Full review

Here’s the sort of motorhome that you simply won’t see in the catalogues of continental makers. Its floorplan is a UK design of perennial popularity, while its tall (over 3m) height and overcab body style compete in a category where low-profiles rule and even A-classes start to enter the fray.

All Frontiers now sit on Al-Ko chassis. They gain enhanced construction, including a new rear panel, roof and luton. The back end retains the trademark covered spare wheel but alongside are LED tail-lights, including ‘progressive’ indicators.

Inside, there’s new locker construction with positive upper locker catches and upholstery schemes have been changed. Most notably for this test, however, the latest Scout is longer while its layout sees it receiving a larger rear window (unique to this model).

In the cab, as well as the obvious cab air-con and cruise control, and not-so-obvious ESC, Traction Plus and Hill Holder, you get details like chrome-ringed dials and aluminium-effect dash trim. Then the Media Pack provides the sprinkles on the gateau, with a DAB radio and sat-nav. The same 5in screen also serves the vital reversing camera and the whole pack (with TV in the rear and an aerial, too) adds just £999.

Remote central locking takes care of the habitation door, it also pops out the step and turns on the awning light. There’s then a further internal step to climb as the floor is around 800mm above the road. The advantage of this, of course, is a stepless floor right through from the cab to the rear lounge, but there’s no double floor here for extra storage or winterisation. Both water tanks are underslung, and heated, and the waste has a large bore drain.

On the outside, the Scout also comes with a barbecue point and flush-mounted awning on the nearside, as well as Auto-Trail’s novel gas locker with internal ‘bonnet catch’ opening. On the offside, there’s an external shower, twin leisure batteries, the hook-up point and some storage.

A simple push-up Heki over the rear lounge and a huge opening rooflight over the luton ensure that both front and rear seating areas are flooded with daylight. Reading lights, mood lights and under-counter kitchen lamps eliminate any dark spots and there’s even a light to show you to the loo.

Only four can dine at the wall-mounted table up front, but a second (identically sized but free-standing) table can be deployed in the rear. We prefer to see tables safely stowed for travel but, here, only the second table has a home.

Parked up, the dinette table is not just super-convenient for serving up from the galley opposite but it can be extra working space for the chef. Not that the kitchen is lacking in that regard, as a slot-in cover for the sink can be retrieved from its cupboard below the microwave and there’s already a useful area between the hob and draining board.

It’s good to see a proper drainer here, as well as that 800W microwave, mains hotplate and separate oven and grill. Storage is good, too, especially in the curved end cupboard. There’s a bin handily positioned on the door and, on the other side of the entrance, a truly massive fridge/freezer.

The rear lounge layout’s appeal is enduring, and nowhere more so than here. Firstly, this is a huge U-shaped area in which to relax. It has rear speakers, four scatter cushions and, with the Media Pack, a telly in one corner. The windows are XL-sized and the new rear window has a moulded surround inside that makes an ideal resting place for coffee cups.

The rear lounge makes into an absolutely vast bed. And it does so easily and the bed is flat, while 1.95m single beds are an even simpler-to-make alternative. Further forward, a concertina screen provides privacy for those sleeping aft – as well as giving them priority for the bathroom. The pullman dinette converts into another bed – albeit a much smaller one – using the table as the central support. This is best seen as a berth for a small adult or a child. The bonus is that, as the dinette bed doesn’t extend into the gangway, it leaves full access to the kitchen – and plenty of room to use the ladder for the overcab bed.

Headroom is also reduced in the bathroom (in the shower it’s 1.83m), but, if that doesn’t concern you, then the bathroom here beats many others in similar layouts. Key to its success is having a proper separate shower (fully plastic lined and fitted with a clothes drying rail).

Space on and around the cassette toilet is adequate, rather than generous, while the bathroom comes with all the necessary accessories. There’s a useful wall cupboard but the under-basin area is much less practical (as it’s not shelved).

Storage throughout the rest of the Scout, however, is good, with plenty of under-seat space for bedding and more. With plentiful eye-level lockers and a reasonable-sized wardrobe, the Scout can even cater for a family’s storage needs, while the 880kg payload is very impressive, too, even if this is reduced to 745kg if you drive with a full fresh water tank.

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