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white vauxhall mokka x

Vauxhall Mokka X review

The Vauxhall Mokka - or Mokka X as it was renamed in later years - is Vauxhall’s answer to the Nissan Juke and Renault Captur. This compact SUV has proved to be a massive hit with young families and couples across the UK. That means there’s usually a good selection of Mokkas available to buy from cinch.

white vauxhall mokka x

Design

The Mk1 Vauxhall Mokka was facelifted in 2016 – and this version makes up the bulk of cars available from cinch. It’s a smart-looking thing too, with chiselled good looks  – a bit like Zac Efron.  

As with its Kia Soul and Suzuki Vitara rivals, the Mokka has a pumped-up appearance, with an upright stance, sloping roofline, cladding on the wheel arches and swept-back headlights that give it a purposeful face. 

Alloy wheels (17 inches and up) and front fog lights complete the overall look, while the Elite trim adds rear privacy glass that’ll allow your passengers to pretend they are movie stars.  

It’s a smart-looking thing too, with chiselled good looks

What’s it like to drive?

It’s easy to find a comfortable driving position in the Vauxhall Mokka with the wheel and seat adjusting to suit all sizes. On the move, the Mokka’s soft suspension set-up does an admirable job of dealing with rough road surfaces at higher speeds. It’s not quite as accomplished in town, where it tends to wallow over speed cushions.  

It’s a fairly relaxed thing to drive, with good refinement on the motorway. The light steering and front and rear parking sensors that are fitted as standard help when manoeuvring into your favourite parking spot. 

There are a pair of petrol engines – the 1.6-litre unit and 1.4 turbo. The latter is the more sprightly option. There’s also a 1.6-litre turbodiesel. 

white vauxhall mokka x rear

It’s easy to find a comfortable driving position in the Vauxhall Mokka.

Interior

Vauxhall put function before form with the Mokka’s dashboard. The upside is that all of the controls are easy to find, there are soft-touch plastics on most of the parts you access most often, and everything’s well put together. It’s distraction-free driving at its best. 

There’s also a good amount of head and legroom on offer, and not just for those sitting up front. The rear seats are spacious enough for a couple to travel on long journeys. Elbow room becomes prime real estate if you add a third. There’s certainly more space on offer than in the Mk1 Nissan Juke. The only slight issue in the Mokka is that the thick rear pillars and relatively small rear window mean it can be a little dark back there. 

vauxhall mokka x interior

There were four trim levels to choose from when the Mokka was new - Active, Design Nav, Elite and Elite Nav. Active trim gets you a seven-inch touchscreen that uses Vauxhall’s IntelliLink system, plus a quality DAB radio with at least 6 speakers, Bluetooth connectivity, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, cruise control and climate control. An auto-dimming rear-view mirror, sat-nav, a larger touchscreen and heated leather seats come with higher trims. 

Practicality

You’ll find the usual door bins (front and rear), a few cubby holes (including a covered section between the front seats for hiding your snacks from kids) and a glovebox for oddment storage. Some trims add a storage box under the front passenger seat. 

The rear seatbacks are split 60/40, so you can still carry a passenger back there and extend the boot space. With the rear seats in use, the boot can hold 356 litres, which is enough for a week’s worth of shopping or a few medium suitcases.  

Fold the seatbacks (an easy job) and you get a total of 1,372 litres – perfect for getting rid of that garden furniture at the tip. A nice big boot opening makes that job much easier. 

vauxhall mokka x boot

Running costs and reliability

Vauxhall Mokka economy is at its best with the 1.6 CDTi diesel engine, which averages 50.4mpg officially under the WLTP testing regime. That’s with front-wheel drive. Opt for four-wheel drive and you’ll get 47.1mpg.  

The 1.4 petrol engine returns 39.2mpg at best, with four-wheel drive and an automatic gearbox knocking 10% off that. All of those figures are about par for the small SUV class, but some rivals have more economical petrol engines. 

What we love

The Vauxhall Mokka is one of the better-equipped small SUVs out there, even in entry-level trim – which means you get a lot for your money. You also get a decent amount of space for four adults and a well-shaped boot that’s easy to slide bulky items in and out of. The Mokka is perfect for couples, young families and retired folk who tend to prioritise having a few luxuries over a fun driving experience.

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Perfect for

Town and country drivers

Parents

Verdict

Average

The compact Mokka X is perfect for those who love the idea of a proper grown-up SUV and a spacious interior but don’t want the hassle of getting it to fit in a parking space. It’s a good-looking thing, with lots of kit as standard and a five-star rating from crash experts Euro NCAP.

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