Vauxhall Adam most crashed car of the year

New research has found that the Vauxhall Adam was the most damaged vehicle in the UK during 2023.

According to carVertical, the Vauxhall Adam was the model most likely to have been involved in a crash this year, with nearly 40% of used models that drivers considered buying requiring repairs.

Its analysis found that more than a third of the Volkswagen Beetles checked on its platform during 2023 had been damaged at some point, and although Land Rover Defenders were less likely to have sustained damage, the average cost of fixing a damaged one was £19,350.

In total, nearly a fifth of the used cars (18.4%) on sale in the UK and checked by carVertical were found to have sustained damage, much of which is invisible to potential buyers.

Matas Buzelis, car expert at carVertical, said: “A fresh coat of paint can hide a multitude of sins when it comes to past damage. And while professionally repaired cars can be both roadworthy and good value, buying a vehicle without checking if it has been involved in an accident is an unnecessary risk that could cost unwary drivers tens of thousands of pounds in repairs.

“While reputable car dealers and many private sellers will only offer cars for sale that have been thoroughly repaired, there are still too many unscrupulous sellers out there who rely on drivers not doing their homework before parting with their money.

“Buying a car that has skeletons in its past can prove costly at best, and downright dangerous at worst.”