By William Coleman
As far as field testing goes we do try to think a little bit outside of the box and give a van a real life test to bring you an honest lived in review. We spent a week touring around Parma, Italy and stayed off grid to really put Auto-Trail’s 2019 Tracker EB through its paces.
Off grid touring is really what caravans and the motorhome are designed for, providing you are stocked up on gas and water. So why not take it really off grid to the mountains and towns of Parma, Italy?
First of all let me start by saying that this van exceeded all expectations, not that they were low to start with. In fact we may have had set our standards quite high before we even collected the brand new 2019 model.
At first glance the distinctive look screams Auto-Trail with its decals and external design. Coming in at 7.63m long and built on the trusty Fiat Ducato the Tracker EB is an impressive looking motorhome that brings 130BHP with a 6 speed manual gearbox for a very diverse driving experience, especially on all the different road surfaces we went on during our trip.
During our trip we had 2 first time motorhome users, one who had never really considered using a leisure vehicle and another who’s retirement plan is to buy a motorhome and tour who whole of Italy putting together a cookbook with the hopes of publishing it. So part of this review will be from 2 first timers.
First Impression
This is a very good looking motorhome from start to finish, I especially like the external decal colour scheme. It is modern enough without becoming too “futuristic” and looking a bit like something out of a Star Trek film.
As standard you are going to get quite a lot of specs included, a lot of which had previously been up-gradable options. So if you want to cab air conditioning, cruise control and a passenger airbag included in the asking price the Tracker EB may just be the one for you.
On top of that you can add the Media Pack to really make the van a cut above the rest. The Media Pack includes DAB radio, Sat-nav, Bluetooth, steering wheel controls, reversing camera and even an exterior satellite dish if you opt for the Media+Pack.
A Modern Yet Classic Interior
There is not much that can be critiqued about the Tracker’s interior, but if I had to be super nit picky I would say that there are maybe too many small locker cupboards above the drivers cab. It just looked a tad OTT for me.
The colour scheme of the cherrywood colour fixtures and cream leather upholstery gives the Tracker a really bright fresh feel and makes the inside seem a lot more spacious, not that there is a lack of space to start with. The bright, vibrant, clean layout gets 2 thumbs up from me.
The leather option we had does not comes as standard and if you are thinking of continental touring leather may not be for everyone due to it sometimes being a bit sweaty. Seeing as our summers are getting longer and warmer in the UK the fabric may also be more comfortable if you have all your doors and windows open to get a natural breeze coming through.
The lounge layout is not a new feature for Auto-Trail, if it’s not broke, but is simple and very functionable which does make it very spacious.
Leisure Space & Living
The lounge area does deserve it’s own section in this review as it served as a portable office, dining room, living room and occasional meeting room.
The area really does feel very separate from the rest of the van. The two twin full length sofas and swivel captain chairs make it perfect for a group of 4-6 people to sit, mingle, eat and drink. Auto-Trail really do a good job with what space you get.
One little feature that stood out to me, as it provided a very comfortable space to work in, was the small round swivel table found just behind the front passenger seat. In the more quiet moments I was able to sit very comfortably with my laptop and a cup of tea and work away.
This meant that the rest of the living room was not taken up by the fold out table and meant everyone else was able to go back and forth unobstructed. It is little details like that which can make all the difference when on holiday.
Kitchen, Cooking & Dining
From this kitchen we were able to feed 6 adults for almost a week with only 1 additional trip to the shops for supplies, mainly due to the size of the fridge on board. You would actually struggle to fill up the new slim line fridge. On top of that there is another wave of storage cupboards, draws, nooks and crannies.
Following the typically British layout into the kitchen means there is more than enough space and kit to cook for the entire family, and friends if you’re a good host. The Thetford slot in stove comes with your 3 gas hobs and an electric and 1 electric.
Once the burners are on and boiling away you can use the good seized oven to roast and grill your fish and meat. We mainly used the hobs in Italy as there was a lot of pasta and meats which were best cooked in pots and pans.
We didn’t managed to totally finish our gas bottle during our week and that was with heating, cooking and warm water. I found it to be a very efficient van for gas usage.
When it comes to the dinning area you can sit up to 7 people, 4 would be as many as I would want in there but there is space for more, when you utilize the fold out table and swivel chairs.
The folding table is a good size and high enough so you are not hunched over eating but it is very well hidden away. If you search under the island bed you will stumble across it. From memory I cannot think of another van where the table is so well hidden?
Nighttime Living
The Tracker EB is a 4 berth model but does come in a 6 berth option, as do many of Auto-Trail’s models. Sleeping arrangements are quick and simple with a double french island bed and a make up double in the living area.
The transverse double bed in the lounge is actually very comfortable and has enough space for to two fully grown adults to sleep comfortably. You will not need to learn anything new for a quick set up as its been designed to work the usual way by pulling out the sofa base and brackets.
Although this is listed as a 4 berth there are only 2 travel seats. So unless you are meeting people on site the second bed can go unused. Or decide the snoring is too much you can have a double bed to yourselves if you are travelling as a couple.
The French bed does have a cut off which I am not too keen on but being under 6 feet means that neither myself or the partner will have anything to worry about when it comes to feet dangling off the end.
If you do want to add another 2 travel seats to make it an ideal 4 berth be prepared to spend a further £825. This is something I would strongly suggest seeing as there is enough sleeping space for 4 and is an ideal motorhome for the family.
The fixed bed wins big time for me here. I am not against a fold out bed but it is nice to be able to wake up in the morning and stroll into the living area without putting beds away or waking people up. I wake up very early where at the other half does not so we gladly choose an island bed option.
If you, like me, you usually charge your phone or tablets overnight you will find plug points throughout the lounge, kitchen and bedroom areas. No extension leads necessary.
Washroom
I can see this washroom layout being very popular with consumers and may even be the driving factor toward the decision to actually buy.
The space provided by have a rear washroom that runs the full width of the van means you have a home sized shower and enough space for a full size sink and toilet.
More often than not the washroom has a cupboard or extra storage crammed in which leads to a much smaller bathroom. No fear of that here as you have a super sized bathroom/shower.
The washroom is one of the highlights of the Tracker because it has just been done so well. A window and roof light provide a ton of natural light, which for me is always a bonus as natural light always makes an area look larger and a bit more outdoorsy.
Driving
We covered several hundred miles in the Tracker as it was driven from Suffolk to Parma in Italy by a seasoned leisure vehicle driver and then driven by 2 newcomers. So we did get quite a mix of opinions.
Driving around Parma means you face a lot of different road types and terrains, all of which were dealt with well by the Tracker due its great handling.
We spent a day and a half in the mountains camping and some of the inclines were extremely steep and I did worry about getting up the mountain in a vehicle this size with everything loaded onboard.
Third gear did the job and at times even bumping up to fourth was smooth enough to ascend the mountain roads.
The roads around Parma were pretty much what you get back here in the UK so driving a motorhome that is 2.3m wide never becomes an issue. Even our first timers were very comfortable driving the motorhome, even on the more trickier paths through the mountain were dealt with with confidence.
The reversing camera makes your maneuvering a lot easier, especially where we pitched up for the evening, think lots of good size rocks sticking out the ground that would cause serious damage to your tyres. I guess that’s what you get with off grid mountain camping.
130BHP and the 6 speed gearbox makes the Tracker a pleasure to drive. When driving abroad some may worry about driving a motorhome but fear not as this van is comfortable and very easy to drive. All you have to do is become acclimated to driving on the other side of the road.
First Time Users
Antonio- “I’ve never actually been in motorhome before, let alone drive it around a foreign country. My biggest fear was driving on the other side of the road but to be honest it really does not feel too different to driving at home. The maneuvering can be a little tricky as is it larger than what I have driven before but you soon get used it it and the reversing camera is a godsend as I am so used to have a rearview mirror.
It is a lot more comfortable than I thought it would be, although at times it can be a squeeze when there are 4 adults inside all trying to do something.
The cooking facilities and food storage were top notch too, I didn’t realise just how much you can get on board. We ate like kings for a week.
The sleeping arrangements actually worked quite well, despite some people’s constant snoring. I slept on the island and the makeup and I think out of the two I much prefer the make up bed. It just felt a lot more comfortable and spacious.”
Giuseppe- “I am basically trying out what I have planned for my retirement. Travel around the country I’m from and speak to the locals and learn new recipes and cooking methods to make a cookbook.
I am a good few years away from retirement so have not actually done any real research into what motorhomes are out there. Being the first one I have actually driven I must say it really is not that different from driving the large transport vans like we have at work back in the UK.
One thing I thought I would need to do it kit it out with lots of extras to help with the cooking but having spend a week in it the only thing extra I would bring would be a portable BBQ to grill meats and fish. You don’t want to stink out the joint.
Comfortable, easy to drive and spacious. What more could you want from a motorhome?”
Final Thoughts
Like I said before it is very hard to find things to dislike here. We spent a week in the Tracker and not once did we enter an actual site or hook up to any mains electric or water and we had a great time living off grid.
Practical, comfortable and an all round pleasure to stay in. If you are in the market for a van for couples this should be a contender for your first pick.
The fact that it comes with only 2 belted seats but is a 4 berth baffles me, yes you can pay for 2 more. I think if it came with 4 belted seats it would get a lot more attention from families who may opt to buy a van that comes with 4 driving seats as standard.
All in all this is a top notch van from one of the UK’s largest dedicated motorhome manufacturers.
Technical Specifications
Model Year- 2019
Class- Overcab Coachbuilt
Range- Tracker
Base Vehicle- Fiat Ducato
Engine Size- 2.3TD
Payload (kg)- 880
Belted Seats- 2
Maximum weight (kg)- 4250
Price from (£)- 61597
Length (m)- 7.36
Width (m)- 2.35
Height (m)- 3.10
Berths- 4
Main Layout- French Bed
