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Vauxhall Adam review - stylish, but is it fun? - MPG and running costs

Vauxhall’s Adam has style but lacks substance

Evo rating
RRP
from £11,860
  • Almost infinite personalisation options, appealing looks and interior
  • Occasionally tough ride, Fiat 500 and MINI are nicer cars

This is one area where the Adam scores well, as most versions possess strong eco figures. Of the normally aspirated engines, look out for EcoFlex variants, as these come with start-stop to make them cleaner than regular versions. Budget on EcoFlex cars adding 3-5mpg over standard cars, with the attendant emissions also falling enough to see the EcoFlex 1.2 and 1.4s dip into Band C for VED. Economy runs from 52.3mpg on the non-EcoFlex 1.4s to 57.6mpg on the EcoFlex 1.2, with emissions ranging from 115- to 125g/km.

The 1.0-litre can improve economy to 56.5mpg, while the Rocks turns in an identical figure, and the same 115g/km with this unit. The Adam S is in VED Band E, thanks to 47.9mpg and 139g/km. BIK rates start at 17 per cent and insurance groups run 3-10 for the hatchback and 2-10 for the Rocks, while the Adam S sits in 15.

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Vauxhall offers fixed price servicing or monthly packages from £15, as well as a Service Club that provides other benefits like 50 per cent off MOTs. Vauxhall recently dropped its Lifetime Warranty (which was limited to 100,000 miles), so buyers now get a three-year/60,000-mile standard warranty, which can be extended by 12- to 36 months for a fee – the 100,000-mile ceiling still applies, though.

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