Full review

A PRICE tag of £25,995 doesn’t usually buy much on the new motorhome market these days, but Elddis made everyone sit up and take notice by slapping this very figure on the new Autoquest 115 it launched at the NEC.

The 115 is one of two new ‘lo-line’ (as Explorer Group calls them) models for 2007 – the other being the rear lounge 120. Its interior layout is completely conventional, with a pair of good-sized settees facing inwards up front, the kitchen slung across the back, and its all-in-one washroom shoe-horned into the offside rear corner.

What really impresses with this model, however, is the fact that its simplicity makes the whole vehicle feel even more spacious and airy than it actually is. Cheerful red upholstery sits well with the warm yet light woodwork. The locker doors are framed, and the washroom door slightly more flexible than I would have liked (the thin plastic strip which is meant to act as a door retainer doesn’t look like it’ll last very long, either), but you can forgive a few flaws when the asking price is so low.

Elsewhere, the equipment levels are surprisingly good. A full quartet of halogen reading lights in the lounge, a full-size Heki 2 panoramic rooflight, loose-lay carpets sectioned sensibly into two pieces and a spark ignition cooker, complete with an easy-clean linen-effect three-burner hob and a small oven/grill are all fitted. Storage space in the kitchen is good, too, and the rear dresser of an exceptionally good size, even with a TV in situ.

The corner washroom is inevitably compromised, as the neighbouring wardrobe is of a good size. And the washroom’s not bad at all, really, extending to a latest-shape bench-style toilet, a single halogen downlighter and a monobloc mixer tap for the shower. The room isn’t fully lined as it is on dearer models, but ten to one the 115 will spend most of its life on full facility sites anyway.

And anyone who buys a 115 will attract envious looks from their neighbours, because it even manages to look reasonably good from the outside, with the unprecedented (at the price) presence of a fully colour-coded front bumper and a low-profile shell over the striking new Boxer cab. Six Jokon round tail-lights sunk into an otherwise unremarkable squared-off rear panel complete a modern and appealing external look that is boxy and simple compared to the more upmarket Compass Calypso.

Summary:

New low-profile entry-level Elddis represents astonishing value for money – and it’s a cracking little motorhome, too.

Factfile
Make: Elddis
Model: Autoquest 115
Base vehicle: Peugeot Boxer 2.2 HDi (100bhp)
Price from: £27,090 on-the-road
Length: 5.71m (18ft 9in)
Width: 2.69m (8ft 10in) (including door mirrors)
Height: 2.77m (9ft 1in)
Gross vehicle weight: 3,000kg
Payload: 473kg
Berths: 2