The vertical storage hatch in the nearside rear corner has a shelf that can be folded up (pictured) making it ideal for loading taller items
The Practical Motorhome Auto-Trail Tracker RS review - Join Practical Motorhome's Editor Niall Hampton inside the latest Auto-Trail Tracker RS - Copyright: Practical Motorhome TV
The updated-for-2017 Auto-Trail Tracker RS costs £54,691 OTR – the motorhome tested is £55,690
The revised lounge is a pleasing place to be – note the new front bulkhead design, which results in a clear run of overhead lockers that transforms the interior sightlines
Tracker gets new ‘Tara’ soft furnishings as standard for 2017 (other schemes, including leather, are cost options) – cab and habitation carpets (not shown) are included
The L-shaped kitchen creates a user-friendly V-shaped working triangle
You get a dual-fuel cooker, a microwave and a separate oven and grill in the 2017 Auto-Trail Tracker RS
The space vacated by the fridge that permitted the insertion of the L-shaped kitchen unit means the addition of handy storage options under the worktop
The fridge is on the nearside, next to the wardrobe, and is an on-trend ‘skinny’ unit, with bottle storage at the bottom
The end washroom is accessed via a domestic-style door – read more in the Practical Motorhome 2017 Auto-Trail Tracker RS review
The cupboard should proved sufficient storage space for all your lotions and potions
Some may prefer an opaque washroom window, but the blind provides privacy
The shower compartment is in the offside rear corner and has a handy drying rail
The make-up double bed is 2.08 x 1.83m (6’8″ x 6′) – use the sofas as singles and they are 1.83 x 0.8m (6′ x 2’3″) and 1.5 x 0.8m (5′ x 2’3″)
The overhead lockers have been re-engineered for 2017 – there’s more space inside, plus new facings and positive-locking handles
Rotate the cab seats and the Auto-Trail Tracker RS will seat six in the lounge
A plus point of opting for a Lo-Line roof is the addition of two extra overhead lockers above the cab, making 10 in total
Further user-friendliness is in evidence here, with the mains consumer unit sited in an offside overhead locker for easy access
The Tracker stands 2.35m wide and is 3.03m tall
The 2017 model is now 6.94m long, but the extra length brings many benefits, as the Practical Motorhome Auto-Trail Tracker RS review reveals
The new back panel has less fussy road light clusters than before, and the hexagonal spare wheel carrier looks very sharp
The vertical storage hatch in the nearside rear corner has a shelf that can be folded up (pictured) making it ideal for loading taller items
The Practical Motorhome Auto-Trail Tracker RS review - Join Practical Motorhome's Editor Niall Hampton inside the latest Auto-Trail Tracker RS - Copyright: Practical Motorhome TV
The updated-for-2017 Auto-Trail Tracker RS costs £54,691 OTR – the motorhome tested is £55,690
The revised lounge is a pleasing place to be – note the new front bulkhead design, which results in a clear run of overhead lockers that transforms the interior sightlines
Tracker gets new ‘Tara’ soft furnishings as standard for 2017 (other schemes, including leather, are cost options) – cab and habitation carpets (not shown) are included
The L-shaped kitchen creates a user-friendly V-shaped working triangle
You get a dual-fuel cooker, a microwave and a separate oven and grill in the 2017 Auto-Trail Tracker RS
The space vacated by the fridge that permitted the insertion of the L-shaped kitchen unit means the addition of handy storage options under the worktop
The fridge is on the nearside, next to the wardrobe, and is an on-trend ‘skinny’ unit, with bottle storage at the bottom
The end washroom is accessed via a domestic-style door – read more in the Practical Motorhome 2017 Auto-Trail Tracker RS review
The cupboard should proved sufficient storage space for all your lotions and potions
Some may prefer an opaque washroom window, but the blind provides privacy
The shower compartment is in the offside rear corner and has a handy drying rail
The make-up double bed is 2.08 x 1.83m (6’8″ x 6′) – use the sofas as singles and they are 1.83 x 0.8m (6′ x 2’3″) and 1.5 x 0.8m (5′ x 2’3″)
The overhead lockers have been re-engineered for 2017 – there’s more space inside, plus new facings and positive-locking handles
Rotate the cab seats and the Auto-Trail Tracker RS will seat six in the lounge
A plus point of opting for a Lo-Line roof is the addition of two extra overhead lockers above the cab, making 10 in total
Further user-friendliness is in evidence here, with the mains consumer unit sited in an offside overhead locker for easy access
The Tracker stands 2.35m wide and is 3.03m tall
The 2017 model is now 6.94m long, but the extra length brings many benefits, as the Practical Motorhome Auto-Trail Tracker RS review reveals
The new back panel has less fussy road light clusters than before, and the hexagonal spare wheel carrier looks very sharp
The vertical storage hatch in the nearside rear corner has a shelf that can be folded up (pictured) making it ideal for loading taller items
Refreshed for 2017, the Auto-Trail Tracker RS now boasts a bigger lounge and washroom, plus an improved kitchen, increasing its appeal as a couples' ’van
Verdict
Discerning touring couples who don’t prize fixed beds will find much to like in the revised Auto-Trail Tracker RS.
The extra length takes the ’van away from the 6m threshold, but delivers 6ft-long single beds, a larger washroom and an L-shaped kitchen – plus the latest, more fuel-efficient engine. What’s not to like?
The sofas and make-up double are bigger than before
The shower is larger than previously
The revised kitchen’s design is very user-friendly
Cons
It’s now nearly 7m long
Discerning touring couples who don’t prize fixed beds will find much to like in this revised ’van
Originally conceived as an affordable range of compact motorhomes, Auto-TrailTracker has over the years evolved to sit neatly in the mid-market segment of the brand’s coachbuilt portfolio.
And this status was cemented a couple of seasons ago with the launch of the entry level Imala, which brought lower weights and lower prices into the Auto-Trail offer.
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For 2017, Tracker gets a targeted rework to keep it fresh and competitive. The RS carries a tried-and-tested floor plan – parallel lounge/end-washroom – but it has been stretched by 0.84m so it now breaks the tape at 6.94m.
Auto-Trail’s aims were to increase the size of the make-up double bed in the lounge, grow the shower compartment and to improve ergonomics in the kitchen by adding an L-shaped work top.
Other changes see more spacious overhead lockers in the lounge, facilitated by moving the nearside awning up to sit at the edge of the rooflline, and a smart new moulded GRP rear panel.
Living
In typical configuration, the 2017 Auto-Trail Tracker RS sports a parallel lounge that can seat four people, or six if the cab seats are rotated (a Half Dinette option with two travel seats costs £825).
The lounge has a large window on either side, plus a central rooflight, and in Lo-Line flavour, benefits from a panoramic overcab skylight. LED lighting is available as a backup, in addition to the over-locker ambient lighting.
Kitchen
The offside kitchen is now boosted by an L-shaped worktop, which has been created by moving the fridge to the other side of the ’van, where it has been resized to an on-trend ‘skinny’ unit which slots neatly between the wardrobe and the washroom.
Kitchen kit comprises dual-fuel hobs, a separate oven and grill, a rooflight extractor fan and a microwave oven. We’d have liked to have seen more than one 230V socket above the worktop.
Washroom
The washroom has also grown, with a large shower compartment in the offside rear corner. Opposite this is a cupboard and vanity unit with sink, with a swivelling cassette toilet in between under a clear rear window.
Beds
The clear beneficiary of the increase in body length of 0.84m has been the offside lounge seat, which now offers 6ft of length if used as a single bed (the nearside bench is around 5ft).
Making up the double bed is straightforward, as sliding slats extend easily into the middle of the gangway ready to receive the rearranged cushions.
Concertina blinds fitted to the windscreen and cab door windows create ideal blackout conditions for a restful night’s sleep.
Storage
The 2017 Auto-Trail Tracker RS has plenty of places to fit touring kit. This includes 10 overhead lockers and uninterrupted space in the offside lounge seat box, which is accessible from outside the vehicle. The nearside seat box loses some space to the gas bottle compartment.
Outside, a vertical storage locker is sited in the nearside rear corner, with a folding shelf to accommodate taller items.
Other storage provision comprises a wide wardrobe opposite the kitchen, and under-sink pot and pan storage.
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