Full review

Adria’s Sonic A-class line-up received a comprehensive makeover for 2017, including the arrival of this flagship tag-axle model, subsequently joined by a sister single bed layout, the 810 SL.

Changes to the Sonic for the 2019 season include the arrival of the new ‘DC’ side settee lounge, as also seen in the Coral (low-profile) and Matrix (low-profile with drop-down bed) ranges. The new 710 DC is the third island bed layout in the range, alongside the similar-length (7.52m) 710 SC and the tag-axle 810 SC seen here.

The biggest ever Adria has a starting price of £94,225 based on a 4.4-tonne chassis with the 130bhp engine. On top of that you’ll certainly need to budget for an engine upgrade to the top Fiat motor with 177bhp to power a motorhome of this size and weight (nearly four tonnes unladen) at a respectable pace. Then there’s the £3,060 Luxury Pack, which adds alloy wheels, DAB radio with sat-nav, a spare wheel, rear view camera and an awning. But you don’t have to dig deeper for the all-silver exterior finish – like lesser Supreme-spec Adrias that’s included. Of course, the body uses Adria’s Comprex construction with Styrofoam insulation, polyester bodyshell cladding and comes with a 10-year water ingress warranty.

This example, seen at Nottinghamshire dealer, Brownhills, wore a windscreen sticker of £116,195, but for your substantial investment you do get a lot of motorhome. For a start, there’s over a tonne of payload. And you’ll not go unnoticed on any campsite, as the Sonic is quite an eyeful with its bold chromed grille.

Inside, there’s a large front lounge with swivel captain’s chairs and squishy, pillow-like cushions for the lounge seats. Unlike the new DC model, here the nearside L-settee is retained and there’s a gloss white fixed table. Choose from Jeanin dark grey fabric or leather trim called Agnes (creamy beige, as shown) or Edward (charcoal). Above, the unusual concave top lockers merge neatly into the base of the drop-down bed for a cohesive appearance. There are headrests mounted on the wall for the inward-facing sofa, too, and net curtains.

Looking aft, the media wall (adjacent to the door) allows the flatscreen TV to be mounted at a comfortable viewing height, while gloss white worktops complement the upper cupboards.

There’s an unusually generous amount of preparation space in the kitchen, too – few rivals boast a galley area as big as this. The oven is mounted below the counter, where bold black and silver panels break up the expanse of light-coloured wood. Under the end of the worktop is a large pull-out pantry unit for your tinned food, etc. Opposite is the tall fridge/freezer – a 167-litre, two-door model – alongside a large wardrobe.

To the rear, the toilet door swings across the aisle to close off the back end of the motorhome, while a sliding door provides privacy between the bedroom and the en suite. The shower – on the offside – is a generous size and comes not only with a glass door and wooden duckboard but also a seat. Equally well appointed is the toilet room with ‘salad bowl’ basin, Dometic ceramic toilet, opening window and lots of neat details, including a sliding vanity cabinet. The loo is on a plinth but there’s a raised section of floor to match, so your feet won’t dangle. It’s a very well-lit space and, being predominantly white, could wake you up with its brightness in the morning.

The end bedroom not only has wardrobes on either side of the bed, but a third wardrobe at the foot of the mattress and coat hooks in the other corner of the bedroom. A fourth wardrobe resides further forward!

The bed slides back electrically to offer chaise longue-style relaxation, while it’s also possible to raise the bed to increase space in the garage.

This review was originally published in the May 2019 edition of What Motorhome magazine - click here to view digital issues and here to browse our database of motorhome reviews.