Vauxhall Adam Hatchback Review

For Unparalleled personalisation options make a owning a unique car a genuine possibility. The Adam also has a smart cabin and all versions are well equipped.

Against The ride is too firm on the versions we’ve tried so far, and the handling isn’t assured enough at speed. The Adam isn’t that cheap, either, and there’s very little space in the back.

What Car? says

33 5stars

The Vauxhall Adam has bags of style and luxury equipment, and a classy cabin. However, the versions we’ve driven so far are just too uncomfortable to recommend.

What Car? readers say

No reader reviews found

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The full Vauxhall Adam review

Performance
4 out of 5 stars
1.4 we've tried is fine
Ride & Handling
2 out of 5 stars
Bumpy ride and unsettled handling
Refinement
2 out of 5 stars
Not quiet enough
Buying & Owning
2 out of 5 stars
Undermined by weak residuals
Quality & Reliability
3 out of 5 stars
Smart cabin; questions over reliability
Safety & Security
4 out of 5 stars
Impressive safety equipment
Behind The Wheel
4 out of 5 stars
A mixed bag
Space & Practicality
1 out of 5 stars
Unforgivably tight in the back
Equipment
4 out of 5 stars
Your options are almost limitless

There are 72 Vauxhall Adam versions available

Hatchback 1.2 Jam 3dr	£11,255	What Car? says:3 stars out of 5
Hatchback 1.2 Jam S/S 3dr	£11,550	What Car? says:3 stars out of 5
Hatchback 1.4 87 Jam 3dr	£11,580	What Car? says:2 stars out of 5
Hatchback 1.2 Jam Urban Pack 3dr	£11,655	What Car? says:3 stars out of 5
Hatchback 1.2 Jam Style Pack 3dr	£11,855	What Car? says:3 stars out of 5
Hatchback 1.2 Jam Technical Pack 3dr	£11,855	What Car? says:3 stars out of 5
Hatchback 1.4 87 Jam S/S 3dr	£11,875	What Car? says:2 stars out of 5
Hatchback 1.2 Jam Urban Pack S/S 3dr	£11,950	What Car? says:3 stars out of 5
Hatchback 1.4 87 Jam Urban Pack 3dr	£11,980	What Car? says:2 stars out of 5
Hatchback 1.4 100 Jam 3dr	£12,105	TBA
Hatchback 1.2 Jam Style Pack S/S 3dr	£12,150	What Car? says:3 stars out of 5
Hatchback 1.2 Jam Technical Pack S/S 3dr	£12,150	What Car? says:3 stars out of 5
Hatchback 1.4 87 Jam Style Pack 3dr	£12,180	What Car? says:2 stars out of 5
Hatchback 1.4 87 Jam Technical Pack 3dr	£12,180	What Car? says:2 stars out of 5
Hatchback 1.2 Jam Extreme Pack 3dr	£12,250	What Car? says:3 stars out of 5
Hatchback 1.4 87 Jam Urban Pack S/S 3dr	£12,275	What Car? says:2 stars out of 5
Hatchback 1.4 100 Jam S/S 3dr	£12,400	TBA
Hatchback 1.4 87 Jam Style Pack S/S 3dr	£12,475	What Car? says:2 stars out of 5
Hatchback 1.4 87 Jam Technical Pack S/S 3dr	£12,475	What Car? says:2 stars out of 5
Hatchback 1.4 100 Jam Urban Pack 3dr	£12,505	TBA
Hatchback 1.2 Jam Extreme Pack S/S 3dr	£12,545	What Car? says:3 stars out of 5
Hatchback 1.4 87 Jam Extreme Pack 3dr	£12,575	What Car? says:2 stars out of 5
Hatchback 1.2 Glam 3dr	£12,650	What Car? says:3 stars out of 5
Hatchback 1.4 100 Jam Style Pack 3dr	£12,705	TBA
Hatchback 1.4 100 Jam Technical Pack 3dr	£12,705	TBA
Hatchback 1.4 100 Jam Urban Pack S/S 3dr	£12,800	TBA
Hatchback 1.4 87 Jam Extreme Pack S/S 3dr	£12,870	What Car? says:2 stars out of 5
Hatchback 1.2 Glam S/S 3dr	£12,945	What Car? says:3 stars out of 5
Hatchback 1.4 87 Glam 3dr	£12,975	What Car? says:2 stars out of 5
Hatchback 1.4 100 Jam Style Pack S/S 3dr	£13,000	TBA
Hatchback 1.4 100 Jam Technical Pack S/S 3dr	£13,000	TBA
Hatchback 1.4 100 Jam Extreme Pack 3dr	£13,100	TBA
Hatchback 1.2 Slam 3dr	£13,150	What Car? says:3 stars out of 5
Hatchback 1.2 Glam Style Pack 3dr	£13,250	What Car? says:3 stars out of 5
Hatchback 1.2 Glam Technical Pack 3dr	£13,250	What Car? says:3 stars out of 5
Hatchback 1.4 87 Glam S/S 3dr	£13,270	What Car? says:2 stars out of 5
Hatchback 1.4 100 Jam Extreme Pack S/S 3dr	£13,395	TBA
Hatchback 1.2 Slam S/S 3dr	£13,445	What Car? says:3 stars out of 5
Hatchback 1.4 87 Slam 3dr	£13,475	What Car? says:2 stars out of 5
Hatchback 1.4 100 Glam 3dr	£13,500	TBA
Hatchback 1.2 Glam Style Pack S/S 3dr	£13,545	What Car? says:3 stars out of 5
Hatchback 1.2 Glam Technical Pack S/S 3dr	£13,545	What Car? says:3 stars out of 5
Hatchback 1.4 87 Glam Style Pack 3dr	£13,575	What Car? says:2 stars out of 5
Hatchback 1.4 87 Glam Technical Pack 3dr	£13,575	What Car? says:2 stars out of 5
Hatchback 1.2 Glam Extreme Pack 3dr	£13,645	What Car? says:3 stars out of 5
Hatchback 1.2 Slam Technical Pack 3dr	£13,750	What Car? says:3 stars out of 5
Hatchback 1.4 87 Slam S/S 3dr	£13,770	What Car? says:2 stars out of 5
Hatchback 1.4 100 Glam S/S 3dr	£13,795	TBA
Hatchback 1.4 87 Glam Style Pack S/S 3dr	£13,870	What Car? says:2 stars out of 5
Hatchback 1.4 87 Glam Technical Pack S/S 3dr	£13,870	What Car? says:2 stars out of 5
Hatchback 1.2 Glam Extreme Pack S/S 3dr	£13,940	What Car? says:3 stars out of 5
Hatchback 1.4 87 Glam Extreme Pack 3dr	£13,970	What Car? says:2 stars out of 5
Hatchback 1.4 100 Slam 3dr	£14,000	TBA
Hatchback 1.2 Slam Technical Pack S/S 3dr	£14,045	What Car? says:3 stars out of 5
Hatchback 1.4 87 Slam Technical Pack 3dr	£14,075	What Car? says:2 stars out of 5
Hatchback 1.4 100 Glam Style Pack 3dr	£14,100	TBA
Hatchback 1.4 100 Glam Technical Pack 3dr	£14,100	TBA
Hatchback 1.2 Slam Extreme Pack 3dr	£14,145	What Car? says:3 stars out of 5
Hatchback 1.4 87 Glam Extreme Pack S/S 3dr	£14,265	What Car? says:2 stars out of 5
Hatchback 1.4 100 Slam S/S 3dr	£14,295	TBA
Hatchback 1.4 87 Slam Technical Pack S/S 3dr	£14,370	What Car? says:2 stars out of 5
Hatchback 1.4 100 Glam Style Pack S/S 3dr	£14,395	TBA
Hatchback 1.4 100 Glam Tech Pack S/S 3dr	£14,395	TBA
Hatchback 1.2 Slam Extreme Pack S/S 3dr	£14,440	What Car? says:3 stars out of 5
Hatchback 1.4 87 Slam Extreme Pack 3dr	£14,470	What Car? says:2 stars out of 5
Hatchback 1.4 100 Glam Extreme Pack 3dr	£14,495	TBA
Hatchback 1.4 100 Slam Technical Pack 3dr	£14,600	TBA
Hatchback 1.4 87 Slam Extreme Pack S/S 3dr	£14,765	What Car? says:2 stars out of 5
Hatchback 1.4 100 Glam Extreme Pack S/S 3dr	£14,790	TBA
Hatchback 1.4 100 Slam Tech Pack S/S 3dr	£14,895	TBA
Hatchback 1.4 100 Slam Extreme Pack 3dr	£14,995	TBA
Hatchback 1.4 100 Slam Extreme Pack S/S 3dr	£15,290	TBA

Buyer's notes

Target Price team says:

Clearly the temptation with the Adam is to take advantage of the almost limitless powers of personal expression, but care needs to be taken: the more outlandish you make your Adam, the smaller the number of people who’ll want to buy it from you.

You can, for instance, spec an array of mad dashboard surrounds called foils, some of which are LED backlit to create a great look and weird light in your cabin. However, when you get bored or need to sell, you can buy something more sober for just £75, which your dealer should be able to fit in minutes. You may then even be able to sell you old foil to someone else on Ebay.

So far, we’ve only driven versions on big wheels and sports suspension. They haven’t impressed us, but we’re hoping that cars on smaller wheels and a softer setup will be better.