A new version of the Opel Karl will be launched in Finland in May. The SUV-like Karl Rocks was unveiled in Paris last autumn and is now coming to Finland.

We had the chance to take a short test drive of the brand new first version coming to Finland.

Right from the start, it’s good to remember that this is a small car. It is not a family car, but works well as a single person’s car or, for example, as a home nurse’s car.

The Karl Rocks should not be compared to cars costing more than 20 000 euros, because it is a small, simple and very everyday car. Even the price of the basic version is less than EUR 15 000.

Very SUV-like

The exterior of the car is very SUV-like. The ground clearance has been raised by 18 mm compared to the standard Karl, and the fenders are trimmed with the plastic trim familiar from SUVs. The roof rails add to the impression of a larger car.

The raised roof makes the car slightly more visible than the basic Karli, and makes access to the car smoother.

The car has five doors and is registered for five people. However, it’s not a good idea to cram five adults into the car.

The interior is finished in hard, slightly shiny plastics. This adds some noise to the car, but on a good road surface this is not a problem.

When accelerating, the engine noise is audible inside, but not disturbingly so. The sound gives the car a slightly sporty feel.

There is a screen in the centre of the dashboard and a very shiny bezel around it. During the drive, the bezel sometimes showed distracting reflections.

The test car’s equipment was okay for the price. The car had, among other things, cruise control and a speed limiter.

The driver’s seat always leaves something to be desired in this price range. Better lateral support and a more supportive seat would be a bonus.

In addition, the size of the car means that when the driver is around 180 cm tall, there is no legroom for an adult in the back seat.

The boot is quite modest, but folding down the backrests of the rear seats gives a boot capacity of just over 1000 litres. That’s counting the entire space up to the roof, though.

Also available as an automatic

The car is powered by the familiar one-litre three-cylinder petrol engine from Karl. The engine produces 75 hp and is mated to a five-speed manual gearbox. According to Opel, combined fuel consumption is 4.4 to 4.7 l/100 km and CO2 emissions are 101 to 106 g/km.

The Rocks is also available with ECT automatic transmission. According to Opel, the five-speed automatic transmission allows for a very economical drive. The automatic can also be operated manually from the gear stick.

In city driving, the steering can be lightened with the city driving mode. This makes it easier to turn the steering wheel when parking, for example.

Parking sensors are also available as an option.

Prices for the new Opel Karl Rocks start at €14,997 (1.0 M5 75 hp), including delivery.