Vauxhall Mokka SUV - Engines, drive & performance

Like other models with the same underpinnings, the Mokka feels safe and secure, but doesn't seem to prioritise driver involvement. The steering response feels more natural than in some of its Peugeot and Citroen cousins, but it still lacks in communication and feedback. There's a Sport mode, but selecting this only boosts the volume of the engine, without necessarily making it sound better.

Body lean is kept under control, which is a good thing in a car with a raised ride height. It's barely noticeable unless you start to drive the Mokka beyond its comfort zone, at which point the front tyres are likely to protest and the car will understeer. If you enjoy driving, a Ford Puma offers quite a bit more fun.

Vauxhall Mokka petrol engines

We can all remember the myriad of engines and trim levels offered in previous Vauxhall models, but as part of the Stellantis group, Vauxhall appears to be keeping things simple. There's just one 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol engine, albeit in three power levels. The entry version gets 99bhp paired with a six-speed manual gearbox and takes a respectable 10.6 seconds to get from 0-62mph. As of Spring 2023, there’s also a 134bhp version with the manual transmission, which does 0-62mph in 9.1 seconds, as does the 128bhp engine in the eight-speed automatic version.

The eight-speed transmission is smooth, particularly around town, where it's less jerky than Volkswagen's DSG automatic gearboxes, and the three-cylinder engine emits a pleasing growl at high revs.

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Diesel engines

The sole 1.5-litre diesel engine was discontinued in late 2022, and was the same one found in numerous Peugeot and Citroen models. Here it has 109bhp, and gets from 0-62mph in 10.8 seconds. However, it also has a small torque advantage over even the 128bhp petrol, giving it enough pulling power to overtake slower traffic.

Electric

Like a growing number of crossovers, the Vauxhall is available with an EV powertrain, and we've reviewed the Mokka-e separately. It's fitted with one 134bhp electric motor, sending power to the front wheels, so it's actually the most powerful version. Acceleration from 0-62mph takes 8.7 seconds, with no gear shifts thanks to a single forward gear.