Vauxhall puts its Mokka against the Nissan Juke and Škoda Yeti. If it were more upmarket, we'd be talking Audi Q3 and BMW X1 territory. Well, is it upmarket enough to compete directly? Let's take a look.
Apparently, 75% of the Mokka's buyers are private, the other 25% belonging to company car drivers. For this, Vauxhall debuted the Mokka with S, Exclusiv, Tech Line and SE trims with Tech Line being specifically aimed at company car drivers who require some added comfort for those long journeys.
Despite the claims of having a "muscular stance", it's also said to display an "elegant exterior". The perky rear end, integrated spoiler and countless creases and folds along the body certainly suggest just that.
What we wouldn't necessarily assume is that the Mokka is a practical crossover, but with a road clearance of 157 mm and the option of four-wheel-drive it's well-equipped for those days where the owner dares exit the bright lights of the city. The 4x4 system is activated automatically when the car decides it's necessary, and thanks to its light design (65 kg) the Mokka is able to stay light, helping fuel economy and driving dynamics. Weighing between 1260-1415 kg means that it can tow up to 1,200 kg braked and 500 kg unbraked.
The 356-litre boot is less than average in its class. Despite being larger than that of the Ford EcoSport (333 litres) and similar to the Nissan Juke (354 litres) and Peugeot 2008 (360 litres), it doesn't offer quite as much as the Škoda Yeti (416 litres), Renault Captur (455 litres), Audi Q3 (420 litres) or new BMW X1 (505 litres). With its seats folded down though, it offers a comparable amount to its rivals apart from the 1760 litres offered by the Yeti thanks to its boxy design. Don't be put off though, with a low load lip and flat load bay after having folded the 60:40 split folding rear seats, the Mokka's boot is very useable.
With the Mokka comes Hill Start Assist and Hill Descent Control which works at speeds of 3-12 mph. All manuals come equipped with Start/Stop technology - the automatics do without.
You've got a choice of four 4-cylinder engines, 2 petrol and 2 diesel.
The 1.6i is a naturally aspirated unit which produces 115 PS @ 6,000 rpm and 155 Nm @ 4,000 rpm. Because it's mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox, it manages a dismal 41.5 mpg and 159 g/km.
The turbocharged 1.4i kicks out 140 PS @ 4,900 rpm and 200 Nm @ 1,850-4,900 rpm. It can be had with a 6-speed automatic transmission, a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed manual with 4x4. Depending on your transmission, it can achieve between 40.9 and 45.6 mpg, emitting 145-160 g/km.
Next are the diesels. The 1.7 CDTi makes 130 PS @ 4,000 rpm and 300 Nm @ 2,000 rpm. Again, it can be mated to a 6-speed auto, a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed manual with 4x4. Economy varies -53.3 mpg to 62.8 mpg and 120-139 g/km.
Lastly is the 1.6 CDTi. Slightly more powerful than the 1.7, making 136 PS @ 3,500-4,000 rpm and 320 Nm @ 2,000-2,250 rpm. This has the same transmission and powertrain options as the 1.4i and 1.7 CDTi, with emissions varying between 114-134 g/km, running at 55.4-65.7 mpg. You can even have a 1.6 CDTi ecoFLEX. This is the most economical on offer. With no choice other than a 6-speed manual in a front-wheel-drive layout, it can achieve 68.9 mpg and emit as low as 109 g/km.
It's a shame that no Mokka manages the sub-100 g/km boundary, which means road tax will cost between £20-£180. Especially with the likes of the Renault Captur offering CO2 emissions from 95 g/km.
The quickest is the 1.6 CDTi FWD paired with a 6-speed manual, reaching 62 mph in 9.3 seconds. It goes on to a top speed of 119 mph which can only be beaten by the 1.4i offering 120 mph.
Standard spec is top notch for Vauxhall's compact crossover. Exclusiv offers a 230-volt (3-pin) plug for rear passengers, a front centre armrest, front passenger's underseat tray, front and rear parking sensors, Bluetooth®, a multifunction steering wheel, dual-zone climate control with air con and 17- or 18-inch alloys depending on the engine choice. As regards media, it comes as standard with the CD 450 system - that's a CD player, auxiliary input, AM/FM radio and 6 speakers.
Tech Line has all the bells and whistles that Exclusiv can offer, but adds to that the Navi 950 IntelliLink which offers the same as the CD 450 but throws in a sat nav, audio streaming capabilities and a 7-inch display.
Top-of-the-line SE models come with the CD 450 setup as opposed to Navi 950 IntelliLink, but to make up for that you get the Winter Pack as standard (heated front seats and steering wheel) and ergonomic front sports seats with semi-electric adjustments. Certainly not what you'd expect for a small SUV like this, but then again it's such a competitive market Vauxhall needs to stay on top of its game.
At the moment there's a Limited Edition model. It's essentially an Exclusiv with a black roof and door mirrors and 19-inch 5-twinspoke alloys.
So what advice do I have for those in the market for a car of this type? The Yeti lacks imagination and its design doesn't appeal to the trendy city type. The Juke has always won customers from day one, and the Captur's definitely an interesting idea. Peugeot's 2008 doesn't seem to attract too many customers which is a shock due to its modern design, which leaves us with the bold Mokka. It's your style that will finally decide.
But here's how I would spec my Mokka:
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