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Vauxhall Adam review - stylish, but is it fun? - Design

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

You couldn’t accuse the Adam of being dull to look at, with its ‘floating’ roof, two-tone paint schemes and cheeky front and rear-end design.

Yet in profile, is it just us that sees more than a shade of first-generation Ford Ka? Nevertheless, kerb appeal is not something the Adam lacks. It's certainly more stylish than a Corsa and does a creditable job of fitting in with stylish rivals from Mini, Fiat and DS. They stand out on the road too, with a range of bright paint finishes and decal sets.

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Our main gripe here comes with the painfully funky names for some of the colours, like Purple Fiction, Papa Don’t Peach, I’ll Be Black and Saturday White Fever (although if anyone could explain the origin of either Pump Up The Blue or Forget About The Grey to us, we’d be most grateful). If you can put up with this zaniness – as well as decal packs called Splat, Fly and Stripes – then there’s no reason not to give the Adam a try.

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