Vauxhall Mokka SUV (2024 - ) review

The Renault Captur has the edge on the Mokka when it comes to value for money and alternatives like the Fiat Grande Panda and Citroën C3 are more affordable still. The Mokka Electric will be the most cost-effective to fuel if you can charge at home on a dedicated EV tariff and it currently qualifies for the £1,500 Electric Car Grant helping to reduce the upfront price. Meanwhile, the petrol and mild hybrid alternatives should be pretty frugal, and our mild hybrid test car averaged around 50mpg during our time with it. However, according to Autotrader data, the Mokka is expected depreciate at a much faster rate than other Stellantis alternatives, with the electric version losing the largest percentage of its original value over the first three years. This could work in your favour if you are looking to buy used, but those looking for a new car should note the hybrid Toyota Yaris Cross has much stronger residual values. Alternatively, there are plenty of leasing deals to be had.

Vauxhall generally has a decent reliability reputation and it benefits from the shared parts and know-how with other brands including Peugeot, Citroën, Jeep, Fiat and Alfa Romeo under the wider Stellantis umbrella. Vauxhall offers an industry standard three-year/60,000-mile warranty on all its cars which is considerably less than the seven-year warranty offered by Kia. However, the battery in electric models has its own eight-year/100,000-mile cover for extra peace of mind. 

Like all new cars the Mokka comes packed with a suite of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) including traffic sign recognition, land keeping assistance and various levels of emergency braking depending on which trim you choose. For the most part the combination of aids quietly did their jobs in the background so we could get on with the driving. However, on one occasion our test car slammed on the brakes when it wrongly thought we were about to accelerate straight into a row of parked cars. Luckily, no one was behind us and we were only crawling along slowly anyway, but nonetheless it was disconcerting. We also think Vauxhall could improve its rear-view camera which isn’t as sharp as many Chinese alternatives. On a more positive note, all cars come with blind spot monitoring as standard which is one of our favourite safety features.

The Mokka has an elevated driving position compared to the Corsa on which it’s based, and while you do sit higher in a Renault Captur or Toyota Yaris Cross, the Mokka provides a happy middle ground. The front seats are nicely supportive and gain the seal of approval from a German organisation which promotes spinal health. All except the GS trim models get heated front seats and a heated steering wheel, while range-topping models take things further with electric lumbar adjustment and a massage function. It’s a different story in the back, though, where legroom is limited and trying to fit three passengers will be a very tight squeeze. The boot is on the small side, too, so if you plan on carrying more than the weekly shop, you might want to have a look at the Ford Puma instead. On the road the Mokka has a reasonably soft ride, which is good on the motorway and on rougher surfaces, but can become rather bouncy over larger speed bumps.

Vauxhall sensibly prioritises usability over showy gimmicks. As such, the Mokka combines a relatively modest digital driver display with a central touch-screen with some traditional physical controls. We’re big fans of this approach as it means you can adjust the temperature or fan speed quickly and without taking your eyes off the road. The infotainment system isn’t the slickest, but it’s easy to link your phone so us can use wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto instead. Entry-level Yes trim offers the best value for money with pretty much everything you’ll need – to the point where we don’t know why you’d pay more for GS trim which misses out on the heated front seats and steering wheel. Range-topping Ultimate models gain nice-to-haves like a wireless phone charger, sat-nav and a plusher upholstery. Meanwhile the souped-up all-electric GSE model is a different kettle of fish altogether with its go-faster extras.

Whether you are ready to go fully electric, you are sticking with petrol for now, or you’d like an electric boost without the need for a plug, there’s a Mokka for you – there’s even a hot-hatch inspired electric GSE version, but we’ll leave that to once side for now. When it comes to the standard Mokka models, performance is moderate, but they should all be perfectly nippy around town with enough in reserve to take motorways in their stride. The pure petrol engine has the choice of a manual or automatic gearbox, while the mild hybrid is an automatic and you won’t need to worry about changing gears in the electric version either. We tested the mild hybrid which uses a small battery and motor to improve efficiency but mainly relies on its petrol engine for power. Our car was generally easy-going, though it would get a little juddery in stop/start traffic as the engine kicked in and out. Once we got underway the Mokka became much smoother, but its tiny engine would get quite vocal if we really put our foot down. The light steering made manoeuvring around the suburbs and getting into parking spaces a breeze, but it was less confidence-inspiring on at higher speeds or on twisty roads. All in all, the mild hybrid Mokka is best driven at a leisurely pace, so if you want an engaging driving experience you’ll need to head straight for the sporty all-electric GSE.