Overall rating:

Vauxhall has added its Adam to the design-driven, urban car mix. Trying very hard indeed to take on the MINI and Fiat 500, Vauxhall's Adam offers near infinite individualisation, but there's no changing the badge on the front grille...

Key Facts

Vauxhall Adam Glam 1.4 87hp Start/stop
Pricing: £13,270
Engine: 1.4-litre four-cylinder petrol
Transmission: front-wheel drive, five-speed manual
Body style: three-door hatchback
Rivals: Audi A1, Citroen DS3, Fiat 500
CO₂ emissions: 119g/km
Combined economy: 55.4mpg
Top speed: 110mph
0-62mph: 12.5 seconds
Power: 87hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 130Nm at 4,000rpm

In the Metal:

Vauxhall's Adam is primarily aimed at people who want to be seen, and it is a head turner, certainly, but then again, that's the point. Pick some of the more extrovert and ridiculously named colours, combined with a contrasting 'floating roof' and for all the Adam's diminutive dimensions it'll make a big statement. A unique one too, as the level of customisation is near infinite, with 20 different wheel choices, six colour wheel 'clip' options (which colour a blade on the rim) and numerous decal packs meaning no two are likely to leave the factory the same.

That's before you get inside, too. Vauxhall's configuration and logistics system will need Cray supercomputer levels of processing power to work out which of the 15 seat designs, 19 interior door inserts, numerous foil panels (some with backlighting), eight ambient lighting schemes, or six headliners you've selected. Bewildering stuff, offering anything from eye-straining to nicely classy, and the 64 starlight LED headliner option seems to be pinched from Rolls-Royce. Fit and finish is decent enough given the price point, even if some of the switches are obscured by the chunky steering wheel - and rear seat space is in the child-only category, but then none of its rivals are exactly what you'd call commodious inside, either.

Driving it:

To that list above you can add three engines (all petrol for now): a 1.2-litre with 70hp and a 1.4-litre with either 87- or 100hp. They are all optionally offered with stop-start for an additional £295. That drops the CO₂ emissions on the likely best-selling 1.4 87hp model driven here from 129- to 120g/km.

Forget MINI levels of entertainment behind the wheel; the Adam might look like fun but it's pretty ordinary to drive. The steering is oddly weighted and vague, though the wide track does mean there's reassuring grip should you push it a bit harder.

There's no real incentive to though, the engine lacking any enthusiasm at low revs then getting raucous at high speeds. It feels every bit as slow as its 12.5-second 0-62mph time suggests and is noisy on the motorway - plus it needs third gear to maintain progress if you're faced with a gradient. The five-speed manual gearbox isn't the crispest of shifters, either. The cars at the European launch were exclusively on 'Sport' suspension, though thankfully British buyers will be offered a comfort option, which is needed - particularly if you're riding on the larger 17- or 18-inch alloy wheels. Only a drive on UK roads, in a UK specified car will discover if Vauxhall's tweaking has managed to dial out the bouncy, sometimes jarring and uncomfortable ride.

If Vauxhall manages that it will help the Adam's cause a great deal, though many of its key rivals don't seem to have had their sales overly hampered by poor ride comfort - in the mistaken belief it's 'sporty'.

What you get for your Money:

That huge opportunity for personalisation is likely to be a massive draw to its target market, though whether that and the cute looks are enough to counter the relatively ordinary Vauxhall badge in the eyes of buyers remains to be seen. Brand is king here, though Vauxhall does load the Adam up with equipment to appeal. The trim lines might sound contrived to the extreme, but Jam, Slam and Glam do all come fairly well loaded with kit. Air conditioning is standard on Jam (climate control with Slam and Glam) while all get USB inputs, Bluetooth connectivity, alloy wheels, cruise control and a digital radio. Slam and Glam versions get LED running and tail lights, while all come with a personalised colour coded key.

Worth Noting

Stop-start on all versions of the Adam is an option, and really at £295 it'll take years to claw back the road tax savings you'll make. More engines are in the pipeline, while there's also the possibility of a sporting model to take on the likes of the faster Citroen DS3 and MINI Cooper. Connectivity is crucial too, Vauxhall offering the Adam with clever Intellink technology that features a seven-inch touch screen and piggybacks off your smartphone for media, apps and the like.

Summary

While the breadth of individualisation does rather smack of Vauxhall throwing everything at the Adam and hoping it will work, it is undeniably eye-catching. It's not great to drive, but decently specified so it's not without appeal. Even so, with such widely recognised and established rivals life for the Adam isn't going to be easy. Factor in greater competition below it from sub-superminis like the excellent Volkswagen Up! and the Adam trades heavily on its looks and personalisation. Only time will tell whether that's enough to have buyers flocking to Vauxhall showrooms.