2018 Opel Adam

Opel Adam

Opel’s Adam always played by its own rules. It was never content to be just another budget hatchback for the city — it wore its design quirks on its sleeve and asked you to care about more than just getting from Braamfontein to Sandton. While its rivals like the Polo Vivo, Swift and Figo stuck to the bread-and-butter recipe, the Adam was the one you bought because you didn’t want to blend in. Power’s from a 1.0-litre turbo triple, either manual or semi-auto, which means it’s peppy enough for suburbia but won’t cost you dearly at the pumps or on routine maintenance. On paper at least, you’re in a thin market: only four used examples are listed countrywide, ranging from R129,500 up to R159,995, with R139,900 the going median. That’s fair value, especially given there are no new Adams coming — Opel’s pulled the plug locally. You’re looking at 2015 to 2018 models, all with just over 121,000 km — right in the zone for cars of this era. Three out of the four cars for sale are the 1.0T JAM trim, which was the one to get in SA because it gave you a bit more spec without venturing into silly pricing territory. If you’re cross-shopping with a Polo Vivo, the Adam’s real drawcard is the lively turbo engine and its bold cabin, even if plastics are a bit harder than you’d like. No new stock means the Adam’s strictly a used buy, but for those who value style and a little poke over pure resale logic, it’s what the Adam should have been from the start.