Full review

The Auto-Sleeper Broadway EB is a classic two-berth compact low-profile coachbuilt built on a standard Peugeot Boxer chassis cab.

The EB’s interior is arranged with two longitudinal settees providing great feet-up lounging and a transverse double bed. Alternative longitudinal singles can be achieved by utilising the swivelled front seats. The singles option isn’t mentioned in the brochure, but it’s possible. A mid kitchen and across-the-rear washroom complete the story.

Auto-Sleepers has always been a favourite with the British for cast-iron reasons. It’s a respected brand that has the knack of producing quintessentially English motorhomes. These vehicles suit the special requirements imposed by the mercurial British climate and the sensible desire of the folks in these islands to be at their ease. In other words they’re supremely comfortable and cosy inside – even the name advertises its origins. Nothing to do with New York Showbiz, Broadway is a picturesque village in the Cotswolds near Auto-Sleepers’ headquarters at Willersey.

The new Broadway range is slimmer, lighter and fitter then its predecessor. There’s also been a weight saving of some 50kg over the old model. The changes include alloy replacing GRP for skirts, stylish new rear panel and wind-up overcab sunroof. The optional awning is of the bolted-on-the-exterior type, rather than the smarter, but weighty, recessed device.

I was hoping that the test Broadway would come equipped with the latest Euro 5 engine, but It was not to be, as Andy Brand, Auto-Sleepers’ marketing director, informed me before I collected it from Marquis Devon. With the new Euro 5 compliant engine we should expect to see better fuel economy than with the previous unit. There’s no escaping that, in the long term, the only way is up for fuel prices. Also, the model tested wasn’t equipped with Peugeot’s new dashboard. However, another model in the showroom was, so we had a peek at things to come.

When we collected the ‘van from Marquis Devon we were pleasantly surprised by the hand-over from Richard Babbage. Unhurried and detailed, and with any little issues, such as a drawer that didn’t catch properly, dealt with cheerfully. I think that like most folk I can be understanding when there are glitches, but it’s how they’re handled that can make the difference.

We took delivery of the Broadway in decidedly chilly conditions and drove it up to the Tavistock Camping and Caravanning Club site on the fringes of Dartmoor. This elevated position demonstrated how cosy the ’van could be in the vagaries of moorland weather. And we certainly had plenty of weather! There were 70mph gusts of wind and enough rain to supply Saudi Arabia’s water for a year. Such is the lot of a motorhome tester; cue violin music...

Power    

With the 2.2-litre 130bhp HDi engine under the bonnet, this Broadway was no sluggard. She did everything asked of her on the narrow and steep hills of Dartmoor’s roads.
The six-foot overhang at the rear is not excessive and gears were as easy and slick as its Fiat Ducato relation. Rattles came from the usual suspects: grill, oven and the Heki rooflight’s cords vibrating. Tea towel padding and closing the Heki’s flyscreen solved them. Although the Broadway we were provided with didn’t have the new dashboard or Euro 5 engine (they weren’t available when it was built), subsequent new Broadways will be so equipped. Differences on the new dash see heater controls that look easier to use, due to white outlining making them more visible, while the radio is built-in rather than being a slot-in thief magnet.

There’s no rearwards through-view in this Broadway, so the fitted rearview camera was a blessing, and unlike a reversing camera, it’s always on. I noticed – with all the rain – there was some distortion caused by droplets of water on the lens. When I had the setting sun full on my face (that didn’t happen very often), I also found it difficult to see the screen image. Sun visors are rarely low enough for me.

Looks

Let’s get this out of the way: we were as cosy, warm and comfortable as we expected we should be in an Auto-Sleeper. This was despite everything that Dartmoor could throw at us. Now, let’s deal with looks. Wow! Auto-Sleepers’ designers have excelled themselves. The designers have used some careful positioning of graphics in grey, silver and blue to accentuate the already good lines of the low-profile body. On the GRP rear they have come up with a panel that manages to exude quality, with a big U-shaped silver line emphasising a recess in the panel, which is topped off with smart box-shaped black panel.

The rear-view camera is positioned above the high-level brake light, making it difficult to clean. A small cowl might protect if from rain. I’m also told that changes in the lamp arrangements in the rear assembly will make replacing bulbs easier. At the front, the addition of a row of LED running lights, below the headlights, imparts a purposeful zingy look, though whether it’ll make you any more visible is debatable.

There’s a wind-up sunroof in the new slimmed-down overcab moulding and so this rather limits storage options there. However, the sunroof does produce a light and airy cab with none of the claustrophobic effect of a locker above. There are a couple of open-sided storage bins either side of the sunroof, so you’ve not lost out on stashing space completely.

The exterior doesn’t boast any lockers, other than the room-for-three gas cylinder locker on the nearside. The toilet servicing hatch is on the offside. Further forward, the fresh water inlet isn’t the conventional filler, but is instead a Whale O-ringed spigot/12V power socket. This is designed to take a plug-in submersible pump to draw water from a water porter, so might please ex-caravanners. It’s also possible to simply use a plug-in hose to fill in a more conventional way. Alongside are sockets – screw-in and push-fit – for TV dish/aerial cables.

There is no wet locker provision, but it occurs to me that if your gas requirements aren’t great, you might choose to only take two cylinders, thus freeing up space. If you’re inclined to seasickness you’ll find the fitted rear steadies of some use. A big plus for realists is that a proper, full-sized spare wheel is fitted. There’s nothing worse than a shredded tyre when you’re far from home on an autoroute and all you have is an ineffective get-you-home repair kit.

Onboard

Hopping aboard is aided by an electric step and strong chromed handle. The Hartal door feels substantial, has a window with blind and can be locked via the central locking system. The first thing that impresses is the quality look of the interior. There’s no doubting that Auto-Sleepers has not scrimped on materials. This particular choice of fabric and work-top colours has, however, resulted in a somewhat dark appearance. This is mitigated by the two large rooflights over cab and lounge.

The upholstery is a melange of dark brown and pale beige patterned fabrics (Crystal Mocha), the work-top a dark grey serpentine effect. A darkish wood finish on all the cabinetwork adds to the impression. The curtains in the sitting area and cab are pale biscuit, trimmed with the upholstery fabric. When you introduce the chrome handles and strips, however, they lift the mood and help give the interior its high quality feel.

In the gloomy days during the test, we were grateful for the excellent circular, ceiling-mounted LED lights. They’re well positioned and plentiful, and supported by additional LED spots above the settees. Either side of the cab are a couple of attractive, but battery-sapping halogen wall lights. Mood lighting above and behind the overhead lockers is also by LEDs, which cleverly illuminate inside the lockers. The circular LED lights were quite the best we’ve come across, as the dome over the LEDs defuses and spreads the light so well. They proved so good we were convinced they were fluorescents; nice choice Auto-Sleepers.

Cosy      

There are no pretensions of ever carrying more than two aboard, with no seatbelts other than on the cab seats, which swivel to provide two comfy alternatives to the settees. You could entertain six in the lounge, but that’s all, there’s no safe travel for rear passengers. If you want your grandchildren to camp with you, get them a tent and persuade their parents to deliver them.

The lounge is provided with four scatter cushions and four armrest-style cushions, two of which, can be kept in place using their sewn-in backing plates to anchor them. The others are loose. A combination could be found, among the cushions, to make feet-up lounging comfortable, and I could almost reach the floor while sitting!

The TV – swung out from a locker in the kitchen – is well-placed for lounging or in-bed viewing. A suggestion for any prospective buyer: use pillow-shaped cushions instead of the four scatter cushions. Put a pillowcase over the top at bedtime, thus saving valuable storage space. For dining there are choices: a free-standing table can be positioned between the two settees, but for a light lunch or coffees, a small pedestal-leg table (stowed in the wardrobe) can be mounted between the front seats. The socket underneath the table is fixed asymmetrically so the table top can be swivelled to move into many different positions.

Cook

The Broadway’s kitchen cooks well. It should too, as it has a domestic-style cooker, arranged on the nearside. Three gas burners, an electric hotplate (to keep down gas consumption), plus a grill and oven give plenty of cooking options. Alongside is a deep stainless steel sink, set into the work-top, with a glass lid covering. Attached to the lid is small chromed wire cutlery and plate rack, which is all the draining space. I kept losing teaspoons and forks through the bottom of the tiny cutlery basket where they were difficult to retrieve. Oh for a little draining board. I didn’t bring a tray as Auto-Sleepers so often provides a proper draining area. It’s sad that AS is going the way of the Continentals in this respect. Beneath the sink is a stack of what look like drawers and a cupboard. Three of them are indeed drawers (one for cutlery), but two are drop-down fronts leading to storage shelves.

Two lockers over the hob and sink complete the nearside unit. The offside is where the main work-top provision is. It’s a generous space, but additionally, there’s a large pull-out section above the fridge. Beneath is the 96-litre three-way Thetford fridge, which has automatic energy selection (AES). Above is a Daewoo microwave, with the – Avtex flat screen – TV, mounted on a swing-out bracket alongside, in its locker. Another drawer lies beneath with a cupboard below that. Providing an end-stop, between lounge and kitchen, is a locker, with pull-out mechanism, which houses the free-standing table. This arrangement is very neat and proved easy for me to manage.

Working in the kitchen, the chef will find that the space is well-lit by artificial or natural light that’s better than my kitchen at home. Four 230V sockets are fixed in sensible places. To deal with ‘fishy’ smells and steam there’s a small cooker hood and a wind-up (louvred and flyscreened) rooflight. If it gets desperate there’s always the big Heki to evacuate smoke from burning toast!

Bath     

The washroom is the raison d’etre of the Broadway EB. No cramped, claustrophobic, elbow banging in here. This spacious bathing space does as the EB suffix suggests: the ‘end bathroom’ takes up the rear of the ‘van. For a not especially large motorhome, this is a positively sumptuous place to clean up after you’ve covered yourself in mud on your mountain bike. Entry is via a solid-feeling door with a gorgeous shiny chromed handle: fixtures and fittings all appear to be made using top-end materials.

To the offside is a Thetford bench-type toilet, with wardrobe opposite, which has a stack of four large clothes-devouring drawers beneath. Above the loo is a useful cupboard and open shelf. In the middle of the back wall of the room is a gorgeous ‘vessel’ (one hardly likes to call it a washbasin), with stylish tap and worktop either side for...stuff. Below is a substantial two-door cupboard and above the bowl is a mirror, decorated with columns of blue LEDs rather like landing lights. There are also places for your soap and toothbrush.

On the nearside is the shower compartment – generously proportioned and provisioned with an array of places for shampoos, soaps and potions. This is fitted with a bi-fold door, adjustable-height shower-head and two drains. And, when you turn on one of those excellent circular bright LEDs, a small ceiling-mounted extractor fan starts up. The cubicle is fully-lined with GRP panels.

There’s a total of three lights in the washroom so you won’t be struggling when applying the ‘scaffolding’ to your face in the mornings. This is an altogether decent washroom and a very practical solution for folk that camp far from site facilities. Thinking creatively, the shower might make a great place for storing outside chairs or bedding – especially as there’s little overcab stowage space.

Nights    

In its brochure, Auto-Sleepers markets this model as double-bed-only two berth, though the AS website mentions two alternative singles. There will be plenty of motorhomers who, like us,  find making up two single beds is easier and more convenient than the transverse double. However, said longitudinal single beds use the cab seat squabs, which are at a slightly different level and, of course, shaped for bottoms.

The transverse double isn’t difficult to make: first, pull out the frames of the settees towards the middle of the aisle, then pull out and turn the settee bases into the middle, transversely, and ensuring that the knee-rolls are on the sides of the bed base. If the settee bases were flat there’d be less manoeuvring, but then the settee wouldn’t be as comfortable. Now simply flatten the two backrests and it’s done.

For singles, you pull out the settee frames just a little, together with the seat bases, to align with the cab seats (fully-swivelled and adjusted for height). You then lower the backrests into the gap. Next, shove the armrests into the other gaps. We tried both sleeping options and found both to be comfortable, so it depends whether your preference is for double or single beds. Either way you sleep, it’s possible to sit up in bed in the morning with a cuppa and watch the weather forecast on the news.

Support

Let’s tackle stowage. And since we’ve been talking beds, where can we stow the bedding? With no space in the overcab it’s under the settees that will be the obvious place. Under the offside settee, you’ll find the Truma Combi boiler, which provides both space and water heating. We can attest that it works well in extreme conditions. The leisure battery is also housed here, which means there’s not much room for bedding, but hardware such as tools, cables, hoses and wedges could be squeezed in. There’s nearly 400 kilograms of payload available, so there should be plenty of capacity for two motorhomers. However, I did notice that if the heater and battery were fitted a little more intelligently, there would be more space available here.

Under the nearside is where our winter-weight sleeping bags and a couple of pillows were stuffed. Gas struts made lifting the bases easier but there’s also a drop-down flap for access on the nearside. There’s no obvious place for outside chairs, but there’s adequate general storage aboard – the aforementioned shower compartment a possible solution.

With a 102-litre (22.5 gallons) fresh water tank – insulated and heated to protect from frost – and a waste water tank of 71 litres (15.6 gallons) you should not be afraid of using that gorgeous washroom. The website info from AS stated that only four 230V sockets are fitted. However, I found six (four in the kitchen and two in the lounge). Two 12V sockets are available – one for the TV. On the roof, a solar panel helps keep the battery topped up.

News    

Has Auto-Sleepers maintained its position in the higher echelons of British motorhome makers? Broadly speaking, yes. I think the Cotswolds firm has succeeded in moving with the times, while maintaining its appeal to Middle England. However, there’s always a however, I bemoan the loss of such simple-but-useful devices as a draining board. I know it’s something I’m always banging on about, but they don’t have dishwashers in motorhomes, do they? Hang on, there’s an idea... ...Pete!

It was reassuring to see that a smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector were fitted – also a fire extinguisher. However, this last was hidden in the corner behind the passenger seat. Not the easiest of places from which to extract it in an emergency. We saw it in the equipment list, but took ages to actually find it.

Would I be happy to spend long holidays in this motorhome, despite its rather dark interior colours? Again, the answer is a resounding ‘yes’, and particularly if the washroom on some foreign campsite were less than well heated or a bit mucky. The Broadway EB proved to be comfortable, spacious and well equipped. Finally, the revamped Broadway’s appearance is something you could be proud of. As an owner, I know I would be.

To read the full motorhome review in PDF format exactly as it appeared in the March 2012 issue of MMM, click here.