2014 Vauxhall Mokka Exclusive 1.4 petrol turbo from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Good, but the ride disappoints

General Comments:

Being in the market for a crossover which would fit in my garage, I test-drove this car extensively. As there are no Mokka reviews on this site, I thought it might be worthwhile to post my brief opinion, comparing my experience with the Suzuki SX4 and Hyundai iX20, which to be fair - are both a few inches shorter.

The good:

Lengthwise, it's roomy for the class (about the same footprint as the Hyundai i30). Plenty of head and leg-room, also has a decent boot which extends very easily. Not as big as the iX20, though - that feels bigger all round inside.

The engine is quiet in normal use and powerful enough for this car. I wanted the auto (not available for test) and would expect it to still be OK even if the box saps a bit of power. It sat at 70mph on the motorway with no problem at all.

Handling was fine for the type, with light positive steering, although I wouldn't claim to be an expert on this - I don't drive like a journo!

Standard of build (in Korea!) is OK and there are plenty of soft-touch surfaces in the cabin. I was more impressed than I expected with this. This car was around £19k, but the Tech Line is a couple of grand less, and if you have cash - is much better value. Either way, you're getting a fair bit of kit with auto wipers/lights, front/rear sensors. The top models are over £20k though, and that's a bit much I think.

Special mention must go to the dual-zone climate control. On full heat, it's positively volcanic! And you can definitely have this to one side, while freezing your cojones off on the other side! If a good heater is important to you, try the petrol Mokka.

The not-so-good:

The cabin may be 'long', but it is noticeably narrow; you're sitting very close to your passenger. Neither of us is big, but the cabin width felt like going back a few years. A bit like the SX4, except that car has big windows and a lower waistline, so not so claustrophobic.

The ride! Although Vauxhall apparently did work to soften it up after the press mauled it, it's still very jiggly/hard. You can feel every little road imperfection. Way too hard for us, and that was the reason we rejected the car out of hand. It would be OK if you like it that way, of course.

To conclude:

If you can live with the ride and narrow cabin, and want that type of car, there seems little reason not to buy. We couldn't live with the ride though, and were sorry to have to move on.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 2nd June, 2014