2022 Elddis Autoquest 194 motorhome

The power of four

 A stalwart of the Autoquest range of competitively priced coachbuilts from Elddis, the 194 has an “en vogue” floorplan that majors on a large rear garage with beds set over it – you can leave them as two singles or fill in to make a double.

As singles, they’re only just 6ft (1.83m) long, however, so taller users may prefer to go for the 2.05m x 1.30m double. The settees also come together to make a generous double, some 2.07m x 1.03m.

To optimise the garage storage space below, those beds at the back are set high and accessed via two fixed steps – you’re unlikely to be able to sit fully upright, even though there’s a TV holder for this area. The beds themselves are on sprung slatted bases and have padded headboards.

A central console houses a reading light for each, plus a single locker, a mains socket and a general light switch. There’s only a small rooflight overhead.

The lower sections of each bed are metal framed with hinges so you can lift up for access to storage, plus there’s a hatch to get to the garage space below internally.

The on-site daytime arrangement of the Autoquest 194 motorhome, makes for a roomy front lounge with inward-facing settees as well as both cab seats swivelled. Overhead, there’s no sunroof (an early indicator that this is a budget model), but you do get a generous capacity full-width locker instead, with deep open shelves at either side.

Taking the Autoquest 194 up to full four-berth status, there are travel seats in each settee base. It needs a bit of organising to set them up – and, of course, you do lose out on valuable storage space – but the flexibility of having two more travel seats available will appeal to many. And those Aguti seats have Isofix fittings.

There’s a step down from the lounge to the mid-‘van area and beyond, with the kitchen along the nearside, aft of the habitation door, while the washroom and a substantial near-full height wardrobe (admittedly, the TV aerial and free-standing table are in here) take up the offside.

The kitchen in the Autoquest 194 motorhome benefits from a Thetford cooker with three gas rings and a separate oven and grill. Like the cooker, the enamelled sink next to it is in Elddis’s signature black finish. There’s also a worktop extension section on the right.

A Dometic fridge sits directly under the sink and its 80-litre capacity might seem a bit low by latest expectations, but the freezer box is removable if you want to use the whole unit as a chiller.

Kitchen storage provisions include drawers between the cooker and fridge, with two double-doored upper-level lockers.

In the washroom, there’s a white plastic countertop basin with swan-neck mixer tap. It’s pretty cosy here, and there is some wheel arch intrusion, with shower space further compromised by the use of a curtain. But there is the bonus of a water-efficient Ecocamel showerhead.

New features for 2022 to look out for across the Autoquest coachbuilt motorhome range, include upgraded controls for the Whale heating and hot water systems, new soft furnishings and changed exterior graphics. Best news of all is the previously optional Lux Pack – which included cab air conditioning, passenger airbag and cruise control – as well as automatic lights and windscreen wipers, are now all standard.

Elsewhere, in the Autoquest 194 there are signs of cost-paring. The habitation door only has single-point locking (although it does get a window). The windows only get sprung roller blinds and flyscreens.

You’ll probably want to top up with a few items from the options list – an interesting new one is mobile wi-fi/internet.

However, do bear in mind dealers’ special edition variants of Autoquest models, and, of course, the Elddis Autoquest 194 is also available as the same spec’/same price Compass Avantgarde 194.

In this video, we take a look around the 2022 Elddis Autoquest 194 motorhome.

Verdict: Cracking value for a genuine four-person motorhome

Plus: A 3.5-tonner with good payload, travel seat flexibility…

Minus: …but storage loses out, small washroom, short single beds

In-a-nutshell: Flexibility for four

There’s more information on the Autoquest range on the Elddis website. Find out more about insuring this or your current motorhome on our motorhome insurance discounts page.

Alternatives: Auto-Trail F70, Bailey Autograph 79-4T, Swift Edge 476