Track Trailer T4 Symphony Review

The Tvan is an amazing bit of kit, but the Track Trailer T4 Symphony is a step above the rest.

Track Trailer is synonymous with striking designs, and its Tvan models are easy to identify, even from just a profile shot. The Melbourne manufacturer recently changed its profile with the launch of the no-less striking hybrid caravan, the T4.

The T4 range consists of three variants all with names capturing a musical theme referencing a collective, a bringing together of elements Track sees as intrinsic to the model’s designation. They are Symphony, Concerto and Rhapsody. In basic terms, this relates to a flexible two/four-berth, a family unit and a couples’ van.

We were lucky enough to take the Symphony down the Darling River on a recent filming trip and were able to climb all over it to see what makes this van great.

CONSTRUCTION Before launch, the T4 was in development for three years, and despite what some might think given the exterior design lines, the T4 is a new model, not a newer version of the Topaz hybrid. While three years might sound a long time, the underpinnings that Track employs are much more established. The company uses all in-house designs and fabrications, meaning that it controls the quality and development processes and can continuously evolve its hardware.

Most well-known of all is the MC2-R Asymmetric Link twin shock, coil spring suspension that’s supported all Tvan models and is renowned for off-road performance and robustness, even to be adopted for military uses. The T4 chassis is, of course, hot-dip galvanised steel.

The T4 body is made from Track’s own panels that are insulated aluminium with nose, roof and rear made from reinforced fibreglass. In a unique application, the T4’s windows are integral to the walls, in automotive glass, and provide a commanding view to the outside world from within. They use sliding panels for ventilation in addition to the openings in the canvas section of the lift-up roof.

Examining the exterior sections of the T4, you’re provided with an aerospace or marine experience in terms of appearance and feel; it’s not caravan-esque, and indicates toughness, with longevity in mind. All seals are thick automotive compression type with sturdy hatch locks. And these are applied to the vast array of external storage or access doors.

INTERIOR DESIGN The three T4 models offer a fair degree of customisation should you need to vary from a template. Basics like east-west or north-south beds through to unique cupboard placement are available. In this Symphony model, we had an east-west bed, with bench seating for four (to six) that utilises a neat stowable table for dining and a drawer beneath. Bench space runs in an L-shape around the offside corner, takes in the cooktop and then a bank of four deep drawers toward the entry door. This latter space is available for the ensuite in models so specified, although, in this variant, there’s a portable loo in the bottom drawer.

A fridge/freezer sits under the benchtop (and augments the optional external sliding cooler). While the countertops are white, the grey metallic facia surfaces are offset in this version with a stylish red laminate strip at head height around the walls. Some of this fascia lifts to reveal cupboards. A neat pantry section rises out of the benchtop in the rear offside corner via electric actuators.

The interior is heated thanks to a gas system – you will be able to specify diesel too. It’s refreshing to see a carbon monoxide alarm fitted beneath the cooker unit, something that’s lacking in many caravans as a standard, and a vital safety item.

Finally, there are twin fans and reading lights for the bed area, a TV to mount on the front wall and with a window above that has a magnetic blind. Track has fitted what it calls Zero Gravity non-chain-driven blinds to the windows. The underside of the roof provides the dimmable lighting from a bright laminate ceiling that reflects nicely off the red panelling. With the full-length windows, the T4 feels spacious and the walls all but disappear with a commanding view of the outside.

EXTERNAL ENSUITE In a cool deployment off the back wall, the full-body-width lift-up lid allows you to unfurl the shower room walls to create a roomy ensuite. Inside the T4’s back panel there’s the shower fittings and access to the water pump too. The in-line gas taps also allow control of supply for the cooker and heating as well as the water. This area can be utilised in different ways, depending on the T4 model you buy. You can bring your portable toilet outside to create an exterior bathroom, or in the Rhapsody, there’s a fully-sealed tent with windows option to create an enclosed living space if the insects or conditions deem it necessary.

EXTERIOR DESIGN  To the right of the substantially constructed entry door, there is an equally robust-looking slide-out kitchen module. Neatly designed and logoed in metalwork, the cooktop and sink unit is backed up with a sliding fridge drawer; meaning, for the most part, in decent weather, you can prepare your meals outside. The area is supported by exterior lighting and a mains power outlet, with easy access to the front boot too. The awning is large and electrically operated, and to the far side, there is storage hatch after storage hatch for everything from the generator to kids toys and camping kit.

VERDICT Track Trailer has always been innovators in the industry, with designs well ahead of the times. The Tvan has been a great example of this, and the T4 Hybrid range has raised the bar that much further.

We dragged the T4 from Melbourne to Bourke, then down the Darling River ending in Menindee, 90-per cent of which was heavily corrugated dirt roads. Despite the rough driving, we put the T4 through, it held up perfectly, with no dust ingress. What made things even better, was that aside from handling the tracks so well, it was simply stunning watching the outback sunset from inside the van once we had reached camp for the day.

In terms of design, the T4 certainly turns heads and employs ingenuity to make the most of a compact space to create a hybrid caravan that, given its maker’s heritage, is built tough. The styling and materials used throughout manage to combine a practical approach, being solid and wipe-clean, to blend aesthetics of modern finishes too.

For devotees of the Track range, then this is a step into larger dimensions and provides more amenity while still able to reach the destinations of the Tvan. For newcomers, then the T4 could be a standalone offering in the right optional configuration to provide a family off-road capable unit with minimal set-up time and lots of storage.

The options are there; it’s up to you to make tracks.

PROS
• Design
• Promised ability
• Proven chassis/suspension

CONS
• RedVision adds automation jazz but costs
• Internal surfaces not to all tastes (we’re clutching at straws here)

SPECS
Track Trailer T4 Symphony
Length: 6575mm
Height: 2550mm
Tare: 1810-1900kg
Payload: 690-600kg
ATM: 2500kg
Ball Weight: 140-170kg (Tare)
Hitch: CruiseMaster DO35
Price: RRP $108,500