Mini Review: Trakka Trakkaway 820

Take a Fiat Ducato cab that's attached to an Al-Ko chassis with two rear axles, add many of the features from Trakka's successful Sandpiper and Veneto designs, and hey presto, instant motorhome. Well not quite instant - we happen to know that the Trakkaway 820 has had a long gestation period.

For our time with the Trakkaway 820 we took a brief trip from Christchurch to Greymouth, across Arthurs Pass in the middle of New Zealand's South Island.

The Arthurs Pass trip is well-suited to a motorhome test. There's plenty of open highway, mountain roads and tight corners to get a good feel for general handling.

We've no doubt the newer 3L, 115.5kW engine will work with aplomb at all times. A six-speed manual gearbox is the only option at the moment, but we understand an AMT (automated-manual transmission) box will be available in 2008.

As might be expected in a motorhome of this calibre, the technology is sophisticated, with 240V and 12V power systems. The 12V lighting is a mixture of fluorescent and halogen fittings. On the roof, the two 125W solar panels charge twin 100Ah batteries. Cooling is by a Truma air-conditioner and heating by a diesel-fired unit.

Fibreglass, either moulded or vacuum-moulded composite construction is the material of choice for Trakkaway body construction. Windows are all double-glazed hoppers of the Seitz variety, as is the door, which comes with a top-half screened window.

Given the low-set height of the motorhome, external bin space becomes a challenge, but there's a reasonable rear boot that's accessible all round, and a slide-out barbecue (most important for the outdoor lifestyle) on the nearside. Also on that side are a Fiamma awning, two wall lights and a rail for the clip-on table. Fitted along the opposite side are the gas cylinder bin, the external shower and power-lead locker.

The lounge/dining area includes two sideways lounges and driver and passenger seats that swivel around. A north-south queen-size bed occupies the rear bedroom and between that and the kitchen is the bathroom, with separate shower and toilet cubicles.

It's our opinion that manufacturers who incorporate the driver's cab into their general design are making the best use of space. Even though this is a 27ft (8.2m) motorhome, Trakka has done just that. With swivelling driver and passenger seats, lounge/dining seating is excellent. If there are two of you, stretching-out capacity is even better. The table is a lightweight but solid Zwaardvis design that can be easily manoeuvred and solidly locked. In our motorhome, the Luton bed was fixed in position, but future models will have a lift-up bed, meaning less bending when getting to and from the driver's cab.

In the main bedroom at the rear, the 6ft 7in × 4ft 7in (2.0m × 1.4m) bed takes centre stage. On either side of the bed, the cabinets have two drawers and a decent area of bedside shelf. Fitted into the offside corner at the base of the bedroom is a small cabinet, the top half of which contains a flatscreen TV.

The Trakkaway 820's extra axle and resulting extra length adds considerably more space inside the motorhome, which translates to features like the luxurious split bathroom, island bed and spacious lounge/dining area.

Trakka Australia
9 Beaumont Road
Mount Kuring-gai, NSW
(02) 9472 9000
www.trakka.com