Vauxhall Mokka
Small SUV is reborn with concept car looks, a high-tech interior and the option of a fully electric version On sale Early 2021 Price from £20,000 (est)
FIRST LOOK
THE TROUBLE WITH concept cars that preview production models is that they usually lead to potential buyers being disappointed; they’re basically what the designer wanted to create but wasn’t able to, due to all those pesky regulations that real cars have to meet. But every now and then, the original vision does survive the transition from motor show stand to road, and the new Vauxhall Mokka SUV is one such example.
It was back in mid-2018 that Vauxhall rst showed its GT X Experimental concept, which we were told previewed the distinctive new face of the brand.and while we were sceptical at the time, given the aforementioned curse and Vauxhall’s recent record of smart but forgettable designs, what we saw then is essentially what we’ve got.
Dubbed ‘Vizor’ and said to be inspired by the eye slot of a crash helmet, the front grille stretches the full width of the car, with the headlights incorporated within it.those who remember the Pontiac Trans Am driven by Burt Reynolds in Smokey and the Bandit might be experiencing some déjà vu, and there’s a link to current Vauxhalls in the scythe-shaped daytime running lights. But overall, there’s no denying that Vizor is a striking look that’s instantly recognisable.
The rear of the GT X Experimental has also in uenced the Mokka, with creases that mirror the shape of the front grille, while the concept’s contrasting bonnet colour, which ran up into the roof, is also present and correct. It’s only details such as the rearward-opening back doors and cameras in place of door mirrors that have been quietly binned.
Unusually for a new car, the Mokka is shorter than its predecessor, the Mokka X, which should help with parking.and yet passengers are likely to have more room, because the front and rear axles are now farther apart. However, you rarely get something for nothing in this world, and here the price is paid in boot space; there’s slightly less than there was in the old Mokka X (350 litres vs 356 litres), and some rivals offer signi cantly more, including the bigselling Nissan Juke (422 litres) and our reigning Car of the Year, the Ford Puma (456 litres).
As for the interior of the Mokka, this appears at rst glance to have one enormous screen that runs all the way from behind the steering wheel to the centre of the dashboard, even though in reality it’s two separate screens;
24 August 2020
one displays instrumentation and the other is a touchscreen for infotainment functions. It’s a layout that’s very much on trend in the car world right now, but fortunately Vauxhall has resisted the temptation to follow its sister brands, Citroën and Peugeot, and move the air conditioning controls into an infotainment menu; instead, you get separate buttons and knobs, which should be far less distracting to use on the move.
Beyond the design, the other big news is that the Mokka will be the rst Vauxhall to be offered as a fully electric car from day one. Called the Mokka-e, this variant is closely related to the Peugeot e-2008, using the same 134bhp electric motor and 50kwh battery, although the Vauxhall’s of cial range is eight miles longer, at 201 miles. If you use a 100kw DC public rapid charger, it’s possible to get the battery back up to 80% in 30 minutes, while a 7.4kw home charger will do the same job in eight hours.
The petrol and diesel alternatives are still to be announced, but it seems certain that these will also come from the 2008, meaning turbocharged 1.2-litre petrols with 100bhp, 129bhp and 153bhp, plus a 101bhp 1.5-litre diesel. Pick of the bunch – at least in the
Peugeot – is the 129bhp petrol, because it provides lively acceleration, pulls strongly from low revs and keeps the list price sensible.
The 2008 currently costs from £20,185, before discounts, rising to £22,975 for the cheapest 129bhp petrol and £31,665 for the e-2008. We’d be surprised if the Mokka wasn’t similarly priced, although there will obviously be differences to account for the level of standard equipment that’s tted.
This is another thing that hasn’t been con rmed, although we do know that all Mokkas will come with LED front and rear lights, an electronic parking brake and a traf c sign recognition system, which allows them to show you the prevailing speed limit at all times.a 180-degree panoramic rear-view camera and adaptive cruise control, which keeps you a set distance from the car in front, will be on the options list.
The old Mokka X was actually a big hit for Vauxhall, frequently appearing in the UK’S top 10 sellers list. However, that was mostly down to heavy discounts and attractive nance offers.the new Mokka, on the other hand, feels like something you might choose for more than just monetary reasons.