We had the chance to test-drive and the review the Vauxhall Mokka X Diesel Hatchback 1.6CDTi [136] ecoFLEX Design Nav 5dr (browse deals) recently (thank you to Vauxhall Fleet Team). The Mokka X is essentially a facelift to the previous Mokka – you may have seen the adverts from Vauxhall “It’s your life. Go Drive it”. Catchy?
Like it, or hate it, the Mokka was actually a popular car and very strong seller for the Vauxhall brand. From a size perspective, the car sits just behind the bigger Ford Kuga, Nissan Qashqai and Peugeot 3008. However, it is somewhat more substantial than the small-SUV options like the Ford Ecosport and the Renault Captur. The Mokka X is very much like its predecessor, except that you can see the upgraded styling from the newly added Astra with the sleeker/sharper finishes.
Internally, Vauxhall has made some narrow improvements to provide a better user experience to the driver.
The Mokka X is now quite a simple offering; you can choose from an Active, Design and Elite specification. Engines includes a 110ps and 136ps diesel and a 1.6i and 1.4T petrol. For low-mileage (town-style driving), you are going to need to consider the 1.4T (140ps) petrol engine in our opinion. One of the main issues over the last 2-3 years, is that leasing customers are heading into diesel cars and this does not suit their driving style. You can then experience issues with poor economy and, worse, issues with the DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter). Unless you are a high-mileage lease customer, try to consider petrol (or Hybrid/electric) solutions to avoid long-term costs. With announcement of diesel scrappage schemes (read more), it’s safe to say that diesel is falling out of favour.
The Design Nav, which is the model shown, does offer a healthy level of specification including tinted windows, front/rear parking sensors, navigation (Navi 900 intelliLink), Apple carplay, electric folding mirrors, Bluetooth, LED lights, Dual zone climate control and 18” alloy wheels. If you do upgrade to the Elite, you will add the leather upholstery coupled with heated mirrors, seats and even a heated steering wheel – essentially Rolls Royce specification.
While the Mokka isn’t going to be the target for most younger-drivers, it does offer a practical solution for the small-family SUV class, which only continued to amass followers. Yes, there will be older drivers who want the value and practicality of the Mokka but, taking into account the stylish features, this can be seen as a more generic and global offering.
In a saturate SUV market, would you choose the Mokka X over the competitors?