Dynamic Duo

New to the Adria portfolio this season is the Active Duo, a versatile camper van based on Renault’s latest Trafic. Nick Harding puts it to the test

There’s quite a bit that sets the Adria Active Duo apart from the rest of the campervan world. For starters, and somewhat unusually, the base vehicle is Renault’s latest Trafic. My review vehicle is fitted with a whole host of optional extras – the £2,095 Comfort Pack, for example, includes the elevating roof, leisure battery, cab carpet, wind-out awning and Webasto heating, plus revised suspension that lowers overall height to a car park barrier-beating 1.99m.

Also added to this example is the £3,780 premium that gives you the 148bhp engine with automatic transmission. And then there’s £435 to pay if you want any of the metallic paints – Jet Black, Comet Grey, Carmine Red, or the Highland Grey shown here. Alloy wheels are a further £630. This test took place over three days and nights at Cambridge Cherry Hinton Club Campsite, on the outskirts of the city.

Build quality – 81%

Renault’s Trafic has been around since 1980, but today’s version is arguably the best to date. One of its stand-out features is the pair of sliding doors that give this model its name.

Adria’s conversion work includes the fitting of an elevating roof and a rear seat, both from Reimo – the former particularly easy to operate, the latter on rails, which boosts flexibility in terms of optimising living space and luggage-carrying.

Like other Adrias, the Active Duo has approval from the UK trade body, the National Caravan Council. This means it meets certain requirements relating to safety, technical checks and compliance with British and European standards.

Driving – 84%

A leisure vehicle like this serves as a capable daily driver, especially if you go for the more powerful engine and six-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission option. Performance is pretty zesty, yet quiet, and you can expect miles-per-gallon economy in the 40s. If you want towing credentials, too, the low-revving torque, power, weight and wheels at each corner all count very much in its favour, as do fittings like the reversing camera. However, the lowered suspension might account for the rather harsh ride. Inside, the cab lacks some of the luxuries that might be expected these days. There’s only manual air-conditioning and, despite the £700 EasyLink infotainment system upgrade, you’ll need to plug in your smartphone if you want satellite navigation.

Daytime – 70%

Gallery

Doors open either side

Solid free-standing  table

The facility to push the rear seat back on its rails to its furthermost point creates a spacious daytime area. Both cab seats swivel, although they don’t lock into position when they’re rear-facing. Note, also, that the driver’s seat fouls on the handbrake when swivelled. The twin sliding doors are great for access to the rear, but the downside is that the furniture unit along the UK nearside is cut short – in turn meaning significant storage loss and kitchen compromise. Unfortunately, the blinds on the doors let in a lot of daylight; elsewhere, there are curtains on rails.

There’s a solid free-standing table that’s also hefty enough to be used outside when the weather allows. It stows on the underside of the hinged bed section inside the tailgate for safe travel. The smoothly finished white furniture should be easy to wipe clean and contrasts well with the fabric upholstery. And you’ll have no trouble keeping cosy: the diesel-powered Webasto heater is more than sufficient.

Night-time – 75%

Lower bed in situ

As is typical for a campervan, there are two lots of beds. The Reimo seat unit converts easily enough into a 1.90m (6ft 3in) x 1.10m (3ft 7in) double by pulling the seat squab out then hinging it over and letting the backrest drop into the space it creates. There’s still a decent amount of all-important floor space once it’s in place.

Likewise, the roof bed set-up is straightforward. The roof itself raises easily, while the bed is on a separate hinge-and-struts arrangement. It’s the same length as downstairs, but a vital 20cm (8in) wider. Like similar campervan roof beds, there’s an official weight limit of 150kg, but the big bonus here is the extra support and comfort you get from the Froli plastic springs under the one-piece mattress.

At the head end, the small recesses in each corner are handy for placing glasses, etc, at night. They also house switched uplighters. There’s plenty of ventilation, thanks to zip-opening mesh panelling extending right around the front section of the roof canvas. If you have a larger-than-average shoe size, you’ll find space a bit restrictive at the foot end.

Kitchen – 62%

Gallery

Single gas ring

Gas locker

This kitchen unit is as basic as you’ll get in a modern campervan: a stainless steel combination comprising just the one gas ring and the tiniest of sinks. Below this sits an Isotherm compressor fridge with small freezer compartment (total capacity 42 litres) with its door at the end of the kitchen unit, making it accessible from outside as well as in.

There’s a drawer above the fridge, ideal for cutlery (and hopefully a bit more), while the main kitchen storage is the tambour-doored, shelved locker to the left of the cooker. You’ll need to be careful where you locate the rear seat to ensure smooth access here.

Washroom – n/a

As is typical for a campervan, washroom facilities are restricted to an exterior-use shower attachment just inside the tailgate. There’s space to store a portable toilet behind the back seat; you could even squeeze in a toilet tent. Or you can just follow our lead and use full-facilities campsites like Cambridge Cherry Hinton.

Details – 78%

Plenty of details complete the Active Duo picture. Every LED light has its own switch. There’s a ceiling light (something you don’t often see in elevating-roof campers), as well as handy storage pockets in the kitchen and on the offside wall beyond the sliding door; here, you’ll also find an electrics panel and controls for the heater, plus a double USB portal. Over the kitchen are single mains and 12V sockets. There’s a 15-litre fresh water tank. That rear seat comes with Isofix.

The campervan certainly lacks hooks and a mirror − but maybe these are the kinds of things you should be adding to suit your needs.

Adria also supplies a basic awning kit for when the tailgate is up.

Verdict – 75%

As we’ve come to expect from any Adria product, the Active Duo is particularly well put together and dares to be a bit different, starting with the choice of base vehicle.