Auto-Trail Apache 700 - Practical Motorhome

In the market for a high-quality end-lounge coach built offering you more than enough room for the whole family? Nick Harding tracks down one candidate.

Verdict

Auto-Trail has long been a favourite marque in the UK – and it’s easy to see why.

PRACTICAL MOTORHOME SAYS…

The flexibility of up to six berths and the user-friendliness of that generous rear lounge, along with the usual high-level Auto-Trail specification, top the list of attractions for the Apache 700. You’ll need to make sure that you have the relevant C1 category on your licence to drive this heavy motorhome, though.

Pros

Easy to open locker doors
LED lighting is great

Cons

Truma heating unit looks old-fashioned

To a casual observer, Apaches can look pretty much like any Auto-Trail – spread wheel cover at the back, recessed awning and those distinctive graphics.

The lack of a few exterior details – such as additional chrome – differentiates them from the more expensive and bigger Frontier, while inside, the Apache 700 offers a modern take on a floorplan that has always found favour.

It tops a line-up for 2019 comprising just three models; but as is the Auto-Trail way, there are variations in terms of roof (Hi-line or Lo-line) as well as travel seats (two, four or even six berths).

Three important upgrades for this season are new alloy wheels, more powerful 6kW heating, and a full cooker with dual-fuel hob.

Living

At the front is a double dinette offering travel for up to four in our test model. As seating, it seems rather upright, despite the sculpted backrests. The side-fixing table has sliding adjustment.

Meanwhile the rear lounge’s U-shaped seating affords great views on three sides, as well as all the facilities to watch TV.

Kitchen

The kitchen starts behind the cab and runs parallel to the dinette. It’s not the biggest worktop, but it offers all the essential kit – Thetford cooker, Russell Hobbs microwave, sink with fixed drainer – and generous storage, with two lockers above, three drawers, and cupboard space below. You also get a 143-litre Thetford fridge with 15-litre freezer.

Washroom

The central washroom is offside. Typically Auto-Trail, there’s a large shower cubicle, along with a fixed basin and Thetford cassette swivel-bowl toilet, plus details such as the hanging rail and rise bar in the shower.

Two shelved lockers – one high, one low – should be sufficient here. There’s an illuminated mirror, plus a roof light above, and the only omission is a window.

Beds

Undoubtedly, it’s the rear lounge area that will prove the favoured night-time set-up, too. Slide-out slats make up the generous double bed.

A divider offers privacy in the rear lounge/bedroom. Up front, a double bed can be made from the dinette, although this is slightly more time consuming.

The Hi-line roof pod has ladder access, and a slide-out section for a double bed with generous headroom. The long roof light above should provide lots of ventilation, as well as light (it has flyscreen and blind fittings).