikely to prevent the rest of the washroom from getting wet. This problem will be addressed somewhat in the UK-spec model which will have completely plastic walls.
Beds
The fixed double bed is big and comfortable, although the three-rung ladder is pretty punishing on the feet. There are shelves for books and mugs at either end of the bed. These project far out over the bed, however, so you’ll need to mind your head when you wake up.
The lounge bed is not intended for frequent use, being narrow and relatively short. The Sunlight’s swivelled cab seat becomes part of the lounge bed, which doesn’t make for the flattest sleeping surface.
Storage
Anyone who buys one of these motorhomes will be looking to make full use of the garage. The Sunlight’s has only one door, located on the farside, but at 105 x 65cm it should be big enough to allow for easy loading.
There’s excellent internal storage provision, with numerous lockers throughout the vehicle, and a tall wardrobe. The gas locker is located inside the garage, which can make changing the two 7kg bottles a bit of a chore.
Technical Specifications
| Payload | 830 kg |
| MTPLM | 3500 kg |
| Shipping Length | 5.99 m |
| Width | 2.30 m |
