When it first arrived in 2021, the second-generation Mokka marked a clear step forward from its much-maligned predecessor, and also marked the debut of the brand’s ‘Vizor’ design treatment. Now, the time has come for this small SUV to receive a mid-life update, with design changes including a new LED light signature and front bumper, and the removal of all chrome trim.
Interior and technology
For a range-topping model, we’d say the interior trim quality with the Ultimate equipment grade tested here is mixed – there’s a decent amount of vegan leather and brushed surfaces but also some scratchy plastic, and the overall aesthetic tends a bit towards the grey and gloomy. Other Ultimate interior specification highlights include heated seats – which seems a little stingy for the rest of the range – plus a heated steering wheel, wireless phone charging, and a driver’s seat massage function, though the latter seems a bit perfunctory to us.
Following the facelift, the Mokka comes as standard with a 10in driver display and 10in touchscreen. The driver display shows a helpful range of information including smartphone sat-nav instructions, while the infotainment screen is nicely responsive, and angled towards the driver with helpful shortcut buttons underneath. Beneath these are physical ventilation controls, which are useful, although a bit on the small side.
Rear seat legroom for adults is OK at best, with a footwell edge that slopes forward away from the seat a further restriction. Headroom though is pretty good, and there are USB ports back there (from the GS grade up), although no air vents.
A 310-litre boot is smaller than those found with rivals such as Stellantis group cousins the Fiat 600e and Peugeot E-2008. An adjustable floor with Ultimate spec allows the storing of charging cables underneath. Unusually, the boot release button is mounted above the number plate rather than in the expected place on the tailgate – which we had to watch a YouTube video before realising, and is a bit annoying since it effectively makes opening the (manual) tailgate a two-stage process.
Performance and drive
The Mokka is available with petrol, mild hybrid, and electric powertrains. The latter comes with a 156hp electric motor and a 54kWh battery, allowing an official range of up to 250 miles on the WLTP cycle (a previous 136hp, 50kWh option has been dropped with the facelift). The 156hp motor delivers enjoyably punchy acceleration in silence, without even the faint electric whining noise you sometimes get with EVs – although wind and especially road noise is fairly noticeable at motorway speeds.
As part of the facelift, Vauxhall says adjustments have been made to the tuning of the dampers and steering. For an EV the Mokka feels remarkably light on its feet – willing and responsive in corners, and able to skip over bumps in the road without major impacts, especially out of town. The steering is light, which is a boon during urban driving, yet without lacking accuracy at higher speeds. We would however like more feel to the brake pedal, which can be tricky to modulate.
One of the major aspects that Vauxhall is highlighting with the Mokka facelift is price cuts for electric versions, with the Ultimate spec tested here seeing a reduction of just under £4,000 (and the mid-range GS reduced by even more than that). However, this still isn’t enough to make the Ultimate look good value compared with rivals. Range-topping versions of the Fiat 600e and the (also Stellantis) Jeep Avenger are around £5,000 and £4,000 cheaper to buy respectively, while even the range-topping Peugeot E-2008 GT is around £700 cheaper on P11D. All those models should also work out cheaper to run than the Mokka, with the Vauxhall having the weakest expected residual values of the group.
Positive: Accomplished ride and handling, refined powertrain, good infotainment setup.
Negative: Not the best value choice, awkward boot opening, brake pedal lacks feel.
Standard equipment: LED headlights, taillights and DRLs, 17in alloy wheels, electrically adjustable/heated door mirrors, automatic wipers, electronic climate control, 10in colour touchscreen, 10in digital instrument cluster, wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto connectivity, rear parking sensors, cruise control with intelligent speed limiter, automatic high beam assist, extended traffic sign recognition, enhanced automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning with lane keep assist, driver drowsiness alert.
Engines: Petrol: 130hp 1.2, 136hp 1.2; Mild hybrid: 136hp 1.2; Electric: 156hp
Equipment grades: Design, GS, Ultimate
Transmissions: Six-speed manual, eight-speed automatic, six-speed dual-clutch automatic (mild hybrid), single-speed automatic (EV)
| Model | Vauxhall Mokka Electric Ultimate |
| P11D | £38,040 |
| Residual value | 39.8% |
| Depreciation | £22,916 |
| Fuel | £3,022 |
| Service, maintenance and repair | £1,821 |
| Cost per mile | 46.26p |
| Range | 250 miles |
| CO2 (BIK%) | 0g/km (3%) |
| BIK 20/40% a month | £19/£38 |
| Luggage capacity | 310 litres |
| Battery size/power | 54kWh/156hp |
| Score | 7/10 |
