Hymer Nova 570 2006 Review

Hymer is the largest caravan manufacturer in Europe with quite a few caravan and motorhome brands under its umbrella, so I approached this review with great interest.

Two of them are already here in Australia and now the Hymer name, the company flagship, is here as well.

Brisbane-based Prestige Continental Caravans and Motorhomes, under the ownership of Geoff Nielsen, is the distributor for Hymer caravans and the company certainly has some big plans for the future.

At present there are just three Hymer layouts available but it won’t be long before more models are available.

One of the standout features of the recently imported German caravans is their relatively light weight. As I watched Sales Manager Tony Lennan and his team push a few Hymer caravans around the yard they clearly didn’t have to push too hard, even for the longer caravans.

It’s the relatively light weight that has quite a few people talking. It’s certainly an asset for caravanners with smaller tow vehicles but it has also raised a few questions concerning the lack of weight meaning a possible lack of strength.

A look underneath the Hymer reveals a galvanised Al-Ko chassis somewhat different from a more conventional Australian box chassis setup; it consists of two rails which are tapered.

Above the axle, the chassis is about 8in (20cm) thick but that tapers off to almost nothing at either end.

The drawbar is designed similarly, being about 8in (20cm) thick underneath the caravan and tapering off to about 2in (5cm) at the front of the drawbar.

Part of the strength of the Hymer caravan lies in the bodywork itself. Almost monocoque in structure, it’s made from a mixture of moulded fibreglass ends, with walls that are made from a sandwich construction that consists of marine ply on the inside, and a polyurethane foam and aluminium exterior.

There’s no frame as such. A point of interest is that the close pore foam insulation is claimed to have the same insulation properties as a 17in (44cm) brick wall.

It would be a fair assumption that German manufacturers have taken into consideration Australian road conditions. Sure, a Hymer caravan might not take extended travel on rough bush tracks, but for many travellers that isn’t on their agenda anyway. You can go a mighty long way on the bitumen.

Another factor to consider is that there comes a point in some caravan designs where the weight of the engineered design strength becomes a weight factor itself. A lighter caravan is going to be less stress on itself and it is certainly less stress on the tow vehicle.

Our caravan was a Hymer Nova 570 model. Based on the other models available, the 570 probably refers to the internal length (5.7m). In the specification sheet, two other useful lengths are given, the external body length 20ft 7in (6.26m) and the shipping length (including drawbar) of 25ft 3in (7.69m).

In local terms, that’s a 21ft (6.4m) caravan with an ATM of just 1700kg, well within the towing limits of quite a few sedan and ‘soft roader’ towing vehicles.

Hymer also lists another interesting figure: the Mass in Running Order (MRO) which is not the Tare weight but more like a ‘wet weight’ of the caravan when the gas cylinder and water tanks are all full.

That’s listed as 1410kg, giving 290kg for everything else that has to be loaded on board, which should not be done in a random fashion and requires a little bit of care.

From the outside the Hymer has a distinct European appearance; curved edges and a smooth look all over, including a cover over the A-frame of the drawbar. An Al-Ko hitch on the drawbar is something that is becoming increasingly familiar – it’s a little different from the more conventional hitch but just as easy to use, except that it requires a towball with a slightly extended neck.

At the rear, the large taillights sit inside a fibreglass moulding, adding to the classy design.

External features include the Seitz stable door and polycarbonate windows, and a Fiamma awning.

For storage there is quite a substantial boot, which already has the spare wheel and two 9kg gas cylinders, plus something else not usually seen in Australian caravans – a portable water tank on wheels. Along the nearside at the front is a second external locker door that gives access to the storage area under the nearside bed.

Stepping inside the Hymer reveals a layout that is unsurprisingly European. Up front are two lounges which convert into single beds or a large double bed.

Mid offside there’s a dinette, opposite which is the catering department. A full bathroom occupies the rear of the caravan.

The interior design is certainly deceptive. There’s little waste of space but the interior does not looked cramped, due in part to having the bathroom in the rear, leaving the rest of the caravan an open area, and also because of clever design.

There are large windowed areas, curved timber doors, corners and edges, plus a careful use of space. Unusually, all the electrical cables are run in conduits (most manufacturers don’t do this) which makes things easier for repairs or additions.

Ball bearing runners are used on all drawers and all the windows, although having multiple catches, have just one central lever for opening. For those who don’t like multiple keys, there is just one key for everything!

Up front, the large lounge area is also the bedroom. The two lounges can either be used as single beds (6ft 7in x 3ft 2in/2m x 0.86m) or a large double bed (6ft 7in x 6ft 11in/2m x 2.1m). The latter is made up quite simply by drawing out the bed base from under the nearside seat and using the rear cushions to make up the mattress.

For dining purposes the top of the cabinet between the beds folds out to make a small table, otherwise there’s a larger freestanding table stored in the bathroom cupboard.

Above the lounge are overhead lockers, plus shelves along the nearside and across the front, with the offside having two additional shelves.

Big windows give plenty of light in the lounge/dining area, aided by gooseneck halogen reading lights and an overhead halogen fitting.

Euro caravans have fairly compact kitchens but tend not to have microwaves and sinks sans drainers. Our Hymer is no exception, though it does have a full Smev stove with grill and oven, a Dometic RM7290L 96 litre fridge and a large round stainless steel sink.

Just a word on the fridge, the number may look a little funny – that is because the larger caravan and motorhome companies in Europe tend to have their own models made but they are basically the same as those available in Australia.

The fridge is set off the floor but the bench space above is at a height that makes it practical to use. Above the kitchen bench are overhead lockers plus shelving space.

Below is a cupboard/cutlery drawer, plus a storage area underneath the stove which actually looks like part of the stove.

On the opposite side of the caravan, there’s a divider between the dinette and front lounge.

The upper half is open shelves and the lower is a small slide-out pantry, adding to the general kitchen storage.

Natural light comes from the large window behind the kitchen plus a big marine hatch in the ceiling. Electric light comes from a fluorescent above the sink, halogen downlights in the fume extractor plus a couple of halogens in the hatch fitting above.

Four people can sit comfortably at the dinette, which when folded down can make up a bed, 6ft 6in x 3ft 2in (1.98 x .96m). There are storage compartments under both seats but the rear seat area is occupied by a water tank.

The lighting is interesting: a couple of gooseneck reading lights, a downlight set in a recess in the overhead lockers plus a row of bead lighting underneath the lockers – unique and effective.

In the rear, the bathroom has a touch of class about it – separate shower cubicle, vanity sink and Thetford are all there. However the superb cabinet work with cupboards of various sizes, shelves and mirrors, all add something extra that makes the difference.

Features like the linen cupboard, magazine rack and adjustable soap dishes are all appreciated extras. Halogen lighting supplies effective illumination.

It’s not hard to figure out why this is Hymer’s flagship luxury caravan. Many features are subtly understated but they’re all there. The internal decor is a pleasure on the eye and everything is well laid out.

A lack of items like the microwave and double bed will be a minus in some people’s opinion.

However, the relatively light weight, in combination with being a luxury caravan, is certainly going to attract more than a few buyers and there’s no doubt that the Hymer is going to look good behind the Beemer or a Commodore.

We liked:
• Internal layout and decor – subtle but well done with plenty of natural light
• Fit and finish – well engineered, both inside and out
• Large window area of caravan which gave plenty of natural light and one-latch opening and closing
• The ease by which the double bed can be set up – minimal fiddling around

We would have liked:
• A microwave oven
• A sink drainer
• More time to play