Adria Supertwin MB 700 SGX Review

All-wheel drive seems to be the must-have feature for those campervan buyers to whom budget is rather less of an issue. It has been suggested that owning a 4x4 ’van has usurped having an A-class as the way to stand out from the leisure-loving crowd, but, whatever the reason, more and more manufacturers are offering them. Adria was by no means the first, but it has since added a second model to its aptly named Supertwin.

Of course, the original Twin (on Fiat) was the model that kick-started the Europe-wide obsession with fixed bed panel vans, so it’s no surprise that Adria has had to keep up with its rivals in adding the Mercedes Sprinter 4x4 to its campervan range.

First of the Supertwins was the MB 600 SPB, with the classic transverse rear bed in a six-metre ’van, but this new longer model makes the Twin more Super than ever before, with a length bordering on seven metres and a price north of £130k. It’s available as a standard two-berth, or with a pop-top for an extra five grand to sleep four. 

Basis is, naturally, the ultimate Sprinter van, with 190hp motor and 9G-Tronic automatic gearbox. It comes in Tenorite Grey, Graphite Grey, Stone Grey or Obsidian Black, while the comprehensive spec includes front fog/cornering lights, colour-coded grille, LED high-performance headlights, automatic high beam, electric parking brake and even the option of an electrically opening/closing sliding door. 

The Cab

Of course, all the safety kit is standard – adaptive cruise control, Active Lane Keeping Assist, Attention Assist, Traffic Sign Assist, Blind Spot Assist and Hill Start Assist and a 360-degree parking camera system is available.

Semi-automatic air-conditioning, the MBUX multimedia system, wireless smartphone charging and a reversing camera are all standard. Alloy wheels come with General Grabber AT3 tyres but you can alternatively specify BF Goodrich Trail-Terrain rubber. 

Externally, the Supertwin also boasts flush-fitting, framed habitation windows, a Vista overcab sunroof, an awning with LED strip light and electric steps to make climbing aboard this lofty vehicle more manageable.

The bronze Adria logos and graphics are picked up with a matching theme inside… 

The Sleeping Situation 

Then, being an SGX model, this campervan has a more important aspect inside the rear barn doors – a bed that can rise and fall at the press of a button to increase the garage size or give you a lower, more accessible bed. Impressively, it glides up and down almost silently, while the garage headroom can be adjusted from 73cm up to a maximum of 1.38m.

The load bay width is 88cm, while folding side sections to the mattress allow the bed to go closer to the ceiling.  

This being a near-seven-metre campervan, you can also sleep lengthways in a bed that measures 1.65m wide and up to 1.97m long. So, not only have you a good chance of getting out of bed without disturbing your partner, but there are two folding steps to make egress easier, too.  

The rest of the layout holds few surprises, but the overcab sunroof is a rare find on a Sprinter and it’s mated to a massive opening rooflight over the lounge, so it should never seem gloomy inside, despite the grey top lockers. 

The Interior

A mid-tone wood finish appears in the galley, where bronze colouring (like the badges outside) returns on handles and details such as the tap. Storage is all in drawers (much more convenient) and the fridge (an 84-litre compressor model, or 138-litre as an option) is mounted at waist height. An oven is added for the UK and you can even have a coffee machine, too.

Then, opposite, is the washroom, behind a tambour door. There’s an opening window here, plus a drying rail, but the star feature is the generous size of the shower space, revealed once you’ve rotated the basin over the loo. 

Better still, the Supertwin is said to be unique in its class in having Alde’s diesel-powered radiator heating (with heated floor, too), while a heated waste tank with electric emptying valve is another plus.

With its comprehensive spec, Alde heating, huge bed, supersized garage and vast over-lounge rooflight, the big Supertwin has plenty to recommend it if you’re looking for a 4x4 campervan.