Adria Coral 660SCS review

Adria motorhomes (and caravans) are a novelty in the antipodean world, being manufactured in Slovenia rather than one of the more usual European countries. Nothing wrong with that, as will be seen with my review model, a Coral XL 660 SCS.

As far as New Zealand goes, there’s one other slight difference from the usual imports; Adria RVs come via Australia. Which means the Fiat Ducato base vehicle on the Coral XL 660 is a Multijet 180, and has the most powerful of the 2.3 litre-turbo diesels, the 132kW/ 400Nm.

It’s excellent for quick acceleration or when going up long hills, and it means the habitation door is on the kerbside. For a final “ta dah”, a little differently to most European motorhomes, this one has a slide-out built into the rear wall. 

Exterior

Even with the luton, the motorhome still looks stylish

Even though the Coral XL 660 is a C-class motorhome, complete with Luton peak, it is still has quite a streamlined look. Certainly the moulded Luton peak doesn’t look like a curved brick above the driver’s cab.

Polyurethane/polyester sandwich roof and walls, along with fibreglass mouldings for the rear curves, are used for the main body structure. Naturally the wall area around the slide-out has to be square.

Some slide-out edges are a bit of a hazard for children, given their shorter heights, and although the lower corners are curved, maybe a little warning streamer or some other obvious feature might be handy, say, in holiday parks.

The rear storage area is the perfect size

The rear tunnel boot is not of the same dimensions as some of the garages I’ve seen in Euro motorhomes around New Zealand, but should take most items like golf clubs, fishing gear and snow skis. The tie-down rings would certainly be handy on rougher roads.

It’s a European built motorhome but it does have a left hand habitation door

The windows around the motorhome are the familiar Euro style – acrylic, tinted and double-glazed, and the habitation door has the standard Euro styling about it, complete with a garbage bin and internal concertina-style insect screen. It also comes with one other feature – remote central locking! 

On the road

With a GVM of 4400kg, the Coral XL 660 is in COF vehicle inspection territory. Having a tare weight of 3490kg, the Coral has a good load capacity of 910 kg. Really good – when you consider the 150-litre fresh water capacity.

The Coral travels along quite smoothly, no doubt enhanced by the air bags fitted to the rear suspension, something usually found on more upmarket motorhomes. They are easily adjusted because the controls are located on the base of the passenger seat.

Expanding interior

Plentiful natural light in the living areas is aided by multiple light fittings

Like many mid-sized motorhome layouts, the Coral’s has three areas. The front section is essentially the lounge and dinette, along with the Luton bed above. Mid-station is the nearside kitchen bench and offside bathroom cubicle, which leaves the rear area for a north-south bed.

Natural light levels are quite good but aided by the multiple light fittings, bot semi-concealed and recessed. Which is good because the faux timber cabinetry around the bathroom is quite dominant in the mid area. 

Catering

The kitchen has multiple drawers instead of cupboards

In typical Euro fashion, the kitchen bench is much the same size as one for two people, even though this is a five-berth motorhome. It does come fitted with the usual items like three-burner hob, stainless-steel sink and a grill/oven below benchtop level.

The neat L-shaped hob/sink combo is a simple but clever way of ensuring a bit of vegetable cutting space. Between the kitchen bench and the bedroom is the 177-litre three-way fridge and, in a break with normal Euro tradition – ie not having one – the microwave oven fits in above the fridge.

Note the extra storage compartments above the front overhead lockers

Only drawers are used, no cupboards, and there is a compartmented shelf by the doorway. The floor locker under the lower drawer is where all the gas valves are to be found.

Lounge/dining

Up front the lounge/dining area does have swivelled cab seats – offside forward-facing rear seat and sideways facing nearside seat, all in matching upholstery. The good sized table in front of the forward-facing seats can be manoeuvred around a bit to suit four adults without too much trouble.

Five might be more tricky. There is a power point under the rear seat, but it’s in a location where power leads can easily tangle with legs. Apparently missing is the fifth seat for transport purposes. It’s there in the sideways-facing lounge but not facing sideways.

Part of the split seat base has to be removed; an A frame installed along with a seat back and head rest and a rear-facing belted seat is available. Okay, it is rear-facing but conversation with the rear passenger is going to be quite easy.

Above the cab seats, the 2100mm x 1400mm bed can be lifted out of the way if not required and if the fifth 2100mm x 1300-740mm bed is needed, then there’s bit of fiddling around with the front seats to achieve that.

Sleeping

The rear slide-out makes an amazing space difference to the bedroom area

I’ve seen and heard of plenty of slide-outs fitted into RVs. Some sound clunky and grindy, some like they may or may not fully open/close, but this has to be one of the smoothest and quietest in the business.

Operated by a switch by the nearside bedroom window, it’s actually a dual operation because as the slide-out opens, the bed base lowers into position easily. It’s not the quickest slide-out in in the world, but when setting up, just put the kettle on first and by the time you’ve finished, the jug will have boiled in time for a well-earned cuppa.

Of course you have to make up the 1920mm x 1500mm bed, but there are ways and means to speed up that process, like fitted sheets. A little differently from normal, the bedside cabinetry is asymmetrical. The offside occupant gets a good set of shelves, while the opposite side has both a wardrobe and a smaller set of shelves.

When the slide-out is fully extended, the pillow end of the bed base can be moved up and down, thus forming a comfortable backrest for day use. There is a rather fancy looking light above the pillows which looks a bit like an infinity light and provides an appropriate level of illumination. 

Bathroom

The bathroom is quite spacious

Unlike just about everything else in this motorhome, the bathroom is quite standard and comes with the essentials – cassette toilet, vanity cabinet, washbasin and separate shower cubicle, plus above and below cupboards.

Between the bathroom cubicle and the dinette seat, the space is taken up with a cabinet that contains a slide-out flat screen TV above, hanging space in the middle and electrical circuit breakers below.

Off the grid

The grey water drainage point is easy to get at, but it does hang a bit low

This really is a motorhome designed for just a day or two staying in a remote location, given it has just the one 100AH house battery. However, there is the three-way fridge and a 150-litre fresh water tank, so solar panels might be a good option for extended stays.

Verdict

The rear slide-out extends a fair way, but it’s a very smooth operation

At nearly 7.4 metres long, this is quite an impressive motorhome, especially with the rear slide-out giving not only extra bedroom space but the ability to have an island bed without too much difficulty. Although this is a five-berth motorhome and ideal for the rental market, it will just as easily suit a couple without any of the usual compromises found in a rental.

Adria Coral XL 660 SCS Specifications

Price as reviewed: $165,995

Pros

• Rear slide-out operates very smoothly
• Payload capacity
• External tunnel storage
• Rear bed cabinetry
• Hob/sink combo size

Cons

• Fiddly set-up for 5th seat
• Under seat power point location
• Small kitchen
• Grey water tank outlet sits low behind rear wheel

For more information visit AdriaAustralia.com.au.