Vauxhall ADAM Glam 1.4 16v

A CLUTCH of classy little hatchbacks have emerged in an effort to take the scalp of BMW’s enduringly appealing MINI over the past decade.

Vauxhall ADAM Glam 1.4 16v

Engine: 1,398cc, four-cylinder, petrol

Power: 86bhp and 96lb.ft. of torque

Performance: 0-62mph in 11.5 sec and 105mph

Economy: 55.4mpg (combined)

CO2 emissions: 119g/km

Price: £13,270

Fiat’s 500 and Citroen’s DS3 proved soaraway successes and Audi’s A1 has found a home among those wanting something truly premium and a little more low-key.

All have taken varying sized bites out of the Oxford-built retro runaround which brought kart-like dynamics to the masses and Vauxhall believes it can also steal a chunk of the action ahead of the arrival of the next-generation MINI this winter.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Priced from £11,255 to £14,295, without any of the numerous personalisation option boxes ticked, it locks horns with the MINI and Fiat 500 on price.

An option to have the Adam’s interior ceiling trim painted like a summer sky, decals ranging from stripes to splattered paint and brightly coloured grilles, wing mirrors and interiors are among the customisation touches available to add individuality.

In the metal it’s easy to see that, despite the lad’s name, the Adam has been designed with female motorists in mind.

As an automotive fashion accessory it is as cutesy as a Radley handbag or a Cath Kidston umbrella.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Even with my test car’s restrained GLAM trim — described by Vauxhall as the “elegant and sophisticated” option, with JAM colourful and SLAM sporty — the tall glass house, round rear light clusters and cheekily grinning grille failed to communicate any masculine appeal, something the Audi and Alfa manage and the MINI can just about pull off with careful colour and trim selection.

There’s a choice of 12 colours — with names including 'I'll be Black', 'Papa don't Peach', 'Purple Fiction' and 'James Blonde' — and 20 different wheel designs to compliment the three specification grades.

But with a 98bhp 1.4-litre petrol engine providing the range’s biggest kick, no diesel engine and nothing boasting less than 100g/km CO2 emissions, one place where the options seem scarce is under the bonnet from launch (there is the promise of more engines in future).

My £13,270 test car’s 86bhp 1.4-litre petrol engine ensured that the Adam was capable of accelerating to 62mph in 11.5 seconds, a 115mph top speed, 55.4mpg fuel economy and CO2 emissions of 119 g/km.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

It boasted less outright pace than the more powerful MINI One but the Adam’s decent torque count ensured that it felt nippy and biddable around town without being revved to within an inch of its life.

Motorway work was also aided by the presence of cruise control, which comes as standard in the GLAM.

On the open road one of the determining features of the Adam is its short wheelbase. While its front end isn’t as darty as that of a MINI, and many people will certainly find the ride more comfortable, there is a sense of the rear end being keen to react in tighter bends, pivoting around behind the driver in a somewhat pendulous fashion.

The dynamics never feel overtly loose and that short wheelbase does not induce the see-saw like bobbing that can be experienced in a Fiat 500, however.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Vauxhall has got its driving position pretty much spot on. Considerable seat and steering column adjustment means that even a six footer can drive in near-perfect comfort.

Sadly, rear accommodation lies somewhere between the MINI and the less commodious Fiat 500, however, while the boot also sits between the two rivals, being ten litres larger than the MINI but some 15 litres short of the tiny Italian, at 170 litres.

What is evident from the Adam’s, inside and out, is the build quality Vauxhall have applied to its new creation.

Many of its shut-lines are tighter than those of the MINI and even though the doors don’t shut with that same weighty ‘clunk,’ it’s clear that care has been taken to live up to a more premium hatchback billing.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The interior is a tastefully scultped, driver-centric cockpit which can feature touches of striking colour. More contemporary than the MINI, Fiat or Alfa, it places a seven-inch colour touchscreen entertainment system at the heart of the dash, losing the clutter of numerous buttons.

A digital radio, CD player and Bluetooth hands-free phone connection are standard but Vauxhall’s optional Intellilink system costs £275 and ushers in mobile internet capability along with video and picture viewing and sat-nav once linked to a smartphone.

Among the GLAM’s decent standard specification is a multi-function leather steering wheel electronic climate control and a fixed sunroof.

Premium options such as a robotised ParkAssist system — which can steer the Adam in and out of tight spaces — and Blind Spot warning system are also available.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Vauxhall have definitely broken into new ground with the Adam and its list of customising and technology options is impressive.

There’s no doubting that its current engine line-up and less planted chassis fails to deliver the driving rewards of the class-leading MINI, however.

I’d also question whether its its styling is distinctive enough to turn heads like a DS3 or Fiat 500 without a serious plunge into the maddest depths of the styling options bin.

But if accessorising is your thing, then the Adam could be your perfect partner...