The Vauxhall ADAM's late to the boutique hatchback party, but if you hanker after a bit of individuality, your car has arrived. @Andy Enright@ reports
The Vauxhall ADAM is undoubtedly one of the more interesting small car choices around. It's hugely customisable both inside and out and looks strong value for money. The 1.4-litre engines aren't that exciting but return decent fuel and emissions numbers.
The nuts and bolts first. The ADAM rides on a cut down version of the Corsa's chassis. It's been extensively re-engineered to suit the demands of the shorter wheelbase but it's quite a simple setup with a set of MacPherson struts up front while the rear end utilises a torsion beam set-up. The ride quality is firm although low-speed manoeuvres are easy due to a CITY mode, which increases the electronic power steering system's assistance at lower speeds. As an urban scoot, it's nigh-on perfect.
There are two 1.4-litre engines with either 87PS or 100PS. Both are mated to a five-speed manual gearbox which again makes motorway journeys less than ideal as they could benefit from a longer gear for better refinement and economy. The engines are tried and tested which means they're a little long in the tooth and they need working to get the best from them. Go with the 87PS unit and you'll see 62mph appear on the clocks in 12.5 seconds on the way to a top speed of 110mph. The 100PS engine's numbers are 11.5s and 125mph.
This is a car that's going to sell largely on whether the styling chimes with new car buyers and Vauxhall certainly can't be accused of going at it half-cocked. The ADAM incorporates a floating roof which is visually disconnected from the body and which works particularly well with two-tone colour schemes.
Can the Vauxhall ADAM compete with the likes of the Citroen DS3, the MINI and the Fiat 500 in terms of pure style? That's a subjective call, but even if you're not quite convinced, there's a lot else that could endear the ADAM to you. The prices are reasonable and if you really want to go to town with personalisation and fun extras – and Vauxhall reckons there are over a million different combinations of options – it's a car without parallel. Remember, there's something about coolness which involves taking yourself quite seriously and not everybody wants to do that with their car. Sometimes it's fun to just be a bit goofy and not care and the ADAM fulfils that requirement perfectly with its wacky paint finishes, decals and interchangeable trim parts. This car is soundly engineered and most agree that the styling job is neat and well resolved.
Statistics: Vauxhall ADAM 1.4
Price: £11,580 to £14,295
0-62 mph: 11.5 to 12.5
Max speed: 109 to 115
Co2 (g/km): 119 to 129
Combined mpg: 51.4 to 55.4
Length (mm): 3,698
Width (mm): 1,777
Height (mm): 1,484
Weight (kg): 1,480
Warranty (miles): 100,000
Service int. (miles): 20,000
Boot Cap. (litres): 170
