Skip to main content

Vauxhall Adam Rocks concept: This off-road version of GM’s European city car rocks

Vauxhall Adam Rocks concept rendering front three quarterVauxhall, General Motors’ British division, is a bringing a unique small hatchback to the Geneva Motor Show next month. The Adam Rocks concept is based on the brand’s Adam city car (which it shares with GM’s other Euro division, Opel), but comes dressed to look like an SUV.

It looks like Vauxhall took a page from Audi’s Allroad and Subaru’s XV Crosstrek to make this rockin’ concept. The Adam appears to ride higher in Vauxhall’s renderings, and has much larger wheels with a very technical design. There’s also plenty of unpainted (probably plastic) body cladding to give the Adam Rocks a butch look.

The Adam Rocks needs all the butch visual cues it can get, because underneath it’s actually a small, fashionable city car. It’s normal competition includes the Mini Cooper, Fiat 500, and Citroën DS3, not mud-slinging SUVs and crossovers.

There is still a bit of the city in the Adam Rocks. Vauxhall says the concept was inspired by parkour athletes.

If that’s not enough, Vauxhall also decided to make the Adam Rocks a convertible sort of. Instead of a fully folding roof, it’s roof opens like a Fiat 500C’s. A fabric section in the middle slides back, but the roof rails and rear glass remain in place.

Speaking of Fiat, we know the Italian brand is planning on launching a crossover version of the 500, the 500X. However, it will be a relatively large four-door, and won’t be a convertible.

Vauxhall Adam Rocks concept rendering rear three quarterMini took a similar approach with its Countryman and Paceman, both of which are much larger than the original Mini, and mostly relate to that car through styling.

Vauxhall is the first to try to literally transmute its small car into an SUV, and the result has a lot more character than either the 500X or Countryman. That also makes the Adam Rocks less practical, but that’s the price you have to pay for looking cool.

If the Adam Rocks makes it into production, it will be a niche model, not a volume-booster like the Fiat and Mini crossovers. That means it will most likely remain a concept.

Stephen Edelstein
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
The 6 best car phone holders in 2024
Belkin BoostCharge Magnetic Wireless Car Charger with an iPhone 14 Pro.

Belkin BoostCharge Magnetic Wireless Car Charger Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Installing a car phone mount in your vehicle is the best way to make sure that you have easy access to your smartphone when behind the wheel. While you shouldn't be using your phone while driving, having it mounted on your windshield, dashboard, vent, or anywhere else will let you take a quick glance when you're using a navigation app, or to change your playlist when you stop for a traffic light, for example. Instead of having to pick up your device, it will be easier and faster to get these done while it's on a car phone mount for less time of having your eyes off the road.

Read more
Should you buy a used EV? Maybe, but it’s complicated
2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 Limited AWD rear end side profile from driver's side with trees and a metal fence in the back.

Electric cars are slowly but surely getting cheaper. Over the past year or so, Ford and Tesla have been discounting their most popular electric cars while other brands, like Rivian, are laying the groundwork for all-new cheaper models.

But you'd still be hard-pressed to call electric cars cheap, and buying a completely new car in the first place is a hurdle in and of itself for many potential buyers. According to Statista, used car sales represented around 74% of all car sales in 2022, and while this figure is likely to change as electric cars get cheaper, the fact remains that most car buyers would prefer to save cash and buy used rather than buy something new.
Buying a new car ain't what it used to be
Buying a car with an electric powertrain doesn't necessarily need to be all that different from buying an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle. But there's a little more to it than that.

Read more
Rivian R2 vs. Ford Mustang Mach-E: Will the R2 be a better buy?
Side of the Rivian R2

The Rivian R2 has finally been announced, and it could end up being the go-to EV for drivers who want a decently affordable electric car with a rugged look and feel. But when it finally launches to the public, it won't be the only option in its price range -- the Ford Mustang Mach-E could be one of its main competitors.

The Mustang Mach-E may not be quite as rugged-feeling as the Rivian R2, but it does have a lot going for it -- like an increasingly low price, sleek design, and comfortable interior. Is one of these EVs better than the other? We put the two head-to-head to find out.
Design
The first thing to note about the two cars is their design, as they’re pretty different. The Rivian R2 is built to be a little more rugged and outdoorsy, while the Mach-E instead has a sleeker and sportier look to it. Both cars look stylish and modern.

Read more