Vauxhall ADAM review (2013 - 2019)
Vauxhall ADAM cars for sale
3.0
Expert review
Pros
Quirky style
A very cheap used car
You're unlikely to find two exactly alike
Cons
Underwhelming to drive
Very small inside
No five-door version
The CarGurus verdict
The big thing the Adam has going for it is quirky style. The seemingly endless combination of options means you’ll buy a car that’s not like anyone else’s, and for many people, that’s reason enough. Style aside, it’s not a particularly brilliant all-rounder, with an underwhelming driving experience and very limited practicality, but you can pick one up for far less money than a MINI or a Fiat 500.
Nothing about is especially poor, it’s just that rivals do things (rather a lot) better. This is a car for the heart, rather than the head, but if you’re sold on the Adam’s charm then you’re unlikely to regret your purchase.
What is the Vauxhall Adam?
The Adam is a supermini, and Vauxhall’s take on the quirky, ultra-customisable car trend exemplified by Fiat’s 500 and the MINI hatchback.
New Adam buyers could change all sorts of things about their car, even down to exterior trim, to come up with a unique, highly personalised package.
The idea was to take on Fiat at its own game, but the Adam's relatively short six-year production run is proof that it wasn't the commercial success Vauxhall had hoped it would be. That said, there's plenty about it that's perfectly decent, and it can make for a good used buy.
How practical is it?
The Adam only came as a three-door hatchback, rather than a five-door, and there isn’t much space inside. If you’re considering it as a family car, it’s probably not the most sensible choice.
Many will find it much more appealing as a second small car, because the rear seats are cramped and the 170-litre boot is tiny, even when compared to the Fiat and the MINI. In-keeping with the exterior, the cabin is suitably funky, and it’s of a decent quality, courtesy of some classy materials.
Vauxhall released the Adam Rocks in 2014, which took its inspiration from an SUV (and, according to Vauxhall, a parkour athlete), with a raised ride height, chunky exterior cladding, and a new 1.0-litre engine (more on that shortly). The manufacturer also launched the Adam Rocks Air, which had a canvas folding roof that would open in seven seconds and came with heated front seats and a heated steering wheel. It’s not a full-on convertible; its folding roof is more akin to a fabric sunroof, but the raised ride height makes for a slightly more comfortable ride quality.
What's it like to drive?
The driving experience is fine, if a bit underwhelming compared it to the engaging MINI hatch or the excellent Ford Fiesta. The ride can be bumpy and fidgety, and the handling isn’t particularly engaging or exciting, but you could say the same about the Fiat 500. It is, at least, very easy to drive and manoeuvre around town thanks to its light steering and dinky dimensions.
At launch, the Adam was available with three different petrol engines. There was a 1.2 with 69bhp, which is on the wimpy side and struggles under any kind of hard acceleration. There were also two 1.4s, one with 86bhp and one with 99bhp. These were slightly better but still lacked any kind of real punch compared to rivals. Each one came with a five-speed manual gearbox.
In 2014, a new three-cylinder, 1.0-litre turbo engine was introduced, with 114bhp and a six-speed manual gearbox. For our money, this is the one to go for, because of its punchier responses and improved fuel consumption. The Adam S arrived shortly afterwards, with a turbo 1.4-litre engine producing 148bhp. This isn’t exactly a performance car, but it’s certainly the quickest of the bunch.
The number of different trim levels and special edition Adam models is vast, and that’s before you factor in the myriad customisation options. The body and roof colours could be specified in numerous combinations, as could the interior, the seat upholstery, and the trim panels inside could be swapped out and even backlit with LEDs. Even the headliners could be printed with clouds, leaves, a chequered flag or 64 LED lights to give the impression of stars.
At launch, at least, things were kept simple with three trim levels, each designed to evoke a different vibe. Jam was meant to be fashionable and colourful, Glam was elegant and sophisticated, and Slam was racy and sporty, at least according to the brochure.
Jam’s standard features included aircon, a DAB radio sound system with Bluetooth and USB connection, and 16-inch alloy wheels. Glam added climate control, more speakers for the sound system, and front and rear LED lights, while Slam had 17-inch alloy wheels, sports seats, a two-tone paintjob, and tinted windows.
Two more trims were added in 2016. Unlimited had 16-inch alloys, cruise control, and climate control, as well as far more personalisation options when new (hence the name), while the Rocks Unlimited had the same but with the signature chunky styling of the earlier Rocks model, including its folding canvas roof.
Vauxhall Adam running costs
The Adam is relatively cheap to run, because both the car and the engines are small. Some rivals are more efficient, though. The most economical is the turbocharged 1.0-litre engine, which has an official mpg figure of 60, while the other engines sit in the mid-50s.
The exception is the more powerful 1.4-litre turbo engine at 47mpg. These are all using the older NEDC method of determining a car’s efficiency, so real-world figures will be lower.
Insurance costs can be very low, with 1.2-litre cars starting at group 2 out of 50. More powerful cars sit in higher groups, up to 15 for the S, but that still isn’t high.
The Adam needs a service every year or 12,000 miles. You can buy a fixed-price Vauxhall service plan or pay per service which, at the time of writing, cost between £205 and £435 at a Vauxhall dealer, depending on whether it’s a major or minor service. Parts are generally affordable but, if your Adam is one of the older models, it’s likely to be cheaper to have it maintained at an independent garage rather than through a franchised dealer.
Vauxhall Adam reliability
Vauxhall’s reliability record isn’t the greatest, and it finished 29th out of 31 manufacturers in the 2024 What Car? reliability survey.
The Adam itself hasn’t appeared in many recent reliability indices, but it was 90th of 200 cars in the 2015 Driver Power customer survey, and 110th in the reliability subcategory. That’s not terrible, but not particularly good either. It was 64th in the 2016 survey.
Issues to watch out for include a faulty fuel pump, which can result in incorrect readings. Wheel bearings can fail, too, so listen out for any unusual noises during a test drive.
The Adam came with a three-year, 60,000-mile warranty from new, which is unremarkable when some other manufacturers offer unlimited mileage, or five- or seven years on their warranties.
In September 2014, Vauxhall recalled 3,000 Adams registered since February of that year, which had been fitted with a steering component that wasn’t up to standard and advised customers not to drive them. More recalls followed to fix more problems with the steering, as well as issues with the 18-inch alloy wheels. All the affected cars should have been fixed by now, but it’s worth double-checking with a Vauxhall dealer just to make sure. The government’s online recall checker is also a good place to start.
- A new optional infotainment system was added in 2015, which included Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for smartphone connectivity. It also included OnStar, Vauxhall’s connectivity service, which had on-board wifi and a concierge feature. However, Vauxhall turned off OnStar features at the end of 2020.
- Vauxhall introduced the sporty Adam S in 2015, which had a more powerful engine, upgraded brakes and tuned suspension for better handling. While it’s not quite a hot hatch, it’s certainly warmer than the other models, and has 17-inch alloys with a sporty body kit. Its name was briefly changed to the Adam Grand Slam, but then changed back to the Adam S shortly afterwards; if you see both names advertised, they’re the same.
- Later versions of the Adam have fewer options, because they were only available with the 1.2-litre engine. The trim levels had been pared down, too, with just Jam, the Energised (introduced in 2016 with black alloy wheels and a black roof, but fewer personalisation options) and Griffin models on sale. The Griffin was released in 2019 with sports suspension, 17-inch alloys, and a 7.0-inch touchscreen with satnav.
- The best all-rounder: When it comes to trim levels, keep an eye on price and get the best-specced model you can find. As used prices have dropped, they may well not be much more than a relatively basic version. Whichever trim you go for, we’d pick the turbocharged 1.0-litre engine, which is the best of the bunch by far.
- The sportiest: The Adam S is the most fun to drive, thanks to its revised suspension and more powerful engine. It’s not as engaging as a Ford Fiesta ST, but if you want the best from an Adam in terms of excitement, this is the one to go for.
- If you want a super-exclusive Adam: Keep your eyes peeled for one of just 250 limited edition Adam Black or Adam White models, which were released in 2014. The design was inspired by a smartphone, included a Siri function for iPhone users, along with brushed aluminium-effect components on the outside, 18-inch alloy wheels, and a rear spoiler. Both came with the 86bhp 1.4-litre engine.
- If you want an open-top model: While it might not be a proper convertible, the Adam Air, with its retractable canvas roof, gives you more access to the great outdoors than a conventional sunroof.
