Adria Supersonic 780 SL A-class motorhome

Adria’s sophisticated silver showpiece is a brand-new Mercedes-based A-class with all the toys

Words and photos: Peter Vaughan

The Adria Supersonic 780 SL

Adria says that it looked at luxury yachts and the latest in home interiors for inspiration when designing its new flagship, its first-ever A-class on a Mercedes-Benz. Of course, the Slovenian marque is already well-established in the A-class sector, with its Fiat Ducato-based Sonic, but the new Supersonic takes the brand into uncharted territory at a price point north of £150k.

It comes in tag-axle (8.90m) and single rear axle (7.83m) versions, each benefiting from an Al-Ko chassis, with the typical choice of island or twin beds. Clearly targeted at the very best luxury motorhomes from Germany, the Supersonic marks a bold move from a brand now competing in every sector of the leisure market, from pop-tops up. 

Matjaz Grm, Adria Mobil Executive Director, describes it as, “designed for those who share a passion for the extraordinary, the best.” We set off to the Camping and Caravanning Club’s Salisbury site to see if it could live up to that statement…

The exterior

From any other maker, an all-silver exterior would be an expensive option, but, as Adria routinely paints its Supreme-spec models in this metallic hue, it is no surprise here. Nor is the styling likely to cause excitement as it has a strong family resemblance to the existing Sonic. But there is more to note than just the chrome strips and three-pointed star on the grille. LED daytime running lights, bi-LED headlights and LED fog lamps with cornering function all feature.

At the opposite end, there’s the now-familiar ( from Coral and Matrix) inclined rear wall, which stops the motorhome looking so much like a square box, combined with a full-width reflector strip, and a separate bumper moulding for cheaper repairs.

You can take the alloy wheels and flush habitation windows for granted at the price level, but unexpected are the Truma Aventa air-conditioning and Thule awning as standard, along with a 140W solar panel. It certainly has all the visual hallmarks of a premium motorhome but, while there’s a technical double floor containing the 150-litre fresh water tank and the twin 100Ah AGM leisure batteries, the only meaningful external storage is in the garage.

The garage

With two full-sized loading doors and a maximum capacity of 400kg, you’ll not be short of room for your e-bikes, etc, while shelves and a drawer that’s also accessible from inside cater for smaller items. An external shower, drain holes in the floor, 12V and 230V sockets, adjustable tie-down hooks and heating complete the spec of a garage that’s 1.20m high and 1.13m wide.

What’s included

It’s also worth noting that the insulated and heated waste tank matches the fresh water capacity and comes with an electric emptying valve, while the Alde gas/electric ‘wet’ heating system includes a heat exchanger. 

There’s a small compartment under the driver’s window with 230V and TV aerial sockets and Adria’s Mach app allows control of services from your phone.

The only disappointments are the lack of a spare wheel and the letterbox-like under-bonnet access (at least the windscreen washer and AdBlue fillers are accessible).

The cab

On the road, the 4.5-tonne Supersonic comes with the Sprinter’s latest 2-litre 170bhp motor driving the front wheels through a nine-speed automatic gearbox. Also included are the 10.25in MBUX screen with crystal-clear navigation and reversing displays, as well as digital cab air-conditioning, ESP, an electric parking brake, stop/start, hill-start assist, a heated windscreen, automatic wipers and a leather steering wheel.

You sit in high-backed Aguti perforated leather chairs, which are also heated, and the view out is aided by a dashboard that slopes away towards the windscreen. Bus-style twin-lens mirrors also help to ensure that piloting a Supersonic is never daunting, while performance and handling are everything that you’d hope for. And, while there’s still the usual continental A-class anomaly of the only cab door being on the passenger’s side, Adria has done an exceptional job of integrating the Merc driving quarters into their new, larger environment. If only it’d done as good a job at silencing the rattles from the living area, which became all too evident on the Salisbury area’s potholed Tarmac.

The interior

If the rattles were a disappointment, then first impressions of the interior are anything but. You enter through a wide door that’s linked to the Merc’s remote central locking and there’s an auto-retract electric step, flyscreen and deep window here. A removable waste bin with carrying handle seems a great idea, too, but it’s the luxurious leather-trimmed lounge ahead of you that catches the eye, while your feet sink into the soft grey carpet. Once again, everything you see (bar the Nespresso coffee machine) is standard, which is such a welcome surprise in a sector where a £40k list of essential extras is not unusual.

The lounge

The seating area is light and bright, with typically expansive A-class glazing in the cab and a large lounge window with unusual textured surround, as well as a wind-up Heki sunroof. Tiny swivelling, sliding spot lamps have a power out of proportion with their size and LED strips in the cab ceiling help disguise the underside of this drop-down bed.

Useful coat hooks just inside the door (and two more near the washroom) show that the practicalities haven’t been forgotten in the quest for designer style.

But it’s the comfort of this lounge that is actually one of the star qualities of the whole motorhome. What looks, on the layout diagram, like a standard European floorplan, turns out to be something very special. For a start, the travel seat (with Isofix) has head restraints that are easily removable, opening up the junction of lounge and galley to create a more open-plan feel.

Then there’s the raked backrest of the L-settee, which makes this a great place to relax as you tuck your back into the corner. The captain’s chairs are every bit as inviting on site as they are on the road but, what appears to be a simple jump seat by the door, is actually a footstool that can be placed wherever you want it.

I’d be bagging it in front of the rotated driver’s seat, facing the TV position in the entrance where there’s room for up to a 32in screen (the telly itself is one of the very few things not included). Then, when it’s time to dine, the table (perfectly sized at 660mm by 720mm) expands with a pop-up central leaf to become more than a metre across – ideal for catering for a family of four.

The kitchen

At first sight, you’ll be equally awed by the kitchen. A three-burners-in-line hob set back in the Kerrock (Corian-style) worktop gives you adequate preparation space, while a sextet of large kitchen drawers lock automatically when you drive. The inset sink comes with a hose-style tap, a domestic-sized outlet and a large removable draining board, and there’s an extractor fan over the cooker. The backlit silver splashback here stylishly defines a change of zone from lounge to kitchen and then, opposite, you’ll find the biggest of big AES fridge/freezers – a 177-litre unit with doors that open either way. Alongside that is more shelved storage for tinned foods (with a very slim wardrobe beneath). 

So, top marks from the chef? Not quite. Firstly, shouldn’t the storage alongside the fridge incorporate one of those oh-so-practical pull-out pantry units? Much more important in the UK market, however, is the oven. We should, perhaps, be pleased that one is fitted as standard and that it includes a grill. 

Unfortunately, it’s mounted quite high (1.46m off the floor) and it’s very small – OK for cooking pizza but not for rustling up a Gordon Ramsey banquet.

The washroom

Beyond the galley, this Supersonic has the expected split ablutions facilities, with a shower on the nearside and a toilet room on the offside. The wide loo door – so wide that you need to step into the shower or bedroom to pass it – opens to close off the back of the motorhome, while sliding doors keep the sleeping quarters private, too.

The shower looks especially impressive, with headroom sufficient for basketball players, a backlit wall, hidden drains and a water-saving showerhead, plus a drying rail and roof vent. There’s a step in the tray, but this should only be an issue if you have size 14 feet.

Across the way, for once, you can comfortably use the toilet area with its door closed and sit on the throne without your legs dangling. 

But Adria has done so much more than get the basics right. The silver wall and Kerrock worktop are as seen in the kitchen, while the backlit mirror adds panache. There are all the usual accessories (the soap dispenser looks especially contemporary) and loads of storage, including a wall cupboard with the oft-forgotten fiddle rails required to keep everything in place.

The bedroom

The bedroom format here – three steps up to twin single beds – might be as predictable as demands from the taxman, but the execution gives the feeling that this is no ordinary motorhome. The padded headboard, backlit window surrounds, wind-up Heki sunroof and rear speakers all say ‘premium’, while the attractive concave top lockers and multiple USBs repeat themes seen throughout the Supersonic.

Of course, the aesthetics and details would be meaningless without comfort, but that is assured here by identically sized beds with high-quality mattresses. It’s simple, too, to extend the centre section between the beds from 1.07m to 1.56m and, even then, you can still get into bed without a ladder. 

The topping on the gâteau, however, is the ratchet system that allows each bed to become a chaise longue for breakfast in bed (or using the second TV station here).

Under the offside bed, you’ll find drawers for folded clothes and underwear, while the wardrobe beneath the nearside bed has a 630mm-long hanging rail, a drop of 800mm and a clever slide-away door, as well as access from above. 

There’s another bedroom up front, of course, thanks to the drop-down bed. It lowers electrically – and not as glacially as the electric blind on the windscreen – and it’s another aspect that marks out Adria’s new model as worthy of its flagship status.

Not only is this a good-sized double with up to 800mm headroom (reducing gently towards the front) and a weight limit of 200kg, but its EvoPore HRC mattress sits on Zomi springs for added comfort. 

It’s easy to access, too, thanks to a ladder with wide rungs, while the winning feature is undoubtedly the super-sized opening sunroof. 

While some German A-classes persist in charging you extra for a tiny roof vent over their drop-down beds to stop you getting stifled on Mediterranean nights (or UK ones of July 2022), this will ensure you can always sleep soundly in summer. Or, of course, you could use the habitation air-conditioning, which is also included in the spec.

Motorhome supplied by Adria Concessionaires
Email: [email protected] 
adria.co.uk 

Insurance: £924.20
Tel: 0800 975 1307
shieldtotalinsurance.co.uk 
For quote details: motorhome.ma/QuoteInfo 

An exterior with familiar Adria design cues is combined with an interior of exceptional style in this new range-topper, but it’s the class-leading standard spec that astounds in comparison with German rivals. For two, the comfort of the lounge is also a standout feature. The on-road rattles and small oven are the only obvious downsides of a model that impresses in almost every other way.