Vauxhall Mokka review
The Vauxhall Mokka is a spacous but compact crossover with chunky off-roader looks
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The Vauxhall Mokka crossover is the company's answer to the Skoda Yeti, Nissan Juke and Kia Sportage crossovers, offering the chunky looks and practicality of an SUV with the low running costs of a hatchback. The Vauxhall Mokka is about halfway between the Yeti and the Juke in size, and the raised ride height, big plastic bumpers and high bonnet give it a 4x4 look - even though it's actually quite a small car. The entry-level model uses a 1.6-litre petrol engine, but we recommend moving up the range to the efficient 1.7-litre diesel - though there is also a 1.4-litre turbo petrol for those who only drive short distances. Three specifications are available for the Vauxhall Mokka: Exclusiv, Tech Line and SE. The Tech Line model is very well equipped, with sat-nav and reversion sensors as standard, so it appeals to company car buyers looking to cut down on the optional extras they need. You can also get the Mokka in four-wheel drive, although it's hardly an off-roader. The biggest problem with the Vauxhall Mokka is its price - it's more expensive than its main rivals and it's just not as good to drive.
Our choice: Mokka Tech Line 1.7 CDTi ECOflex start/stop 2WD
Styling
The Vauxhall Mokka crossover takes some of its styling from the Corsa and Astra hatchbacks, the same headlight design and a familiar family resemblance throughout. However the Mokka's big, chunky plastic bumpers and cladding around the wheelarches, as well as the roof rails and front and rear skid plates, make it stand out from the crowd much more than the hatchbacks. It's a bit of a halfway house between the Skoda Yeti and the Nissan Juke. It sits between them in size, but also in style; it's not as funky as the Juke, but some will prefer it to the less flashy Yeti. The Vauxhall Mokka interior is very similar to that of the Astra, as the equipment inside is pretty much the same, but it does feel well made. There's good visibility from the high seating position and big door mirrors, and all cars come with parking sensors, air-conditioning, automatic headlights and windscreen wipers, cruise control, audio controls on the steering wheel, Bluetooth and a digital radio. Top-spec SE cars also get luxuries like heated sports seats, Xenon headlights, a heated steering wheel and privacy glass.
Driving
The biggest-selling engine in the Mokka range is expected to be the 1.7-litre diesel engine with 128bhp, and that's the one we'd go for, too. The engine has plenty of torque, so overtaking on the motorway is easy and it's fairly economical, but it can be quite noisy and it doesn't match the excellent diesels available in the Skoda Yeti. The petrol engines are only really worth looking at if you will only be driving short distances (as we don't recommend diesel engines for people who do this). The 1.6-litre engine is really underpowered and struggles up hills, and the more powerful 1.4-litre turbo is too noisy when pushed. Early versions of the Vauxhall Mokka were slated for poor ride and handling, but thanks to an update recently each engine variant now gets its own bespoke suspension set up and, although it's still firm, improved damping means it no longer thumps over potholes. The steering is decently weighted now too, which makes the Mokka much better to drive than it was, but the Skoda Yeti and VW Tiguan still beat it when it comes to comfort.
Reliability
The Vauxhall Mokka got the full five stars from the Euro NCAP crash safety tests, getting an excellent 95 per cent for adult occupant protection and 100 per cent in the safety assist category. All Vauxhall Mokka models get ESP, seatbelt reminders, Isofix child seat fittings and a full suite of airbags fitted as standard. Vauxhall didn't do too well in the 2013 Driver Power customer satisfaction survey, however, with the company finishing 26th out of 32 in the manufacturer's rankings. The Mokka didn't appear on the survey, but all of the engines are in use in other models and should prove to be fairly trouble-free. The interior feels well made and should stand up to family life, but some aspects - like the seat material - feel like they could wear out with heavy use. You get a 100,000-mile warranty with all new Vauxhalls, so there will be some peace of mind there (but only for the first owner).
Practicality
Although the Vauxhall Mokka is based on the same platform as the Corsa hatchback, it does offer a lot more interior space. The Mokka is comparable in size to the Nissan Qashqai, and there's plenty of room to seat five adults inside without complaints about headroom. There's plenty of interior storage space, and the boot is one of the biggest in its class. Its 356-litre boot beats the Nissan Juke and MINI Countryman, which have just 251 and 350 litres respectively. Larger rivals like the Yeti and Qashqai offer 416 and 410 litres, though, despite being comparatively priced. You can expand the boot to 1,372 litres by folding the rear seats down, while the wide and low opening makes loading luggage simpler. Flipping the seat bases over is easy too, thanks to some handy nylon tabs. Plus, there’s an integrated bike carrier that pops out of the rear bumper - a nice touch. Traction and stability control are fitted as standard to the Mokka, plus Hill Start Assist, which prevents the car from rolling backwards on a slope and Hill Descent Control, which allows it to drive down steep slopes at a controlled speed. You can get the car in four-wheel drive, but it's not worth considering if you need a proper off-roader.
Running Costs
The best engine to go for in the Vauxhall Mokka is the 1.7-litre diesel, which gets 62.8mpg and CO2 emissions of 120g/km when fitted with the six-speed manual gearbox and front-wheel drive. Opting for four-wheel drive pushes this up to 129g/km, which doesn't affect how much you'll pay in road tax but does push it up one benefit-in-kind bracket for company car buyers. Go for the automatic gearbox and the figures drop to 53.3mpg and 139g/km, as only the manual models come with a fuel-saving stop-start system. The petrol models will cost a lot more to run, with the 1.4-litre petrol returning 44.1mpg and emitting 149g/km. Avoid the 1.6-litre petrol in base models as it gets just 43.5mpg and 153g/km - and it can only be fitted with a five-speed manual gearbox that feels dated compared to the new six-speed ones. Servicing shouldn't be too much of a problem, though, as it gets a 100,000-mile warranty as standard.
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Some of us don't expect our suv to perform like a ferarri
Having had a test drive, i could not disagree more with your review.
Can we have someone other than a boy racer reviewing this car. my score 4.5 overall
Another in the deluge of SUVs
I think Mokka looks nice and should be more practical in terms of passenger and luggage space. Better than the radically styled Juke. Engine line-up does not seem impressive. Neither powerful, not particularly clean. But most of these tried and trusted engines may just be adequate to haul this car around.
My husband and I have been looking for a while for cars and this took us completly by surprise. We test drove the 1.6 petrol and hubby loved it, very spacious and yet still designed not to be a hairdressers car. We both wanted something we would both like to drive yet that was not a tank.
People are rating the diesel but are they taking into account that all diesel cars, now have to do at least 20,000 miles a year as the new convertors inbuilt in them need to burn off the rubbish in the diesel after set temp. (by the way the cost of replacement for this convertor if you do not cover the miles as they do break and block is around est £1800 ouch!)
Also Mokka does not come with a spare tyre - you are best to buy one on the day as its a third of the price, of course they do supply you with the flat foam but that is it. Best to look into.
Another thing to watch out for is if you would like to buy the cameras for the frount and rear of the car you would also have to buy the inbuilt GPS as they need the screen for the cameras to work.
Other then that we loved the car and could not disagree with the review.
Diesel particulate filters.
Dual mass fly-wheels.
And you people are still recommending diesels??
Why, oh why are all these "mini SUV's" so appallingly ugly? Were the stylists hungover on the day they produced this and the horrid Nissan Joke??
And it's Eurojunk!
I don't believe anyone who buys these cars cares about driving. engines, steering or ride comfort or anything else except possibly the price of diesel, the tax disc price and possibly the price of a service...why waste your time? Best you can say is if you like the look of it then but it.
what's with all the negativity in a few of the comments? I drove one of these yesterday and was more than surprised. Handles well, comfortable. I cant understand come of the comments 'Eurojunk' etc. how does that help anyone. People come on here to get a review and perhaps some feedback from people who have driven or own said vehicles. Why even bother commenting if it adds nothing to the review.
I enjoyed the drive in the car - the 1.7D I drove is much, much quieter that the VW 1.9tdi that I own. The wheels are enormous 18" (thinking of replacing these in your overall running costs), the steering gave good feedback which I enjoyed. This appears to me like a really good value car with lots of space and toys for the driver. I would like to own one! (warranty seems great too!)
Vauxhall Mokka is much nicer than Nissan Juke or Chevrolet Trax.
It looks as ugly in the flesh as it does in the pictures. Not for me at all.
what do you mean? It's made in Korea so If it's eurojunk because its sold in Eurpoe then that is a real foolish remark
It's not where a car is made but to the standard it's made to. My Toyota is made in France. Doesn't make it a French car, thank goodness.
Concur
I bought the Chevrolet Trax 1.7 diesel LT. This was my first SUV and whilst Vauxhall and Chevrolet are both manufactured by General Motors, I believe the Chevrolet is a better looker with its more robust looks. I also had the special white paint finish.
So potential buyers don't go for the the other makes - they are far to common, try the Chevvy - you will not be disappointed.
Arthur Fox - Lincoln