Vauxhall Mokka Review & Prices

The Mokka is Vauxhall’s stylish, affordable, small SUV offering. It looks great, the entry-level models come well-equipped and interior quality is generally solid, but the boot is small and upper trim levels are pricey.

If you boil it down, the Mokka is a slightly fancier take on a very simple, popular, family car recipe. Think of it as Tesco Finest sausages with a pomme puree and home-made gravy, as opposed to bangers and mash with a bit of Bisto on the side.

But, as with sausages, there are a crazy number of similarly-sized, similarly-priced cars on sale at the moment. From the properly posh Peugeot 2008 and super stylish Renault Captur to the rufty-tufty Dacia Duster and frugal Toyota Yaris Cross, you’re spoilt for small-SUV choice.

The BYD Dolphin and Jaecoo 5 are similarly-sized alternatives to consider. In-house, the Vauxhall Frontera offers more practicality, while the Mokka Electric is a petrol-free way to get around.

Though only the Peugeot and Renault match the Mokka for style, because the Vauxhall really is a sharp-looking little thing. Even the entry-level Griffin model gets two-tone paint, the awesome ‘Vizor’ headlight panel, diamond-cut alloys and chunky wheel-arch cladding.

The interior isn’t quite up to scratch when compared to the aforementioned cars, though. It looks upmarket, with a two-in-one infotainment and driver display angled towards the driver. Unfortunately the graphics aren’t particularly crisp, while the central screen is slow and clunky to use.

Interior quality is generally high. Although there are a fair amount of hard, scratchy plastics in easy-to-reach places, everything feels well put together.

Cabin space is fine, no more, no less. There’s enough room to get comfortable up front, with a bit of storage for odds and ends, but the back seats are tight and the Mokka’s sleek roofline eats away at head room. The 350-litre boot is tiny compared to the alternatives, closer in size to a Corsa than a Renault Captur.

You can choose from a 1.2-litre petrol engine - in automatic or manual guise - or a 1.2-litre, automatic-only hybrid engine instead. The hybrid assistance is very mild, though, so don’t expect a lot of low-speed electric drive as you would in a Toyota Yaris Cross. We’d go for the petrol option instead, which is particularly good value with the manual transmission.

It’s a doddle to drive around town, with light controls, soft suspension soaking up bad roads and good forward visibility. The view behind you is poor, however, so the GS model might entice you with its reversing camera.

The Mokka is quiet and composed on the motorway, too, but you need a top-spec model to get adaptive cruise control. Don’t bother trying to carve through corners on a twisty road, because even with a manual gearbox the little Vauxhall isn’t fun to drive.

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Starting at under £26,000 in entry-level Griffin trim, the Mokka may seem expensive when compared to the Skoda Kamiq and SEAT Arona, as well as the Renault Captur, but that gap shrinks by the time the alternatives have enough options fitted to match the Mokka’s equipment levels.

The Peugeot 2008 is a bit more expensive and the Volkswagen T-Cross is similarly priced, but both offer posher, more premium-feeling cabins - and have more desirable badges on the steering wheel.

Mid-range GS trim adds powerfold mirrors, keyless entry-and-go and an upgraded security system. Top-spec Ultimate models feature wireless phone charging, built-in navigation (but you’re going to use Apple Carplay or Android Auto anyway) and matrix LED headlights.

The Mokka deals with bumps reasonably well and it’s easy to drive, but it’s really boring behind the wheel

In town

The Mokka’s light steering and compact dimensions mean it’s easy to drive through tight spaces and in town, especially compared to bigger SUVs. The suspension does a decent job smoothing out most bumps and potholes – even on the bigger 18-inch wheels fitted to the GS and Ultimate trims.

You get a better view out of the Vauxhall Mokka than in regular hatchbacks such as the Vauxhall Corsa thanks to its raised suspension and tall body, but the difference isn’t as huge as you may think.

While looking forwards is fine, the narrow rear windscreen and small back windows can make parallel parking or slotting into a tight multi-storey space a little tricky, though you do get rear parking sensors on all cars. You need to step up to the GS model for a reversing camera.

On the motorway

The Vauxhall Mokka is a fairly quiet car to drive, which makes longer journeys much easier on your ears. You won’t hear too much noise from any of the engines unless you accelerate hard, and you’ll only notice a slight wind whistle from the door mirrors at motorway speeds.

You can’t get a diesel engine anymore, though both petrol and mild hybrid engines have enough performance to keep up on the motorway and are economical in the process.

You get cruise control as standard, as well as lane-keeping in automatic models only. If you want adaptive cruise control, to maintain your speed and distance to the car in front, you need a top-spec Ultimate model.

On a twisty road

The Mokka is not designed to be a sports car, but even so it is not as much fun to drive as a Ford Puma. The steering has good weight and feel, but the body leans in corners and the car isn’t keen to change direction quickly.

Don’t think opting for the manual gearbox will make things more fun, either. It’s a light throw so there’s not much satisfaction to be had shifting gears. The hybrid has a bit more power, which will put a bit more of a smile on your face, but comes with an automatic gearbox – neither is particularly thrilling.

Front seat passengers get a decent deal, but the rear cabin is a squeeze for adults and alternatives have more boot space

The Vauxhall Mokka’s cabin feels pretty roomy in the front. The seats are comfortable and come with a decent amount of adjustment so you’ll be able to get a good view out whether you’re small or very tall. The steering wheel adjusts for reach and rake too, so most drivers will be able to find a comfortable driving position.

Storage space is okay, with respectably sized door pockets and a tray below the centre of the dashboard which is perfect for storing a phone – on the top models this area will wirelessly charge it too. It’s slightly more awkward to access on cars fitted with a manual transmission though, as the gear lever dominates the centre console.

Two cupholders sit behind the gear lever, with an armrest which covers another generously-sized storage cubby.

Space in the back seats

It’s best to describe the back seats as cosy. The doors themselves are small, meaning larger adults will find it tricky to fold themselves in. Once there, six-foot-tall passengers don’t have much headroom to spare and their knees will touch the front seats if they’re sitting behind an equally tall driver.

The central rear seat is raised, which limits headroom further, but at least there’s enough space for three kids to sit side-by-side without the need to fight over elbow room – unless there are child seats involved, which will eat into the available room further.

The Mokka’s relatively small rear windows mean the view out isn’t fantastic, and the dark interior fabrics can make things feel a little too dreary at times too.

Boot space

The Vauxhall Mokka has a 350-litre boot, which is enough for a weekly shop or some light luggage for a weekend away. However, pretty much everything else you might consider has more capacity, particularly the Renault Captur (484 litres), Dacia Duster (472 litres) and Toyota Yaris Cross (397 litres).

You can fold the rear seats to open up 1,105 litres, though there’s a bit of a lip which can make it tricky to push heavy items through. The seats don’t fold particularly flat, either.

The Mokka looks smarter than many small SUVs inside and feels solidly built, but its infotainment system isn’t the most intuitive

The Vauxhall Mokka’s cabin is more interesting than the interiors of most alternatives, but it can’t quite match the style you get in a Peugeot 2008. That might suit you though if you prefer the more restrained – and arguably more sensible – design.

You get a twin-screen setup, with two 10.0-inch displays for the infotainment system and instruments. It looks pretty upmarket, similar to the setups you get in much posher cars, but the system itself is slow and clunky to use. The Renault Captur’s Google-based system is infinitely better.

At least you get wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which is useful for bypassing most of Vauxhall’s setup, and the fact there are still physical controls for some functions, such as the climate control, means you’re not messing about in the touchscreen for a simple temperature change.

Most of the Mokka’s materials feel pretty solid. There are a few hard plastics on the doors and beside the centre console, but the soft dashboard trim and sturdy buttons and controls feel pleasingly well made.

The engine range is quite simple, with a 1.2-litre petrol engine available in three different variations.

Most people will find the entry level engine is the most affordable if you’re only planning on keeping the car for a few years. It makes 136hp and comes with a six-speed manual gearbox. It’s the cheapest of the line-up to buy and official fuel economy of 49.6mpg is respectable. You can have this petrol engine with 130hp and an automatic gearbox, but it’s more expensive and, officially, isn’t quite as good on fuel.

The hybrid is the pick of the bunch, money no object, because you get the smoothness of electric assistance and an automatic gearbox. It’s pricier than the other engines, but fuel economy of up to 58.8mpg in official tests will offset that if you plan to keep the car for a long time.

Low emissions mean you have to pay relatively low first-year Vehicle Excise Duty, and there are no worries about paying the expensive car supplement in years two to six, either. You’re better off looking at a plug-in hybrid model, such as the MG HS, if you’re a company car chooser, because it has a lower benefit-in-kind rating. There’s also the Vauxhall Mokka Electric, which sits in the lowest company car tax band because it’s an EV.

The Vauxhall Mokka received a four-star Euro NCAP rating back in 2021, which is the same as the Renault Captur and higher than the Dacia Duster. The Skoda Kamiq and Toyota Yaris Cross scored the full five stars.

You get all the basic assistance kit such as driver drowsiness monitoring and traffic sign recognition, as well as basic cruise control. Step up to the Griffin trim and you get rain-sensing windscreen wipers, while GS models add parking cameras. Top-spec Ultimate models get adaptive cruise control, matrix LED headlights and a blind spot warning.

Vauxhall performed very well in the 2025 Driver Power owner satisfaction survey, coming fourth out of 31 manufacturers. That should bode well for your ownership, with added peace of mind.

As with all other Vauxhalls, the Mokka is covered by a three-year or 60,000-mile warranty. That’s pretty much the bare minimum these days, and rivals such as Kia and MG offer seven year cover, while Toyota leads the way with its ten-year warranty.