A strictly two-berth, low-profile, coachbuilt motorhome with an end lounge spells luxury for a lot of couples. Even better when it also offers value for money.
2022 prices start at £58,105, which these days is at the bargain end of the market. But it’s not hard to tip over into the £60,000s, especially if you order any of the engine and transmission options (having said that, the standard 130bhp/six-speed manual offering is a perfectly pleasant combination).
Top of your wish list for this Auto-Trail F68 will surely be the same-price Drivers and Lux Packs. The F-Line Drivers pack includes cab air conditioning, electric exterior mirrors, colour coded bumpers amongst other extras. The Lux Pack gives a 9 inch LCD touch screen head unit, colour reversing camera, BBQ point, solar panels and Omni vent rooflight plus more. There’s a healthy payload, too, should you wish to add any number of other optional extras.
Drawing a Line for lounge lovers
It’s the layout that’s key of course, as well as the Ford Transit underpinnings that are common to all six F-Line motorhome models from Auto-Trail. Not only is it a thoroughly pleasant vehicle to drive, it also represents much of what is great about current motorhome base vehicles.
It’s certainly a classic end lounge layout in the Auto-Trail F68 motorhome. That extended seating wraps around three sides and can easily accommodate a small party around its free-standing table. Windows to three sides, all with concertina blinds and flyscreens, mean great views out, although the standard rooflight overhead is a cost-saver.
There’s also a slide-out holder for a flatscreen TV. If you want carpet underfoot, you’ll be reaching for the aforementioned Lux Pack.
Storage at this end of the F68 is plentiful. Upper-level lockers and corner shelving line each side, but there’s also lots of space in the settee bases, thanks also to Auto-Trail’s use of Whale Air heating and Expanse hot water systems, where the main units are fitted underfloor.
At night, it’s a simple operation to convert the rear seating into a generous 2.10m x 1.48m double bed using pull-out slats; or, you could make a couple of singles – 2.02m (offside) and 1.88m (nearside) – both 0.70m wide.
Forward of the lounge, the kitchen is along the nearside, aft of the habitation door, while the washroom is immediately behind the driver.
The former is L-shaped, which helps optimise storage and worktop space, albeit it lacks an extension. Cooking facilities start with a triangular three-ring hob – accompanied by a circular sink with chrome swan-neck mixer tap – complemented by a Thetford Duplex oven and grill combination. A 142-litre total capacity fridge with freezer is directly opposite the kitchen, while overhead is an Omnivent electric fan/opening rooflight.
The washroom is a good size, with sufficient space for a separate, plastic-lined shower cubicle as well as a fixed basin, plus the near-ubiquitous swivel-bowel Thetford toilet. Despite space for one, there’s no window. There’s also just the one plughole in the shower tray. Storage is good, however, thanks to shelved lockers beneath the basin and over the toilet, where there are also small open shelves.
Elsewhere in the Auto-Trail F68 motorhome, details range from a 100Ah leisure battery, to an opening cab sunroof, to external gas connection, to an illuminated splash panel in the kitchen right, through to a choice of five cab colours.
At 6.80m long (or 22ft 3in, if you prefer), you’d expect the F68 to be spacious. And it is. But that’s just one of a long list of things to like about this Ford-based Auto-Trail.
Verdict: A great end lounge luxury/down-to-earth price combination
Plus: Spacious two-berth interior, Ford base, lots of upgrade opportunities, five-year conversion and bodywork warranties
Minus: “Essential” options nudge price upwards
In-a-nutshell: F-Line machine for magnificent men (and women)
There’s more information on the F-Line range on the Auto-Trail website. Find out more about insuring this or your current motorhome on our motorhome insurance page.
Alternatives: Auto-Sleeper Broadway EL, Bailey Autograph 69-2, Pilote P696U, Roller Team Auto-Roller 747
Auto-Trail F68 factfile
Model | Auto-Trail F68 |
Base vehicle | Ford Transit, 2-litre, 130bhp, Euro 6d |
Dimensions | 6.80m L x 2.35m W x 2.88m H |
Berths | Two |
Travel seats | Two |
Maximum weight | 3,500kg |
Payload | 550kg |
MPG estimate | 30-34 |
RRP | From £58,105 on the road |
Safety & security | Electronic immobiliser, ABS, remote central locking to cab doors, twin airbags, European Whole Vehicle Type Approval, fire extinguisher, smoke and CO2 alarms |
Key options | Drivers Pack (£1,578), Lux Pack (£1,578), 168bhp engine upgrade (£1,200), automatic transmission (£1,860), 16in alloy wheels (£860), Motorhome wi-fi (£486), second leisure battery (£211), cab blinds (£620), detachable towbar and electrics (£684), cab air conditioning (£1,010) |
I stopped reading at Ford Transit