Vauxhall Mokka review
New Mokka has the looks and tech to tempt you out of that Puma
At a glance |
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| New price | £20,740 - £29,690 |
| Lease from new | From £245 p/m View lease deals |
| Used price | £14,900 - £24,805 |
| Used monthly cost | From £372 per month |
| Fuel Economy | 47.1 - 65.7 mpg |
| Road tax cost | £155 |
| Insurance group | 13 - 20 How much is it to insure? |
New
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PROS
- Exciting new styling
- Efficient Peugeot petrol and diesel engines
- Cutting-edge interior tech
CONS
- No plug-in hybrid versions from launch
- More expensive than its predecessor
- Rear seat room is disappointing
Is the Vauxhall Mokka any good?
If we were to judge it on looks alone the answer has to be yes. But there's more to it than that - the new car is a total reinvention of the Mokka brand, with a smart new look and cutting-edge technology that means it's good to drive, efficient and roomy. We were hoping that this would be the case, as the old 'X'-branded car - as popular as it was - was not the most inspiring family car for your hard-earned money.
The Mokka is available in electric form (the Mokka-e, and you can read what we think about that here) as well as the more conventional petrols and diesels detailed here. The most striking aspect of the new Mokka is its bold new styling, which introduces a new look that the company refers to as its 'Vauxhall Vizor'. Expect to see this new look applied across the Vauxhall range.
It's certainly bold, and has the rugged look you'd associate with SUVs in this market sector, but with curves and contrasting two-tone paint finishes that allow it to stand out from the pack. It's smaller and ligher than the old car, too, which puts it good stead when comparing it with its sister car, the Peugeot 2008 as well as other rivals including the Renault Captur, Ford Puma and Nissan Juke.
Read the Vauxhall Mokka verdict
What's it like inside?
The new Mokka may be smaller than the old one on the outside, but it feels bigger for front-seat passengers thanks to the increased distance between the front and real wheels. Also, if you've yet to see one in the metal, you might not appreciate just how much lower and sleeker it is than all of its rivals – so much so that it hangs on to its SUV title by the skin of its teeth.
Inside, it's packed with the latest tech, which is shared with the 2008 – there are digital instruments on all models and a sizeable infotainment screen in the centre of the dash. In the past, we might have thought this too brave an approach for traditional buyers, but drivers are now falling for the tech, expecting SUVs to packed to the rafters.
Read more on the Vauxhall Mokka interior
What's it like to drive?
There are two basic engines to choose from (treating the Mokka-e electric car as a separate entity) – two three-cylinder petrols (100 and 130hp) and a single four-cylinder diesel (110hp). A six-speed manual transmission is available on all models, with the 130hp version also being offered with Peugeot's eight-speed automatic.
The three-cylinder 130hp petrol enginem, in particular is a real delight. It's refined and punchy, offering quick acceleration in town and plenty of pulling power on the motorway. The automatic transmission really suits the Mokka, allowing it to make the most of its power and, dare we say it, allow the driver to have some fun on B-roads.
We've yet to drive the diesel, but current buyer trends suggest that this one will be less popular than that fuel's been in the past – but it remains an important model in the line up as it offers a very long motorway fuel range and lower CO2 emissions than the petrol.
Read more on how the Vauxhall Mokka drives
What models and trims are available?
The Mokka model range follows the current Vauxhall hierarchy, starting at the well-equipped SE model, which comes with LED lights and a 7.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The SRi trim is expected to be the bestselling Mokka and adds adaptive cruise control, heated front seats, 18-inch alloys and a contrasting roof panel. The SRi Nav Premium model gains the larger 10.0-inch touchscreen with sat nav and a parking camera and sensors, as well as the full digital instrument cluster.
The Elite Nav and Elite Nav Premium are similarly priced to the SRi models, but is less sporting in its design and styling Elite Nav Premium. The top-of-the-line Ultimate Nav add keyless entry and start, wireless smartphone charging and full adaptive LED headlights.
What else should I know?
Vauxhall has ramped up the Mokka's safety credentials. There's plenty of equipment on offer – with standard autonomous emergency braking that's active between 3 to 53mph, the option of adaptove cruise control with lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and LED Matrix headlights – although all models get LEDs as standard.
Don't expect too many discounts in the short term as dealers make the most of early demand - if you want a cheap Vauxhall SUV, the Crossland should fit that bill for you. We'll know more about reliability and ease of running in time, but the signs are good as the Peugeot engines and technology that it uses are proving to be faithful in service - there's no reason to believe that will be different for the Mokka.
