• Rear seats are very small
• Boot isn’t especially large either
• At least there’s plenty of odds and ends storage

This is no roomy hatchback, so Vauxhall Adam practicality is immediately limited. With just two adults in the car there is plenty of head- and legroom for them, but sit two more people in the back and they will find the rear space very cramped.

The load space is small with the rear seats in place but it will swallow a couple of soft bags for a weekend away. The door pockets are of a decent size and will hold a 500ml bottle of water while there are enough cubbies for nik-naks and loose change.

The Vauxhall Adam’s electrical power steering system also benefits from a dedicated City mode. At the flick of a switch the steering becomes feather-light making the Adam incredibly easy to park in tight, crowded town centres.

Vauxhall Adam safety

• Five-star rating from Euro NCAP
• Raft of active safety kit available
• Surprising lack of adaptive cruise control

This car will appeal to city drivers and, given the chance of numerous urban prangs, buyers will want the Vauxhall Adam’s safety levels to be good. Standard kit includes an electronic stability system featuring Hill-Start Assist (HAS) and cruise control with a speed limiter.

There’s also a comprehensive airbag system comprising of two front, a pair of thorax and pelvis side ‘bags and a couple of curtain airbags.

The Adam also has Advanced Park Assist II as an optional feature. Drivers engage the system with a button on the dashboard and it tells them when they reach a parking space large enough to accommodate the car. The system then automatically steers them into the parking space, with the driver only needing to control the brake, clutch and gears.

As is par for the course with city cars, the Adam achieved a four-star crash test rating when sampled by the experts at Euro NCAP back in 2013.