The Vauxhall Mokka was a great success of the outing, leaping into the British Top 10 and appealing to an increase in demand for compact SUVs.
It was transformed into Mokka X in 2016, as part of the creation of Vauxhall of the X crossing family, currently composed of Mokka X, Crossland X (slightly smaller and cheaper than Mokka X, with front drive) and Grandland X (slightly larger and more expensive than Mokka X, also the front drive only).
It was not just a name change. The interior has been repaired, with a dash inspired by Astra, and the engine range revised.
But of course, Vauxhall is not the only one to engage in the boom of compact SUVs. Competition (some more directly comparable than others) is strong and varied, and in some cases very costly. They include the Renault Captur, the Fiat 500X, the SX4 S-Cross and Vitara from Suzuki and the Nissan Juke extremely powerful.
What flavors of Mokka can I choose?
From £ 18,455 on the road, the range now includes a 1.6-liter gasoline engine, a 1.4-liter turbo gasoline in two forms and a 1.6-liter turbodiesel, offered again in two levels . They are available in different combinations of front and all-wheel drive, with manual and automatic transmissions. There are four levels of specifications: Active, Design Nav, Elite and Elite Nav.
There are many standard equipment for each Mokka X. The Design Nav specification of our test car seems to be a judicious combination of kit, including fog lights, 8in touch screen, cruise control, ‘Apple CarPlay / Android Auto infotainment, Vauxhall OnStar assistant, dual-zone climate control, tire pressure monitoring, leather-covered steering wheel, 18in alloy wheels and much more. Go up in the range, add some options, and you can get a Mokka X that is more upholstered, elegantly tinted, very connected, big wheel and equipped with intelligent LED headlights.
When you access Elite Nav, you pay for full leather furnishings and other features that might seem too complicated in what is always in the heart, a modest and modest size car for small families.
What’s inside of 2017 Vauxhall Mokka X?
Vauxhall places a lot of emphasis on the electronic driving aids and infotainment adapted to the Mokka X. The most basic models are equipped with a 7in touchscreen (our car has a larger 8in system) and cruise control And Vauxhall OnStar Support.
As with many SUV-style vehicles, the driver and front passenger get a high-level boom and good view, with a reasonable amount of head, elbow and knee room. There is not much room for adults in the back, but it’s good for short trips. Two or even three children would be good for space.
The startup is a useful size, although the rival Renault Captur offers much more luggage space with the rear seats. The glove box and all four-pocket pockets are too small to be particularly useful.
Our trial period coincided with a hot summer time in English. Climate control did not target the occupants before and left those in the back extremely uncomfortable.
How to drive?
It’s not great. The steering is unnecessarily light, depriving the driver of useful information on the relationship between the road and the front wheels. The pedals are dull, making it difficult to move away from the lights gently, not helped by a gear that is set up for economy rather than fluid acceleration.
The all-wheel drive system on our test car is discreet and for most people totally unnecessary. Yes, this would give you a little more control over a loose or wet surface, but you will not go into the Mokka X because it does not have much ground clearance or underbody protection.
The suspension is low-damped, so the car faces bumps feels rarely installed even on soft roads. There is also an undesirable amount of wind noise and engine noise.
Verdict
So there is a lot of kit, and the fundamentals seem to be in place: a reasonably dynamic and economical engine, intelligent all-wheel drive and a style that the public simply can not afford. On paper, it’s good.
And yet, there are many things about the Mokka X that fails to meet perfectly reasonable expectations for a £ 20,000 car. The slightly smaller Captur and Juke are not perfect either, but both are better for driving and giving a greater impression of being quality products.