Road tests
Fiat 500 vs Vauxhall Adam
Big in the city Can a facelift keep the Fiat 500 among the leading lights in the city car class? We find out as it meets Vauxhall’s 1.0-litre Adam Pictures: Otis Clay Location: Brighton, West Sussex
THE Fiat 500 was a saviour for the Italian brand when it came along in 2007, revitalising its model line-up with some much needed chic design. It captured the essence of the original 500 with its retro styling, but despite being on the market for the best part of a decade, sales figures keep on rising. In fact, 2014 was the modern 500’s best year yet, with Fiat shifting 45,000 cars. So the question is, has the company tried to fix something that wasn’t broken with this facelifted 500? Tweaks to the car are subtle; the brand hasn’t messed with the winning formula. However, there are enough changes inside and out – including a new infotainment system – to keep the 500 on buyers’ radars. Yet it now faces plenty of fresher, funky choices on the city car market, like the Vauxhall Adam. So we’ve lined up the compact 500 with Fiat’s city-friendly TwinAir engine against the Adam, powered by a 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo, for a battle of the fashion-focused urban runabouts. Which is the more trendy, more talented car about town?
Vauxhall Adam Glam 1.0i
Price: £15,000 Engine: 1.0-litre 3cyl turbo, 113bhp 0-60mph: 9.5 seconds Test economy: 42.6mpg/9.4mpl CO2: 112g/km Annual road tax: £30
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