By Tim Barnes-Clay, Motoring Journalist

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I drove a good couple of hundred miles in the Adam with its 1.0 litre turbo motor during my test period, and one thing’s obvious: it’s a sweet little car, with an engine that’s keen to pick up the pace.

Torque delivery in the mid-range is notable, especially during overtaking. Even at motorway speeds the dinky Vauxhall produces plentiful reserves of in-gear action if you need to put in a quick sprint.

The tiny turbo engine gives the Adam an entertaining and full of beans feel, even if the three-cylinder bark is somewhat low-key. Fuel economy is reasonable too; I saw an average of around 50mpg on my run with the Adam.

There is no getting away from the fact that it’s a small car made for darting around city streets. The boot is petite and access to the rear could be better. However, once in the back, the seats are comfy – although you wouldn’t want to spend too long in there as legroom is very limited.

The Vauxhall’s cabin is funky and calm and it also features an attractive touch-screen and user interface. The gadgetry is easy to connect to, and it’s great to be able to hook your phone up with a number of apps already loaded on the car.

Speaking of tech, the Adam is also fitted with admirable safety equipment that includes six-airbags; ABS, EBD, ESP and hill start assist.

Being a cool city car and in a segment where rivals like the MINI and Fiat 500 offer oodles of thrills, the Adam feels enjoyable, but not an absolute party to drive. The ride is athletic and it cuts through corners, it just needs a tad more feel in the steering wheel. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a bad handler, you might just want to look elsewhere if the boy or girl racer route is more your thing.

On the whole, the motors in this market sell mainly based on appearance and image – and the Vauxhall Adam is a winner on that front. The car has got a talented turbo engine and is pleasurable to drive most of the time.

It is also one of the cheapest cars in its segment, so, if nothing else, that should see sales possibly being taken away from the likes of the far more expensive MINI.