New Opel Mokka is great to drive and enticingly specced
OPEL has a long history in South Africa and it’s good to see the brand back with a bang over the last year or so with the introduction of the new Corsa followed by the Zafira bus and now the third generation Mokka.
It’s also the first Opel locally to feature the new design language. Its “Visor” front end is like a full-face helmet with a protective visor covering the front of the car that combines the grille, LED headlights and the new logo with the Opel lightning bolt. The overall look combined with funky colours certainly catches the eye, making it a striking addition to the compact SUV segment that makes up one out of four passenger cars sold.
It’s available in two variations; the Elegance and the range-topping GS Line.
Both are powered by Opel’s (Peugeot sourced), 1.2-litre three cylinder turbo petrol engine with 96kW and 230Nm powering the front wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission.
The interior is just as striking with quality leather heated and massage seating in the GS line as well as decent soft touch surfaces throughout.
The cockpit is completely digital and even though I still prefer some analogue, it seems to be a losing battle, but it does however add to the premium look and feel of the interior.
It’s dominated by a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system (the Elegance gets seven-inches) that’s Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible while the driver gets all the information needed from a 12-inch digital cluster adjustable to suit their needs.
The new Opel Mokka is 120kg lighter than the previous model and it shows when you get behind the wheel.
First thoughts when thinking about a 1.2-litre three cylinder engine is that it may feel underpowered. There’s none of that though as we found the engine to be delightfully responsive and not shy to rev as we drove along some of the scenic Western Cape Roads.
The route was a mixture of long straights, gentle bends and sharp corners. The Mokka impressed with its road manners, especially at speed over some bumpy sections with the chassis and suspension keeping things tidy and the steering providing enough direct feedback without being too marshmallow-like.
The gearbox changes cogs effortlessly and there are paddles if you want the drive to be more engaging but it does change over automatically if the revs go too high to its liking.
It’s just as comfortable pottering along through town and suburbia, with Opel claiming 6.1l/100km on a combined cycle.
The Mokka is fitted with an impressive array of safety features including forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, lane assist, ABS and EBD.
It’s fitted with the latest matrix LED lighting technology that provides a number of impressive features including surround lighting when you’re reversing into a tight space at night.
The new Opel Mokka is likely to throw a spanner in the works within the segment. It's eye-catching, has a very decent spec and as buyers lean more towards connectivity and technology they won’t be disappointed.
It comes with a threeyear/120 000km warranty and a fouryear/60 000km service plan.
Pricing
1.2T Elegance: 1.2T GS Line: