Vauxhall Mokka Review 2024

If you're looking for a comfortable small SUV that'll be cheap to run, the Vauxhall Mokka is a great choice. It's not as fun to drive as alternatives like the Ford Puma, while the Skoda Kamiq is a more practical choice. However, it's very stylish and has that high seating position that many buyers are after.

The small SUV market is now flooded with very good cars. You should also consider the SEAT Arona and Skoda Kamiq, while the Ford Puma is a sportier choice that represents good value for money. 

The Hyundai Kona is a dependable alternative that'll be cheap to run, as is the new Hyundai Bayon. The Peugeot 2008 shares its platform with the Mokka but is a slightly posher choice, while the Citroen C3 Aircross is a comfortable alternative. The Renault Captur and Nissan Juke are both worthy of your consideration, not to mention Vauxhall's own Crossland, too.

The Vauxhall Mokka's a bit of a mixed bag in terms of interior quality. Sure, it's a step up compared to its predecessor, but you'll find fewer squishy materials than in a Peugeot 2008 or Hyundai Bayon. Some of the buttons feel particularly flimsy and, as we've already touched upon, it's very spec-dependent.

The Vauxhall Mokka Design comes with a basic 7.0-inch colour touchscreen media system with Bluetooth, USB connectivity and DAB radio, while the GS and Ultimate trims feature a 10-inch nav system as well as a 12-inch digital instrument cluster instead of analogue dials.

We've only tried the bigger 10-inch infotainment system and, while it covers the basics, it's a bit laggy to use. Fortunately, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across the range – meaning you can bypass the Mokka's own media system and mirror apps from your phone instead.

The Vauxhall Mokka is pitched as a more stylish alternative to the Vauxhall Crossland, which explains why it has a smaller boot than its affordable sibling. The boot space in the Vauxhall Mokka will officially accommodate up to 350 litres of luggage, which is actually less than the majority of its rivals. The Skoda Kamiq, Renault Captur, Ford Puma, Volkswagen T-Roc, Peugeot 2008 and Nissan Juke can all carry more.

This figure only tells part of the story, though. It's a usefully wide boot, without too much of an intrusion from the wheel arches, while a height-adjustable boot floor reduces the lip (making loading easier). If you do need more space, the rear seats fold down to accommodate up to 1105 litres of luggage – although it's a shame the rear bench doesn't slide backwards and forwards for extra versatility.

At just under 4.2m long and a touch under 1.8m wide, the 2022 Vauxhall Mokka delivers a reasonable amount of space in the front, while you'll find the usual mix of cup holders and door pockets for storing your odds and ends. Things aren't so great in the back of the Mokka, where rear passengers will feel cramped and claustrophobic – especially if they're anywhere near six feet tall.

The majority of Vauxhall Mokkas on the market are powered by a peppy little 1.2-litre petrol engine. This is available with two outputs: 100PS until 2024, 130PS (with an eight-speed auto only) or 136PS. It's a characterful little three-cylinder turbocharged unit. That means it's great around town, while there's enough shove for keeping up with traffic on the motorway.

There's a choice of a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic gearboxes. Choosing between these will come down to personal preference, really. The auto gearbox is fine, if a little hesitant at times (like a lot of modern autos, unfortunately), but it does take a lot of the strain out of heavy traffic.

There's also a diesel offering – something that's increasingly rare in cars of this size. This is a 1.5-litre diesel, which is ideal if you're planning to cover a lot of motorway miles or need to tow a trailer. You'll need to look to the used market for this as it was dropped from the line-up in late 2022.

While it's not as hushed as premium alternatives like the Audi Q2, the Vauxhall Mokka is a pretty refined small SUV. You won't notice too much of a thrum from the tyres (although it's always worth opting for the smaller alloy wheels if this is a concern), and wind noise is no worse than rivals.

In true three-cylinder petrol fashion, the 1.2-litre engine will make its presence known around town. It's a bit buzzy, particularly if you're working it hard in stop-start traffic, but it soon settles down during a cruise.

The Vauxhall Mokka scored a disappointing four stars out of five when it was crash-tested by Euro NCAP in 2021. The vehicle safety body was pretty damning of this result, stating: "The new Mokka lacks some critical safety systems that have become increasingly commonplace by now. The latest edition clearly lacks the ambition of the previous Mokka that was a runner-up of 2012 Best in Class in the Small Family category.”

It was particularly criticised for its lack of cyclist protection as part of the autonomous emergency braking system, while there's no centre airbag. It failed to break the five-star threshold in any area of assessment, said NCAP.

However, that doesn't mean the Mokka is fundamentaly an unsafe car, and there is quite a lengthy list of standard safety kit. The aforementioned autonomous emergency braking can apply the brakes if it detects a potential collision with another car or pedestrian, while hill start assist will prevent the car from rolling backwards when setting off on an incline. ISOFIX child seat mounting points are fitted to the outer rear seats. 

As a brand, Vauxhall doesn't have the best reliability record. It scored a middling result for reliability in the latest HonestJohn.co.uk Satisfaction Index.

That said, the latest Vauxhall Mokka shares a platform (and many mechanical parts) with other Stellantis models (such as the Citroen C4 and Peugeot 2008). It's a world apart from the old model, which means it could potentially be a lot more reliable.

The most affordable Vauxhall Mokka to insure will be the Mokka SE with the 1.2 petrol engine, as this falls into insurance group 12. A Design model with the same engine is in group 14, while the more powerful models top out in group 20. Diesel models are placed into insurance group 14 or 15, depending on trim level.

In reality, the Vauxhall Mokka shouldn't be any more expensive than alternatives to insure. As ever, we'd recommend shopping around for quotes, especially if you're a young or inexperienced driver.

The first year's VED car tax is based on CO2 emissions, so you'll pay between £210 and £255 depending on engine and specification you pick with the Vauxhall Mokka. This is lumped into the car's on-the-road price, though, so you won't really notice it – and won't be an issue if you buy a used or pre-registered model.

After the first year, all Mokka models will be charged the same flat rate of £180/year in VED. That's the same as rivals, aside from hybrid models (which qualify for a £10/year discount), while electric alternatives like the Mokka-e are free to tax until April 2025.

Vauxhall loves an extensive model line-up and the Mokka has been no exception until fairly recently. The range started with the Mokka SE model, which is pretty comprehensively equipped for an entry-level car. Standard kit includes a seven-inch touchscreen media system (with DAB radio, Bluetooth and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto), 16-inch alloy wheels, cruise control and air conditioning. LED head and taillights are standard, too, as well as automatic emergency city braking and forward collision alert.

The Mokka SRi is a slightly sportier choice, with exterior highlights including 18-inch bi-colour alloy wheels (with red accents), a black roof and red upper window moulding. The rear windows are tinted, while tech highlights include adaptive cruise control, automatic headlights and a panoramic rear-view camera with rear parking sensors. Heated front seats are standard, too, as well as alloy sports pedals and electronic climate control.

As its name suggests, the SRi Nav Premium adds sat nav with a 10-inch colour touchscreen display. There's also a 12-inch digital instrument cluster, two USB ports for rear-seat passengers, a side blind sport alert and parking sensors for the front and rear. There's also keyless entry/start and a heated steering wheel.

Mokka Elite Nav models build on the SE trim with a sat-nav system, 17-inch bi-colour alloy wheels, black roof and adaptive cruise control. Rain-sensitive windscreen wipers are standard, as well as heated front seats and a heated steering wheel. It gets a rear-view camera, reversing sensors and electrically foldable door mirrors.

The Elite Nav Premium adds the bigger 10-inch Navi Pro sat-nav system, a 12-inch digital instrument cluster and keyless entry/start. Front and rear parking sensors are standard, too.

The Ultimate Nav model is fully-loaded, building on the Elite Nav trim with the 10-inch nav system, 12-inch digital instrument cluster and 18-inch bi-colour alloy wheels. Alcantara seat trim is standard, as well as a wireless phone charger and dark-tinted rear windows. Keyless entry is standard, as well as automatic headlight levelling and LED Matrix headlights.

Topping the range for a brief period is the Launch Edition model, which builds on the Ultimate Nav trim with leather seats, massage functionality for the driver's seat and advanced park assist.

From April 2022, Vauxhall slimmed down and revised the Mokka line-up to just three trims: Design, GS, and Ultimate. The Design comes with lane departure warning, lane keep assist, speed sign recognition, auto emergency braking, cruise control, automatic lights & wipers, high beam assist, LED headlights and tail lights, Pure Panel twin 7.0-inch screens and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.

The GS adds two-tone styling with 18-inch bi-colour alloy wheels, black roof and mirrors and sports bodykit. Climate control, keyless start and power folding door mirrors, rear parking sensors and the upgraded Pure Panel with 10-inch driver and 12-inch infotainment screens.

Head for the Ultimate and you'll enjoy Alcantara seat trim, keyless entry and start, IntelliLux LED matrix adaptive headlights, advanced park assist, blind spot alert, adaptive cruise control, and lane positioning assist.