Used Vauxhall Adam for sale: everything you need to know
If you’ve ever wondered why it’s called the Adam, then it possibly makes more sense in its original Opel form on the European mainland, where Adam is the name of the company founder, Adam Opel. It’s not quite a Ferrari Enzo, but the name is just one small part of why the Vauxhall Adam stands out.
On sale between 2012 and 2019, the Adam went up against cars like the MINI, Fiat 500, and Citroen DS3, with a similar range of bright colours and customisation. It came into its own in 2014 when a 1-litre turbocharged petrol engine joined the range, and these are the models to search for today - but all Adams are fairly affordable to insure, and are still stylish to behold over a decade after launch.
Should you buy a Vauxhall Adam?
Much like the MINI hatch it competed against when new, buying a Vauxhall Adam has the same downside: you’ll never have the joy of going through all those options and colours and customising it yourself. On the other hand, the original owner might just have had the same taste of you, so keep your eyes open and you may find one that’s almost perfect for your tastes, and for a lot less money than the original buyer paid.
Otherwise, the Adam is a fairly straightforward and sensible buy. It’s effectively a slightly smaller and more stylish Vauxhall Corsa, feeling similar to drive and having a similar engine range. The compact size does mean you don’t get quite as much rear seat space or boot space as a Corsa, but the interior is much more interesting to look at - some versions even came with a Rolls-Royce-style starlight headliner.
Like the Corsa of the same time, the Adam feels surprisingly grown-up to drive, with a planted feel and good refinement for a small car (though the low-powered 1.2-litre petrol does need working hard, which means higher noise levels). It’s not as fun as some of its contemporaries but the Adam does have a superficially sporty feel, with quick steering and a relatively firm (though not really uncomfortable) ride.
The Adam’s sense of fun even extends to the names of its colours, which include things like Saturday White Fever, Red ‘n’ Roll, and Let it Blue. Not even MINI went that far, but a MINI hatch is more fun to drive, while a Citroen DS3 (later just DS3) is more spacious and feels more upmarket. The Fiat 500 is another small and stylish car to consider, and its huge popularity means even more choice than the Adam gives you, while the Volkswagen Beetle is larger and more sophisticated. Still, the Adam has merit, and still manages to feel individual even today.
What’s the best used Vauxhall Adam model to buy?
As even the newest, highest-spec Adams are missing some of the technology and safety kit you’ll find in the very latest small cars, there are two options here: buy the latest and flashiest model possible to try and at least get close to the kit you’ll find in newer cars, or save some money to swap whatever ageing audio and entertainment system the car comes with for a modern touchscreen system. Or meet somewhere in the middle - one of the benefits of fancier Adam models is they do come with desirable two-tone paint finishes, more striking alloy wheels, more interesting interior materials, and for later cars, more powerful engines too. On that front, the 1-litre turbocharged petrol is our pick of the range as it’s punchy and frugal.
Used Vauxhall Adam fuel economy and performance
- Vauxhall Adam 1.2: A non-turbo 1.2-litre petrol props up the bottom of the range, with 70PS and a 0-62mph time of 14.9 seconds. Its WLTP economy figure - more realistic than the old NEDC numbers - is 44.8mpg.
- Vauxhall Adam 1.4: Still not turbocharged, this 1.4-litre engine gets 87PS to work with, for a 0-62mph time of 12.5 seconds.
- Vauxhall Adam 1.0 Turbo: After a few years Vauxhall introduced a 1-litre, three-cylinder turbocharged petrol. With 115PS it’s punchier than the regular 1.2 and 1.4, for 0-62mph in 9.9 seconds and a claimed 57mpg.
- Vauxhall Adam 1.4 Turbo: The 1.4-litre petrol turbo served as the hottest engine in the lineup, making 150PS for an 8.5-second 0-62mph time. Combined economy was still a decent 42.8mpg.
What used Vauxhall Adam trim levels are available?
Like other stylish small cars such as the Fiat 500, MINI, and Citroen DS3, the Adam came in a broad range of models over the years, maximising its funky styling with plenty of colours, trim themes, and features. The list below is by no means comprehensive, but should give you an idea of what’s out there.
- The Vauxhall Adam Jam is where the range started, and came with equipment including air conditioning and colour-coded interior trim elements.
- The Vauxhall Adam Glam got a few more toys, with aircon upgraded to climate control, a panoramic glass roof, and chrome exterior detailing.
- The Vauxhall Adam Slam had a sportier appearance, with standard 18-inch alloys, sports suspension and rear privacy glass.
- The Vauxhall Adam Energised was a more recent high-spec model and had several colour and trim options, plus a touchscreen infotainment system.
- The Vauxhall Adam Griffin was better equipped still, offering built-in navigation among other features.
- The Vauxhall Adam S is the ‘warm hatch’ of the Adam range and powered by the 150PS 1.4-litre turbo engine. It got larger brakes, sports suspension and 18-inch alloys, and came with the option of Recaro front seats.
- The Vauxhall Adam Rocks has a crossover-style look, with the usual styling details that entails - a 15mm taller ride height, unpainted plastic body cladding, and a unique style of alloy wheels. Cruise control was also standard, while the Adam Rocks Air featured a fabric sliding roof.
Used Vauxhall Adam dimensions and boot size
The Vauxhall Adam’s exterior dimensions are:
- Length: 3698mm
- Width: 1720mm
- Height: 1484mm
- Ground clearance: 127mm (Vauxhall Adam Rocks: 150mm)
The Vauxhall Adam’s boot space is:
- 170 litres
- 663 litres with rear seats folded
Used Vauxhall Adam road tax
Taxing a Vauxhall Adam will be slightly different depending on the age of the car you’re looking at. If the car was registered prior to April 1, 2017, then you’ll pay VED based on CO2 emissions. This makes the 1-litre turbo most efficient with a CO2 figure of 114g/km, and a bill of only £35 per year. From April 2017 onwards, all versions get a flat fee, currently £190 per year for the 2024/2025 tax year.
How much is it to insure a Vauxhall Adam?
Style doesn’t have to mean high insurance prices - the Adam range starts in just insurance group 3 (out of 50), for the 70PS 1.2-litre petrol models. Even the sportiest Adam, the 1.4-litre turbocharged Adam S, is only in group 15 - there are modern superminis that start close to that even in their cheapest form.
