Vauxhall Mokka Review

Introduction

While the original Vauxhall Mokka was a little on the bland side with distinguishing features few and far between, the designers have certainly sharpened up the appeal with the latest model.

Would-be lease customers can choose from petrol, hybrid and fully electrified powertrains. And while the line-up was been simplified to just three trims levels called Design, GS and Ultimate, Vauxhall has now added a new fully loaded entry-level grade called Griffin, along with a high-performance rally-inspired model with GSE badging.

The new Mokka Electric features a larger 54kWh battery capable of delivering a range of up to 250 miles and Vauxhall also offers money towards a home wallbox or public charging as an incentive. Additionally, the car is eligible for the Government’s new EV grant saving £1,500 off the asking price.

We opted for the Vauxhall Mokka Electric in high-end Ultimate trim for our test drive, but with so many rival manufacturers flooding the market, will the price drops and additional financial incentives be enough to sway buyers?

At a glance

Vauxhall claims to have enhanced the five-door Mokka’s visual strengths and one glance in its direction will confirm that statement. While it was never a particularly ugly car to start off with, it really lacked any wow factor. However, the latest car looks more modern with sharper lines and features the black Visor front end that now incorporates the light clusters with distinctive daytime running lights.

A redesigned bumper improves the aerodynamics and, at the rear, the black Vauxhall Griffin emblem really stands out with the ‘MOKKA’ name in small letters across the tailgate. Add in privacy glass, a black contrast roof and 18-inch alloy wheels and the car has certainly been given a modern twist.

Key features

The fully electrified Mokka is available in various trim levels starting with Griffin, priced from £32,495 (before any grant reduction). This new grade is loaded with kit and, despite carrying a lower price-tag than the Mokka Design, boasts extra features.

That means you can expect to see a 10-inch colour touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, a six-speaker sound system, a 10-inch digital instrument cluster, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, fabric upholstery, 17-inch alloys, plus a raft of safety features and driver assistance aids.

Move up, or sideways, to Mokka Design and you actually get less in the way of comfort. It lacks the heated front seats and heated steering wheel found on the Griffin model as well as a number of distinctive design enhancements. Little point in venturing down the Design route then.

However, the Mokka GS adds a panoramic rear view camera, advanced alarm system, ambient lighting, two rear USB ports, upgraded upholstery, 18-inch alloys, a black roof, tinted windows and keyless start.

Finally Mokka Ultimate introduces the likes of Matrix headlights, front and rear parking sensors, adaptive cruise control, added safety technology, heated seats with a massage function, inbuilt sat nav, a wireless phone charger, electric vehicle route mapping and an adjustable boot floor.

Range and batteries

Up until recently, the Mokka Electric was offered with two power outputs. But now the latest car features just the larger 54kWh battery with the more powerful 156PS electric motor. This can deliver a WLTP-tested driving range of up to 250 miles between charges. This varies slightly between the various models with the Mokka Electric Griffin set at 247 miles, the Design at 248 and both GS and Ultimate at 250.

However, if the car is used regularly for motorway trips, that range drops considerably so keep that in mind if planning longer journeys.

Performance and drive

The front-wheel drive Vauxhall Mokka Electric features a 54kWh battery with electric motor delivering 156PS and 260Nm of torque. Like most EVs in its sector it’s relatively quick out the starting blocks and can sprint from 0 to 60mph in 9.0 seconds and has a top speed of 93mph.

It’s not the most dynamic to drive, and even if you flick through the drive modes from Eco and Normal into Sport, it’s still not that engaging. But many Mokka drivers will be prioritising other factors over sheer pace. For example, it’s comfortable, well equipped and has good, but not great cabin space.

And, in fairness, it’s not exactly a slouch. It’s just a bit slower than many of its rivals and that’s noticeable when you look for a quick turn of speed to overtake a slower moving vehicle. It simply isn’t there.

But when faced with twisting country lanes, the Mokka Electric is nicely balanced with minimal sign of body sway and it will cruise with ease at 70mph on motorways too.

In busier town centres, the slightly elevated driving position results in good all round visibility, which is always a plus point on a vehicle that will likely feature on the dreaded school run with cars, children and cyclists darting out from all angles. There are no paddles to adjust the strength of the regenerative braking, but a B mode does offer added resistance when you decelerate.

The steering is nicely weighted and offers ample driver feedback and, additionally, the suspension will smooth out all but the most severe bumps and dips along the way, with good all-round insulation helping to create a nicely hushed and refined cabin environment.

Charging

With a capacity for 100kW DC rapid charging, the 54kWh battery can be boosted from 10 to 80 per cent in 30 minutes. But in order to keep costs down, charging from a 7kW or 11kW wallbox will be more economical. A zero to 100 per cent charge takes 7 hours, 30 minutes via a 7kW unit or 5 hours if using an 11kW box.

Running costs and emissions

The compact electric crossover arena is a busy old place to be vying for sales right now with new models launching almost every week and many carrying bargain-basement price-tags too.

Despite price drops and a new entry-level, feature rich Griffin model, the Mokka is still middle of the road when it comes to cost. Prices start from £32,505 for the Mokka Griffin, increasing to £33,255 for the Design. Move up to Mokka Electric GS and it costs £35,105 and, finally, the range-topping Mokka Electric Ultimate is £38,105.

Our test car, the high-end Mokka Electric Ultimate, also featured premium metallic paint that looked really smart and added £650 to the final cost.

If considering the car for business purposes it has an attractive three per cent Benefit in Kind tax rating and while there has been a reduction in financial incentives for EV owners this year, the Government has just reintroduced its EV grant scheme. That means Mokka Electric buyers will receive a £1,500 discount.

On the downside, there is now a first-year road tax fee of just £10, but this increases to the standard £195 charge after 12 months. And thankfully the vehicle costs less than £40k or it would be subject to a Government Expensive Car Supplement of £425 from years two to six.

Our test car has an insurance group rating of 24 and for added peace of mind, the Mokka Electric comes with a three-year, unlimited mileage vehicle warranty extended to eight years or 100,000 miles for the battery.

Interior and tech

Vauxhall has certainly upped its game when it comes to interior design and layout. Long gone are the bland and dated cabins with cheap and nasty hard plastic. In their place is a modern, stylish interior with soft-touch surfaces, attractive upholstery and refreshed technology to explore.

Our high-end Mokka Electric Ultimate featured manually adjustable seats with lumbar support and a massage function. These were upholstered in in an eye-catching combination of vegan leather and upmarket cloth and offered ample support.

There is a frameless rear view mirror, along with a black and silver colour theme throughout and, although some surfaces may prove prone to scratching over time, it’s a marked improvement compared to older Mokka versions.

Two 10-inch infotainment screens merge seamlessly behind a curved display with sharp graphics and clear readouts. On-board technology is generous and includes full smartphone connectivity via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, in-built sat nav, a six-speaker sound system, Bluetooth and plenty more besides. It’s worth noting that only the range-topping Ultimate model, as tested, gets the built in navigation set-up. That said; most people prefer to use smartphone apps these days for directions.

Everything is well positioned for ease of use and we particularly liked the separate climate control panel with physical dials and switches – this is far easier to operate on the move rather than navigating drop-down menus on a touchscreen.

Practicality and boot space

Getting a comfortable driving position is a simple process inside the Mokka Electric with lots of manual adjustment to the seats and steering wheel and these can also be heated to fend off the winter blues. There is even a massage function which is quite a luxury on a car such as this.

The seating position is slightly elevated so the driver benefits from good all-round visibility. It is also practical if needing regular access to a child seat of if anyone struggles with mobility issues.

The vehicle stretches 4,150mm in length, is 1,987mm across (excluding mirrors), 1,534mm high and has a 2,561mm wheelbase.

That translates into a fairly spacious cabin with room for two tall adults up front without any complaints. Unfortunately back seat passengers do not fare so well with quite limited legroom. Adults will be moaning after a short journey, but the space is well suited to a trio of youngsters.

The boot is accessed via a manual tailgate and can swallow 310 litres of luggage – this is low compared to rivals and 40 litres less than the Mokka petrol model. Drop the 60:40 split-folding rear seats and the limit increases to 1,418 litres (which is the same for all powertrains). There is storage space for cables beneath the boot floor, but no frunk under the bonnet.

Throughout the cabin you will find numerous handy compartments for storage, including a compact glovebox, door bins, seat back pockets, front cup holders, a tiny cubby bin, a wireless charging pad, plus front and rear USB ports. The glovebox cover feels rather cheap and drops with quite a force too so the hinges may prove susceptible to wear over time.

But a plus point is the car’s Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) capabilities which means it can power up external appliances such as laptops, lighting and speakers etc.

Safety

The Mokka Electric has the same Euro NCAP safety rating as the combustion engine-powered models and when tested in 2021 it was awarded four out of five stars. It scored 73 per cent for Adult Occupants, 75 per cent for Child Occupants, 58 per cent for Vulnerable Road Users and 64 per cent for Safety Assist.

As you move up through the trim grades you gain extra safety features along with additional driver assistance aids.

Entry-level Mokka Electric Griffin features rear parking distance sensors, intelligent LED lights with automatic high beam assist, lane departure warning with lane keep assist, speed sign recognition, driver drowsiness alert, enhanced automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, forward collision alert (low speed), cruise control with intelligent speed limiter, hill start assist, remote central locking, Isofix child seat anchors and six airbags.

Move across to the slightly more expensive Design model and you get exactly the same safety features as the Griffin specification.

Step up to GS trim level and there is the addition of a remote control ultrasonic security alarm, plus a panoramic rear view camera.

Finally, Mokka Electric Ultimate introduces Intelli-Lux Matrix headlights, front and rear parking distance sensors, adaptive cruise control, enhanced automatic emergency braking that adds cyclist as well as pedestrian detection, lane positioning assistant, side blind spot alert, forward collision alert (all speeds), and an automatic headlight levelling system.

Options

The Vauxhall Mokka comes well equipped as standard so it’s easy to get everything you want by just moving through the trim levels. There are a few options available if you want to personalise the car though and these include metallic paint at £650, a heat pump at £400 and a body-coloured roof. This is a no-cost option on GS and Ultimate in place of the standard black roof.

Rival cars

With more and more electric crossovers landing on UK shores, competition for sales is fierce. And the Mokka Electric is up against some really big hitters, including the Kia EV3, Hyundai Kona Electric, VW ID.3, Ford Puma Gen-E, Jeep Avenger and Volvo EX30 to name just a few.

Verdict and next steps

To sum up, the Vauxhall Mokka Electric is certainly a good option for anyone looking for a compact family EV. But, despite all the design enhancements which are a huge improvement, it still trails behind some rivals.

We would certainly advise opting for the generously-equipped Mokka Electric Griffin trim level as it offers so much kit at a very tempting price. We wouldn’t give Design a second look to be honest – it costs more and has fewer features.

It may sound like we are being a little harsh but it’s a fact that the Mokka Electric faces very stiff opposition and sadly, much of it outperforms this Stellantis car in many departments.

Where to next?

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**Score based on Select’s unique meta score analysis, taking into account the UK’s top leading independent car website reviews of theVauxhall Mokka Electric

**Correct as of 01/09/2025. Based on 9 months initial payment, 5,000 miles annually, over a 48 month lease. Initial payment equivalent to 9 monthly payments, or £2,159.55 (Plus admin fee) Ts and Cs apply. Credit is subject to status.