Vauxhall Mokka X Design Nav (2016) 4WD review

The Mokka was launched back in 2013 but as part of last year’s facelift the X suffix was added to the name with the car now playing a pivotal role in Vauxhall’s fast evolving crossover strategy.

The Mokka X is now one of two B-SUVs being sold by Vauxhall dealers with the slightly smaller Crossland X sitting below it. The Mokka X will continue to go head to head with the Nissan Juke while its new sibling is more of a family orientated model. Completing the line-up this year will be the top-end Grandland X SUV which Vauxhall expects will become its second biggest selling retail car.

Collectively these three models will see Vauxhall dealers operating in the sweet spot of the new car market as SUVs and crossovers continue to take market share from more conventional hatchbacks.

The Mokka has been something of a success story for the brand having sold over 120,000 units since launch and was the top selling B-SUV in 2016; clearly a popular choice amongst retail customers.

For the Mokka X, Vauxhall has significantly upgraded the car over its predecessor with a revised front and rear design, refreshed interior and higher levels of connectivity. The changes undoubtedly help improve the model’s showroom appeal but are they enough to raise its game above the increasing number of competitors?

We tested the 4X4 140PS 1.4-litre petrol turbo model in mid-range Design Nav trim with a six-speed manual gearbox and a £19,940 price tag.

The refreshed interior includes an attractive new dashboard, borrowed from the latest Astra, which is more clutter-free than before. At its heart is an easy to use 7-inch colour touchscreen infotainment system which offers comprehensive connectivity, including the excellent smartphone aping Apple CarPlay and Andriod Auto interfaces, satellite navigation and hand-free mobile phone usage.

The Mokka also now includes Vauxhall’s impressive OnStar personal connectivity service offering 24 hour live audio access to an adviser. We tested the service and discovered it could unlock your car remotely, if required, guide you to a nearby restaurant or take over in the case of an accident if it detects that the airbags have been deployed. It also provides a wifi hotspot for up to seven devices.

Cabin space is good with plenty of headroom in the front and legroom in the rear. However, the driver’s seat is over firm and we struggled to get a comfortable back position over the course of our week long test. This was exacerbated by its firm ride which felt bumpy on all but the smoothest of road surfaces.

The 1.4-litre turbo petrol is impressive. With 140PS on tap it quietly punches above its weight and makes for an engaging all-rounder. It also proved economic to run with an average of 40.6mpg against the clamed combined figure of 40.6mpg. The six-speed manual transmission also proved to be quietly efficient.

Our test car also featured Vauxhall’s adaptive all-wheel drive system which is set to power the front wheels with the all-wheel drive kicking in automatically when road conditions dictate thus saving on unnecessary fuel consumption.

Ultimately the Mokka X presents buyers with an even more compelling proposition than before and raises its game in a competitive market, although Vauxhall dealers will need to take time to explain the differences between the Crossland X and forthcoming Grandland X.

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