Auto-Trail Tracker EB 2019 Review

The UK-based brand Auto-Trail has been building motorhomes for 35 years and the Tracker EB is its latest model to arrive on Aussie shores.

The key feature of Tracker EB is its large rear bathroom, despite being just over seven metres in length. More on that later...

The Tracker EB reviewed here is the four-berth 'low-line' model - there is also a high-line six-berth version with a cab-over double bed.

Auto-Trail uses the Fiat Ducato as the base for its range that opens with the 6.34m long, four berth, two seat-belt Imala 615 (priced from $136,990 drive-away) and tops out with the 8.04m long, six berth, six seat-belt Frontier Scout (priced from $190,900 drive-away).

The Tracker EB low-line starts at $168,900, with the one we're looking at here costing $171,900 with the Lifestyle Pack, which consists of an upgraded entertainment system with sat-nav and Bluetooth, a drop-down 18.5in LED TV with DVD and USB media, omni-directional digital TV aerial and colour reversing camera.

The Tracker EB comes with a 10-year structural and water ingress warranties, five year Mopar warranty for the base vehicle and grade three-rated insulation on the conversion.

Let's take a closer look...

On the nearside exterior of the Tracker EB you'll find a large roll-out awning, LED coach light, an access hatch for the gas bottles at the front, and an access hatch revealing a large storage space at the rear (which can also be accessed by lifting the bed inside).

There’s no real invitation to sit outside here, except on a camp chair under the awning, with no picnic table or entertainment unit integrated into the nearside as you'll find on many of its rivals.

Head around to the driver's side and you'll discover the Thetford toilet cassette access hatch, water inlet and 240v power inlet and a narrow, tall storage locker. It would be good to have a coach light on the offside to help when retrieving items from the locker at night, but it’s not a deal-breaker.

Getting inside the main living area is pretty easy with the powered step (operated either via a keyfob remote or a switch just inside the door), and once inside you’re presented with a mix of European-style timber-look cabinetry and cream lockers. You’ll either love it or not, but at least the cream colour breaks up the timber-look.

Big dining area

The dining area has seating for six with the two captain’s chairs swivelling around. Like any such configuration, room is a bit tight when maneuvering around the chairs but otherwise this area (and the rest of the fit-out) is surprisingly roomy.

For privacy or just keeping light out during the day the cab’s windscreen and side windows have integrated concertina blinds. The conversion’s windows and large roof hatch all have screen-mesh and concertina blinds as well.

The small round dining table can be swivelled around and so offers a fair bit of flexibility for seating/dining; however we'd prefer if it was a big bigger to allow two or more people to use as a dining table.

The dining area sofas convert easily and quickly to a double bed, although as you'll spot in the photos you're restricted to putting your head towards the offside of the east-west bed if two are sleeping here because of the narrowed, nearside section of the 'French' bed.

Decent storage

There’s a lot of useful storage space up front, with lockers around the ceiling perimeter and storage under the dinette seats. One small but significant feature with the front lockers (over the cab) is the useful ledge to place items when at camp.

The L-shaped kitchen looks small at first but you then realise it actually offers a fair amount of cooking and food prep space. Sure, you’re not going to easily cook a meal for a dozen guests here, but with the cutting board cover for the single-tub stainless sink and the cooktop lid down you have enough food prep space.

With the three gas burner/one electric hob, grill and oven (plus microwave) you’re not short of heating and cooking options. Speaking of the microwave, like so many RV fit-outs the Tracker EB’s microwave is mounted too high, making it too easy to scald yourself with hot liquids when removing containers.

There’s a fair degree of storage around the kitchen, with lockers above and cupboards below, including a neat rounded cupboard door that reveals shelving that’ll accommodate larger pots and pans.

On the nearside, opposite the kitchen, is a decent-sized 141-litre Thetford fridge.

French bedding

Moving back to the bedroom area, the Tracker EB has what is known as a ‘French bed’ - that is, a north-south bed in the rear nearside of the fit-out. There’s also a dresser across the corridor on the offside with plenty of wardrobe space, a couple of drawers and a large mirror, plus storage lockers above the bed.

Now to the biggest feature — literally — of the Tracker EB: the bathroom. It takes up the full width of the motorhome at the rear and is separated from the bedroom by a locking door.

Inside you'll find a Thetford cassette toilet on the offside wall, a vanity unit against the rear wall in the centre and possibly the largest shower in the RV world on the nearside of the bathroom. The shower is not all that wide but it's long, taking up almost half the width of the motorhome.

The Truma Combi gas-powered heater unit under the bed delivers both hot water and -- a real boon for the winter months when there’s no access to 240v power — ducted central heating. Of course, there’s a roof-mounted 240v air-conditioner as well, for all-year climate control when you're plugged in.

On the road

The Tracker EB's Fiat Ducato base is a familiar vehicle in the motorhome world, having been on the market for several years with no major updates. While it gets along fine with the willing 2.3-litre turbo-diesel engine and six-speed automated manual transmission, it’s the latter which is the Ducato’s only real bugbear.

While you do become accustomed to it, you have to allow for the sometimes glacial gearshifts, the long pause seeing the motorhome actually slow down a little as the gearbox does its thing. Otherwise the Ducato is powerful enough, comfortable to drive and ergonomics are good in the main.

With a largish 141-litre fridge, 110Ah AGM house battery, 100watt solar panel, 135-litre water capacity and 13kg of gas, you’ll be able to free-camp for a reasonable period in the Auto-Trail. Of course, it all depends on how well you conserve your supplies, but a week or two off the grid should be possible in this motorhome if that's your thing.

Summing up

The Auto-Trail Tracker EB stands out as a spacious motorhome that also can be driven on a car licence. While the Euro decor won't appeal to everyone, the bathroom space is something you'll never complain about.

2019 Auto-Trail Tracker EB

Base vehicle: Fiat Ducato 130
GVM: 4400kg
Licence: Car
Occupants: Two seat belts, four berth
Engine: 2.3-litre  four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Power/torque: 134kW/400Nm
Transmission:  Six-speed automated manual
Wheels: 16-inch alloy
Brakes: Discs all round, ABS and ESP
Travel length: 7090mm (23ft 3in)
External body width: 2350mm (7ft 9in)
Travel height: 3030mm
Bed size: 1900mm x 1320mm
Fresh water: 135L (85L grey water)
Battery: 1x 110A/h AGM
Solar: 1x 100watts
Air-conditioner: Truma Aventa
Gas: 1x4kg, 1x9kg
Hot water: 10L gas/240v
Cooking: Three gas/one electric cooktop, grill, oven
Fridge: Thetford 141L 12v/240v
Microwave: Daewoo 800W
Toilet: Thetford cassette
Shower: Separate cubicle
Lighting: 12v LED
TV: 18.5in LED TV
Price (as tested): $171,900
Options fitted: Lifestyle Pack (upgraded entertainment system with sat-nav and Bluetooth, drop-down 18.5in LED TV with DVD and USB media, omni-directional aerial, colour reversing camera)
Supplied by: Elite RV Sydney, St Marys, NSW
More info: Auto-Trail Australia