The 2024 season sees Slovenia’s Adria extending its portfolio of van conversions, coachbuilts and A-class’ to this – the Active Duo campervan.
A Trafic fold-up?
It’s a conversion based on Renault’s Trafic and it gives Adria a presence in the highly competitive classic campervan class, where Volkswagen dominates.
The Active Duo is shown here with what most buyers will surely consider essential – the Comfort Pack. That includes the elevating roof, leisure battery, cab carpet, awning, Webasto heating, also the revised suspension that lowers overall height to a car park barrier-beating 1.99m. At £3,590, it gnaws away at what initially looks like a very attractive £62,795 starting price. It also takes away some 56kg of payload.
Next, you might want to consider the £4,975 hike to give you the 150PS (148bhp) engine which also comes with automatic transmission.
And then there’s a £1,000 premium if you want any of the metallic paints – Jet Black, Comete Grey, Carmin Red or the Highland Grey shown here – over the standard white offering.
It’s a floorplan that caters for the use of both side sliding doors, hence the kitchen unit along the nearside is curtailed. It’s compact, housing a single gas burner and sink combination, as well as a 42-litre compressor fridge and a drawer, the locations for which make for easy access from outside as well as in. There’s also a 15-litre fresh water container.
Most of the interior space of the Adria Active Duo is devoted to seating. Key to the overall flexibility, though, is that rear seat is on rails – campervan devotees will recognise it as a Reimo unit.
That means it can be pushed forward when you want to carry loads (inside the tailgate is the ideal place to store extra camping kit such as outdoor chairs etc) and pushed back when you want to optimise on-site living space, along with an elevating roof section that’s easily pushed up – and, just as importantly, pulled back down again, with easy to use clips to keep it in place for travel.
At sleeping time, the Reimo unit converts to a 1.90m x 1.10m double in the usual way, pulling out then folding over squab, then letting the backrest drop into the space it leaves – a straightforward process that’s easily learnt and which still leaves some all-important floor space.
As well as being wider, the 1.90m x 1.30m roof bed is arguably the more comfortable, thanks to Froli-type springing under its one-piece mattress as well as ventilation panels to three sides of the roof canvas. This bed is limited to a 150kg maximum weight, however.
Also up here are two neat recesses that are ideal for putting anything small to make sure it won’t get lost in the night; each also has a switched LED light.
Elsewhere, there are good details throughout the Adria Active Duo: The main furniture has an easy-clean surface. There are some neat plastic mouldings including storage pockets.
Fabric curtains to all windows have thermal properties.
The wardrobe/main locker has a tambour door to make access all the easier.
Both cab seats swivel, but you might want to angle them for easier use.
Adria might have missed a trick by not having a recess in either sliding door to stow the free-standing table for travel; instead, it goes on the back of the rear seat.
In all, though, the Active Duo is an interesting challenge to more traditional campervan ideals that will also be perfectly at ease as a stylish daily driver. Just don’t let the options prices carry you away.
To find out more about insuring an Adria Active Duo campervan or your current motorhome visit our campervan insurance discounts page.
Verdict: Interesting newcomer to a crowded campervan sector
Plus: Compact camper ideal for daily duties, well screwed together, attractive starting price, but…
Minus: Gets pricy with options, only the 110PS (109bhp) engine as standard
In-a-nutshell: Neat, neat, neat
Alternatives: Bürstner Playa C500
Adria Active Duo factfile
Model | Adria Active Duo |
Base vehicle | Renault Trafic |
Dimensions | 5.00m L x 1.96m W x 1.99m H |
Berths | Four |
Travel seats | Four |
Maximum weight | 3,010kg |
Payload | 567kg (including Comfort Pack) |
MPG estimate | 34-40 |
RRP | From £66,385 on the road (including Comfort Pack) |
Safety & security | Electronic immobiliser, remote central locking, ABS and EBD, EBA (emergency brake assist), ESP, cruise control with speed limiter, partway locking for sliding door, Isofix on rear seat |
Key options | Alternative exterior colours (£1,040), 150PS engine with automatic transmission (£4,975), 17in alloy wheels (£805), portable toilet (£145), EasyLink infotainment system (£990), spare wheel (£805), leather upholstery (£1,520), tailgate awning (£580), towbar £1,190). Colour coding park (bumpers, wing mirrors etc) (£580), air conditioning/reversing camera/parking sensors etc package (£1,750) |
How would you rate this article?
Comments