Name: Vauxhall Mokka Review
Item: Vauxhall Mokka
Author: Gumtree.com

Launched in 2012, the Vauxhall Mokka is a super-compact SUV – that is, it’s the size and price of a small-to-medium family car, but with the exterior design and appearance of an SUV. It’s available in petrol and diesel variants with both manual and automatic transmission to suit a range of driving preferences. With five seats and five doors, the Mokka is large enough for two adults and two kids in or out of car seats. It’s easy to drive but lacking in sporty feeling, making it well-suited for the school run.

Could the Vauxhall Mokka be the car for you?

What we think about the Vauxhall Mokka

Compact yet bold, the Vauxhall Mokka is a stylish and practical family vehicle that comes with an SUV-like appearance without the SUV-size price tag.

Pros

Efficient and cheap to run

Low insurance cost

Good storage space

Cons

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The backseat is cramped for adult passengers

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Slow to overtake on the motorway

The 2015 1.4-litre manual variant of the Vauxhall Mokka is rated at 45 mpg (combined), which is reasonable for a petrol engine in a car of its size. It seats five and has five doors. The 2015 offered four trims: S, Exclusiv, Tech Line and SE. Models from 2016 onwards come in a new set of trim levels, from Active to Elite Nav.

Driving performance of the Vauxhall Mokka

Our Driving Rating6 / 10

The Vauxhall Mokka drives smoothly and is reasonably agile, making it easy to manoeuvre. It has a large turning circle, but is fairly easy to park despite this, thanks to its responsive steering. It’s worth noting that the suspension can feel a touch loose, leading to a bumpy ride when driving over very rough surfaces. As you might expect, the Mokka feels safe rather than sporty and lacks acceleration, but is good for town driving – although the clutch is a little stiff, which can be a problem in heavy traffic.

Safety and reliability of the Vauxhall Mokka

Our Safety Rating6 / 10

With a total of six airbags distributed around the front and sides, as well as speed assistance, stability control and lane assist, the Vauxhall Mokka is rated five stars for safety by Euro NCAP. The Elite trim adds forward collision alert, and auto-dipping headlights that follow the steering direction, but all models lack automatic emergency braking. For a family-oriented car, it’s not great that the Mokka also lacks ISOFIX points for car seat attachment. It’s generally a fairly reliable car, but 2015 models have been recalled for a steering issue and 2018 models were recalled for an airbag deployment problem, so check that any such issues have been resolved in the service history.

Under the bonnet of the Vauxhall Mokka

Our Engine Rating6 / 10

Available with a 1.4-litre petrol, 1.6-litre petrol or 1.7-litre diesel engine, the Vauxhall Mokka’s power matches its smaller size. The 1.4-litre manual petrol can do 0-60 in 9.5 seconds and hit a top speed of 120 mph with 138 horsepower, while the 1.6-litre diesel is almost identical, doing 0-60 in 9.3 seconds and up to 118 mph with 134 horsepower. Both manual and automatic models feature a 6-speed gearbox, although the automatic is less responsive. The Mokka is therefore better-suited to city driving than overtaking on the motorway. There’s also a four-wheel-drive petrol version, though this one isn’t especially popular.

What you'll find in the Vauxhall Mokka

Our Design Rating7 / 10

Despite its small stature in comparison to most SUVs (just 4.2m long and 1.4m high), the Vauxhall Mokka is bold-looking and confident. Its look is contemporary and smart, rather than outlandish or brash. You’ll find it in eleven colour options and three trims in addition to standard: Active, Tech and Elite. Its 17-inch alloy wheels pair with high ground clearance to allow for light off-roading, too. The Mokka got a bit of a facelift in 2016, adding sleek LED headlights and an even more polished appearance.

Comfort and interiors in the Vauxhall Mokka

Our Comfort Rating7 / 10

The Mokka has reasonable cargo space for a mid-size family car, but it is lacking in boot space compared to most SUVs. As standard, an inflator kit is provided for emergency puncture repair – swapping that for a space saver spare wheel will reduce boot space even more. The boot does feature handy bag hooks, though, and the rear seats can fold flat to increase carrying capacity. In the front, there’s an average amount of headroom and legroom, but the backseat is really only suitable for kids – adults will be fine on short journeys. Storage pockets are located all over the cabin, though they tend to be on the smaller side. The interior feels well-put-together and smart, if not especially luxurious.

What features you'll find in the Vauxhall Mokka

Our Features Rating7 / 10

You can expect to find a 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth connectivity, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and a DAB digital radio as standard inside any Vauxhall Mokka. It also comes with plenty of charging ports – handy when passengers all bring their own entertainment devices! In-car navigation is an optional extra, as is a rear camera for parking visibility. All versions of the Mokka have multi-zone climate control, although the system isn’t super-intuitive to use.

What fuel efficiency to expect from the Vauxhall Mokka

Our Fuel Consumption Rating6 / 10

Weighing in at 1433 kg, the Vauxhall Mokka is reasonably efficient compared to SUVs, but average compared to smaller family cars. The 1.4-litre manual petrol does 45 mpg with emissions of 145 g/km, and the automatic version is fairly similar, offering 43 mpg and 149 g/km. If you’re considering a four-wheel-drive petrol version, it’s worth knowing they tend to be less economical. Diesel Mokkas are more efficient, with the manual ecoFLEX model rated at 69 mpg and 106 g/km, and the automatic version doing 55 mpg and 134 g/km.

Running costs of the Vauxhall Mokka

Our Cost Rating7 / 10

The Vauxhall Mokka is fairly cheap to run provided it’s serviced at the recommended intervals. Always check the service history, especially as the Mokka has been recalled for minor issues a few times. It’s rated as being in insurance groups 5-14, depending on trim and engine size, so insurance costs are accessible, too. It doesn’t hold its value especially well though – you might get a good deal on a used one now, but it’ll depreciate quickly.

Our verdict of the Vauxhall Mokka

3.5 / 5 Gumtree rating

The Vauxhall Mokka is a smart and practical super-compact SUV. It's suited to families looking for something efficient for everyday use that's also capable of a little adventure.

Vauxhall Mokka Review