Opel Mokka (2021) Review
Written by Justin Delaney, an Independent Reviewer, Journalist, and Motor expert.
You have probably seen the new Opel Mokka already on Irish roads and we say this because it really leaves an impression! The Mokka was the second new model from the Opel stable in 2021 shortly after the Crossland, which we reviewed a few weeks back. Both are sporting a totally new design language but we think it’s the Mokka that will grab the most headlines.
When Opel announced the new Mokka most of us were thinking it would simply be another modernised SUV like the Mokka X from which, its namesake was born. How wrong we all were! Eye-catching and boldly styled, it features Opel’s exciting new Vizor front face and super cool new Pure Panel interior cockpit. Like most current offerings from the German giant, the Mokka is available in petrol, diesel and all-electric and it will kick off from €23,295 plus delivery related charges for the SC 1.2 petrol 100bhp model.
Features
On approach, the new Mokka has noticeably short overhangs, a wide stance and at 4.15m long it has a real chunky appearance. It somehow blends a retro and modern design all at once thanks to the Opel Vizor front face and redesigned Opel Blitz lightning bolt on the nose. Inside, the new Opel Pure Panel integrates two widescreen displays of up to 10 and 12 inches in size with zero distractions. Just the essentials are within reach with the central display tilted towards the driver.
What we love is, you are not scrolling through menus looking for air-con and radio controls etc. Opel still favour the traditional intuitive button as a means to control the vitals. Like most modern Opel’s in the current lineup buyers get a choice of specification to include in SC, SRI and Elite trims. Standard equipment on the entry level SC trim includes enhanced traffic sign recognition, lane keep assist, collision avoidance sensor with brake assist, pedestrian detection alert, electronic cruise control with speed limiter, rear parking sensors with rear view camera, air conditioning, 7-inch colour touchscreen, 7-inch colour driver instrument cluster and 16-inch alloy wheels.
The sporty SRI trim which we would pick, comes in at €24,795 and you will also get heated front seats, electronic climate control, rain sensing front windscreen wipers, electro-chrome rear view mirror, auto lights, front centre armrest, sports alloy pedals, SRI red interior trim, leather-effect seat trim, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 2 additional USB ports in the rear, a black painted roof, tinted rear window privacy glass, 17-inch alloy wheels and LED front fog lamps. This is a phenomenal amount of spec at that price point but Opel go even one further with the luxurious Elite trim priced from €27,795. This package adds driver seat massage function, leather upholstery, 10-inch colour touchscreen with navigation, an enhanced 12-inch multi-colour driver instrument cluster and 17-inch bi-colour black alloy wheels. That’s a lot of car for the money!
Power
Regardless of your chosen trim level, Opel offer a lively yet economical bunch of petrol and diesel engines with power outputs ranging from 100hp to 130hp. Entry kicks off with the 1.2 petrol 100bhp turbo 6-speed manual (5.7l/100km). If you need a little more power then step up to the 1.2 130bhp turbo available in both manual or automatic.
Despite producing more power, fuel consumption from this all-aluminium engine remains excellent from both the 6-speed manual or seamless 8-speed automatic transmission. (5.6-6.0l/100km). The two petrol engines are joined by a frugal 1.5-litre diesel producing 110bhp and mated to a 6-speed manual. (4.5l/100km). But where is the electric offering we hear you ask? Well if you pick either the SRI or Elite trim, you can choose to drive in silence thanks to the 100kW (136hp) electric motor. This is a hoot to drive with 260Nm of torque on tap! In the WLTP cycle, the 50kWh battery allows the Mokka-e to travel up to 324 kilometres before recharging is needed.
Drivers can choose between three drive modes Normal, Eco and Sport. After a week spent with both the 1.2 petrol and electric variant, it’s the electric version we would pick. A 100 kW DC fast-charger replenishes 80% of the battery in just 30 minutes and for piece of mind, Opel offers an eight-year/160,000km warranty for the battery!
Safety
In crash tests the Opel Mokka scored 73% and 75% in the adult and child occupant categories respectively. There's a full complement of driver's, passenger's, seat and side curtain airbags, along with ISOFIX child-seat mounting points with top tether mounts in the outer rear seats. To help avoid a collision occurring, autonomous emergency braking is fitted as standard across the trims, along with lane keeping and traffic-sign recognition. The SRI trim gains a wide-angle rear-view camera and Ultimate Nav trim benefits from blind-spot alerts, front parking sensors and LED Matrix headlights that can adapt to the weather, road and traffic conditions.
Opel Mokka Prices
As mentioned above entry into Mokka ownership starts at €23,295. We spent some time with both the petrol 1.2 130hp SRI priced at €26,295 and the Mokka-e priced at €33,038. With so many variants and transmission pairings there is bound to a Mokka at the price point that suits you. Finance and PCP options are also available through your local Opel dealer.
Summary
To summarise we like to talk about the drive and what an engaging little car the Mokka is. The engineering team in Rüsselsheim worked particularly hard to reduce weight, saving up to 120kg vs the previous generation and its noticeable. It feels more responsive, agile and fun to drive and it doesn’t half turn heads on the road. Opel took on the mantra “Dare To Be Different” some time ago and with the Mokka they are doing just that. In a world of sedated car design we love to see something different and the futuristic ‘moon buggy’ like Mokka certainly ticks that box. Opel have hinted the rebirth of the Manta might be inbound and if the concept car was anything to go by, we are in for an exciting time as Opel throw away the rule book and get creative with their cars once again.
Spending a week with both the petrol and electric Mokka was a pleasure but if we were spending our money in the morning, it would be on the electric variant. We got around 290 kilometers of range driving it both in town and on the motorway. It manages battery efficiency pretty good but more importantly; it suits the futuristic styling so well. When people see the Mokka they nearly expect it to be electric! Go take a test drive.
Opel Mokka Pros
Styling
Interior
Electric
Opel Mokka Cons
Not a lot really
To watch our video review of the Opel Mokka, please click here.
To check out Opel stock on DoneDeal, click here.
DoneDeal hosts the widest selection of cars for sale in Ireland, with 78,000 on sale today. The vast majority of those, over 60,000, are from over 1,000 trusted local dealerships that offer certainty in your purchase through warranties History checks.
One car ad is placed every minute on DoneDeal, with about 600,000 cars advertised a year. DoneDeal is Ireland's No.1 Motor Website with over 70 million car searches taking place annually. To check out DoneDeal’s range of cars from all of Ireland’s trusted car dealerships, see here.
