Item: Used Vauxhall Adam 2013-present
Rating: 2
Author: What Car? Team

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/smart/fortwo-coupe/city-car/used-review/n958">Smart Fortwo coupe</a> is much easier to park because you sit up higher and have a better view of what’s going on. It's shorter, too, and it has a very tight turning circle. It doesn’t have rear seats which will be a problem for some, and the boot is an odd shape that hampers practicality.

If you want style, the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/fiat/500/hatchback/used-review/n323">Fiat 500</a> is very cute and thanks to its diminutive size and ‘city’ mode power steering, you’ll have no trouble fighting your way through town traffic. Finding a good one is easy because there are loads of them around.

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/up/hatchback/used-review/n794">Volkswagen Up</a> is one of the very best small cars available thanks to a number of refined engines, a spacious interior and fine handling. The Up is also the one you’ll need if you use the motorway a lot because it has a comfortable ride and well-shaped seats.

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What is it like?

Ownership cost

Advice for buyers

Our recommendations

Alternatives

There have been a few recalls that you may want to take note of.

The steering intermediate shaft may break on cars built between 06/02/2014 and 28/09/14; 18in alloy wheels on cars made between 06/02/14 - 28/09/2014 may crack after 62,000 miles; the steering rack may crack on cars built between 23/06/2015 and 29/07/2015; the lower control arm on vehicles manufactured between 30/06/2014 and 28/09/15 may not have been assembled correctly and could become insecure; there was another recall for steering racks, this time because the steering gear may break under excessive force when manoeuvring at low speeds on cars assembled between 18/10/2014 and 28/01/2015; the handbrake may disengage on Adams built between 26/08/16 and 23/01/2017 and finally, the sunroof glass may come unstuck over time and require rectification.

As previously stated, most of these issues will have already been sorted, but it would be a good idea to speak with your local Vauxhall dealership to make sure your car has no outstanding recalls.

The Adam didn’t feature in our latest What Car? Reliability survey, but Vauxhall as a brand finished in 11th place out of 32 other manufacturers, beating the likes of Volkswagen and Fiat.&nbsp;

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Hatchback

Vauxhall has an incredibly diverse range of cars on sale, a few of which stand out above the class average. Add in the fact that it still offers some of the largest Target Price discounts in the market (something it is trying, without huge success, to cut back on), and there are very good reasons to consider buying one of its better models.

However, you need to choose carefully, because it is also a brand in transition. It has a newish parent company – the same one that owns Citroën, DS and Peugeot. And while Vauxhall’s newer models tend to be competitive, some of the others feel dated; a quick check of our star ratings will reveal which is which.

Still, given the recent success of sister brands Citroën and especially Peugeot, each new launch should make its range more appealing to buyers.

VAUXHALL

ADAM

The Vauxhall Adam is well equipped, has neat styling and a classy interior. But, it’s not great to drive and the ride is crashy

Used Vauxhall Adam 2013-present

The entry-level 1.2 petrol has an average economy figure of 53.3mpg and £120 road tax while the 1.4 is rated for 51.4mpg and £120 tax. A downsized 1.0 turbo-petrol was introduced around 2014 and it has an average economy figure of 57.6mpg and £30 tax. When that engine is fitted to a Rocks model, the economy drops slightly to 55.4mpg, but it still fits into the £30 tax bracket.

The more powerful 148bhp turbocharged 1.4-litre petrol in the S and Rocks S isn’t cheap to run because it only manages 47.9mpg and costs £140 to tax in the Adam S. This drops to 44.8mpg and £155 tax in the Adam Rocks S.

All models registered after 1st April 2017 will set you back £140 per year to tax because they will be charged under the new system. Servicing costs are very competitive and insurance is on par with rivals too. One thing to consider though, if you want to keep the benefit of OnStar and the onboard wifi, it’ll set you back a yearly fee of £89.50.

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<h3>&nbsp;</h3>

The Vauxhall Adam is well equipped, has neat styling and a classy interior. But, it’s not great to drive and the ride is crashy


The price for an early 2013 <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/vauxhall">Vauxhall</a> Adam with a relatively high mileage will be around £4000, but you’d be better off spending between £4000 and £5000&nbsp;for either a 1.2 or 1.4-litre petrol with under 50,000 miles.

Increase your budget to between £6000 and £8000 and you’ll find examples of the turbocharged 1.0-litre petrol and Rocks models, and many 2014 and 2015 cars. Spend more than £8000 and you should be able to find an Adam with the 148bhp 1.4-litre engine that is found in both the S and Rocks S variants, or a good 2017 car.

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If you can find one, the 1.0-litre turbo is a really nice engine with more than enough power in the Adam, however, there a greater number of 86bhp 1.4 petrol examples around for less money. While it won’t set your pants on fire in terms of performance, it is a least an economical, smooth and capable engine.

We would recommend that you stick with the standard Jam specification because it’s fine for most people's needs with air-con, 16in alloy wheels, Bluetooth, a digital radio and USB media input.

Our favourite <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/vauxhall">Vauxhall</a> Adam: 1.4 Jam

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<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Spacious enough for four adults to sit comfortably</li> <li>Logically laid-out interior that doesn’t</li> <li>feel too cheap</li> <li>Mature driving manners </li> <li>Decent-sized boot</li> <li>Competitive buying and running costs</li></ul>

Small cars, or superminis as they’re also known, used to be bought by single people or couples with no children – but the likes of the Ford Fiesta, Seat Ibiza and Volkswagen&nbsp;Polo have grown to the point where they can be considered all-round family transport, albeit with the odd compromise.

The Fiesta remains a star of the class, thanks to its strong Ecoboost petrol engines and suspension settings that are beautifully judged for British roads. However, the latest Volkswagen offers even more practicality, decent performance and a classy interior that has the edge on the Ford’s for quality.

Any of these models will be a competent commuter car – especially if fitted with one of the increasingly popular small turbocharged petrol engines – but just remember that while you’ll be able to carry two adults and two children, it might still be a struggle to get all of their luggage into the boot.

Small

You can have some rather large alloy wheels on the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/vauxhall">Vauxhall</a> Adam that could be easily kerbed, so take a good look at the wheels and inspect them for damage. Badly damaged wheels could be hiding some more serious suspension damage, so look for uneven tyre wear too.

There were some light colour interior fabrics available in the Adam so check for stains. Also, keep an eye out for the 7in ‘IntelliLink’ touchscreen infotainment system was a reasonable cost extra when the car was new and it allows you to connect your smartphone to the screen and control it whilst on the move.

There’s a growing trend in the car industry to offer small cars with premium equipment and smart styling. It works well for retired people who need to downsize from a bigger, more luxurious car into something with smaller running costs. And it works for city types that want high-tech gadgets, but in something they can park. The Vauxhall Adam is the car that hopes to please both.

As mentioned earlier, there is a growing market for posh city cars, so the Adam doesn’t have the market all to itself. It’s got to compete with the likes of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/fiat/500/hatchback/used-review/n323">Fiat 500</a>, the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/up/hatchback/used-review/n794">Volkswagen Up</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/smart/fortwo-coupe/city-car/used-review/n958">Smart Fortwo coupe</a>.

The engine range consists only of petrol power. The range starts with a slow but smooth 69bhp 1.2, or either an 86bhp or a 99bhp 1.4. These engines were joined later by a 113bhp turbocharged 1.0-litre three-cylinder and a 148bhp 1.4-litre turbo.

If you’re hoping that the most powerful Adam is something of a mini-hot hatch, think again. It’s nippy, but there isn’t much point in revving the engine out because it has plenty of torque in the mid-range. The brakes are beefier and it gets altered suspension, but it isn’t involving enough to be fun. Regular versions of the Adam make much more sense, particularly the 1.0-litre turbo, which is punchy and&nbsp;has a six-speed gearbox.

Sadly, the driving experience isn’t as impressive as the 1.0-litre engine. The ride is brittle: it fidgets over scruffy surfaces and thumps over potholes and ridges in the road. This is a particular problem on cars with big alloy wheels and sports suspension. The Rocks models all get a jacked up ride height and all-season tyres, but they aren’t any more comfortable and those tyres kick up quite a bit of road noise. The steering is much better suited to city driving rather than blasting along a country road because it's light and doesn't progressively weight up in corners.

Space inside is also a letdown. Leg room in the rear is very tight behind an average height driver and the boot is tiny. It also has an awkward parcel shelf that needs to be put down manually every time you go to close the boot, otherwise, it’ll block your rear vision. There aren’t many clever storage bins around to hide your belongings away in and the glove box is only big enough for the owner’s manual. Leg and head room up front are fine, though.

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Used Vauxhall Adam 2013-present review

Our recommendations

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