Opel Mokka

Opel Mokka at a glance

The Mokka was Opel's small SUV, launched when the segment was growing fast in Europe. The first generation was developed by General Motors alongside the Chevrolet Trax and Buick Encore and became an immediate success: Opel reported 500,000 orders by January 2016, and European production peaked at about 170,000 cars in 2017. After PSA bought Opel in 2017, the second Mokka was developed on PSA's Common Modular Platform, shared with the Peugeot 2008.

Opel's history from sewing machines to cars is told in the story of Opel, and the brand's line-up is in the Opel catalogue.

First generation: Mokka and Mokka X (2012–2019)

Sales began in late 2012 for the 2013 model year, with production in Zaragoza, Spain, among other plants. The front-wheel-drive Mokka was the core model, and an optional all-wheel-drive system sent all power to the front wheels until it detected slip, hard acceleration or tight cornering, then sent up to 50% of the torque to the rear. Kerb weight was 1,293 kg (2,851 lb) with front-wheel drive and 1,386 kg (3,056 lb) with AWD.

The facelifted Mokka X went on sale in late 2016 for the 2017 model year. It added new headlights, LED tail lights, a redesigned dashboard with a touchscreen centre stack and the more powerful 1.4 direct-injection turbo.

The boot holds 356 litres (12.6 cu ft) with the rear seats up and 1,372 litres (48.5 cu ft) with them folded. Owners liked the high driving position and supportive seats, while the small rear window limits rear visibility.

Second generation: Mokka B (2020 to today)

The second Mokka was unveiled on 24 June 2020, with petrol sales starting in December 2020 and production in January 2021. It is shorter than before, front-wheel drive only and carries Opel's "Vizor" face and the Pure Panel digital cockpit.

• 1.2 turbo three-cylinder petrol: 74 kW (100 PS) and 96 kW (130 PS) with six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic; later 100 kW (136 PS) and, from 2024, 107 kW (145 PS) with a six-speed dual-clutch gearbox.
• 1.5 diesel: 81 kW (110 PS) and 250 Nm, manual only, dropped in August 2022.
• Mokka-e (Mokka Electric): 50 kWh battery and 322 km (200 miles) of WLTP range at launch, about 1,598 kg.
• Mokka GSE: electric performance version with 207 kW (281 PS) and 345 Nm, 0–100 km/h in 5.9 seconds and 200 km/h (124 mph) top speed.

A facelift unveiled on 23 October 2024 brought new lighting, the new Opel logo, a new steering wheel and more functions on the touchscreen. Production reached 82,277 in 2021, 100,937 in 2022, 99,995 in 2023 and 69,810 in 2024.

Mokka safety ratings

Euro NCAP tested the first Mokka in 2012 and awarded five stars, with 100% for safety assist; tests have become much stricter since then. Standard kit included six airbags, stability control, hill-start assist and hill-descent control, and a Forward Camera Pack added lane departure warning, forward collision warning and traffic sign recognition.

The Mokka B was tested in 2021: 73% for adult occupants, 75% for children, 58% for pedestrians and 64% for safety assist.

Mokka reliability and known faults

In the UK Driver Power survey of 2018, the Mokka X ranked 25th of 75 cars, while Vauxhall as a brand placed 22nd of 26 manufacturers. The engines are shared with many GM and PSA models, so parts are widely available.

When buying a first-generation car, check the service history of the 1.4 Turbo and the 1.7 CDTI, the AWD coupling on four-wheel-drive versions and the touchscreen on Mokka X models. On the Mokka B, the 1.2 three-cylinder petrol uses a timing belt that runs in oil, the same family that needs careful oil maintenance in the Peugeot 308; check for completed service campaigns.

Rivals: how the Mokka compares

The Mokka competes with small SUVs such as the Nissan Juke, Renault Captur, Peugeot 2008 and its sister model, and the Citroën C4 Aircross in the first generation's era. Opel's own Crossland X is a more practical, boxier alternative, while the older Opel Antara was the brand's larger SUV.