Vauxhall Mokka X Design Nav 1.6CDTi 110hp EcoFlex review

The Mokka has been a huge success for Vauxhall, surpassing 120,000 sales in the UK since it was launch back in 2012.

A new name and a raft of new technology are among the key changes for the 2016 model, which is set to go on sale in October.

What’s new?

Every SUV and Crossover from Vauxhall will now feature an ‘X’ in its name, and the design changes over the standard Mokka include a new front-end featuring a broad grille and double-bladed daytime running lights, at the rear a revised bumper and some new taillights are among the key changes.

Inside the improvements are significant with a new centre console similar to the latest Astra introduced, there’s also thankfully fewer buttons and a seven- or 8-inch touchscreen on display.

The trim line-up has also been revised, there are now four to choose from; Design Nav, Active, Elite and Elite Nav. Standard equipment is generous with new connectivity software and the firm’s personal assistant system, OnStar, now available across the range.

Diesel still tops the sales

An all-new 152hp petrol engine with all-wheel drive joins the Mokka X line-up, however it’s the front-wheel drive 1.6-litre diesel, tested here, which is going to prove the most popular for fleets.

Available only with the firm’s slick six-speed manual gearbox, there’s a choice of two power outputs; 110hp and 136hp.

Here we’re testing the former, which offers the lowest CO2 emissions of the range at 103g/km, slotting the car into a 20 percent BIK band for the current 2016/17-year.

The figures are competitive rather than class leading, with one of its main rivals, the Renault Captur, and even the bigger Nissan Qashqai and Renault Kadjar, offering diesels with sub 100g/km.

Under the bonnet the engine develops 110hp and 300Nm of torque and on the road it has to labour hard at times, particular on hilly terrain, to get decent performance, the 0-60mph sprint is achieved in a lengthy 11.5 seconds. We prefer the 136hp unit, seen also in the Astra, it’s a more versatile unit for everyday use and offers decent pull at low revs for only a small 3g/km CO2 increase.

The 110hp engine can be noisy at times too, especially at lower speeds around town and the ride is firm with the suspension struggling to retain composure even on fairly even surfaces.

Overall the car is easy to drive, though, and proved composed in the corners, its combined fuel economy of 72.9mpg is pretty good too and the light steering, although lacking feel, is well-weighted.

New trim line-up

Here we’re testing the Mokka X in entry-level Design Nav, which replaces the TechLine trim in the old line-up. Standard kit is very generous, the highlights include 17-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control, automatic lights with high beam, cruise control, an 8-inch touchscreen system, front and rear parking sensors, satnav and LED daytime running lights.

Vauxhall is claiming that the Mokka X will be the best-connected car in its segment with both its IntelliLink system with satnav and Apple CarPlay and the firms OnStar personal assistant service offered as standard across the range.

OnStar in particular is a welcomed addition, already available in the Astra, the system includes Wi-Fi capabilities for up to seven devices, crash response which will automatically alert the emergency services if the airbags are deployed and a 24/7 call centre service you can activate by touching a button in the cabin, advisors can send directions to the car satnav or diagnose issues with the car if you breakdown or have a fault light come up.

It’s not perfect, especially the call centre service as you need to allow for human error, on several occasions we were sent the wrong satnav address details because the assistant on the phone didn’t understand where we wanted to go. That said, the Wi-Fi capabilities are excellent and the extra piece of mind you get from the safety benefits diminish any real niggles with the technology.   

Inside is spacious enough, although rear legroom may be a squeeze for adults over longer journeys, and the new centre console is a marked improvement over the previous model. There are a few features, like the driver information display and aircon controls that still look pretty dated, though, and there are a few cheaper plastic lurking around the cabin too.

Boot space is the same as before at 356 litres, big enough for a couple of mid-sized suitcases or the weekly shop.  

What about whole-life costs?

The Mokka stands up well against its rivals on the whole-life cost front, largely thanks to its strong residual value figure of 39% that only the Suzuki Vitara can match. Per mile the Mokka X costs 41.5p, which betters the comparable Juke but cannot compete with the Renault Captur’s 40.6p figure or the Suzuki Vitara’s 41.1p per-mile cost.