Skip advert
Advertisement

Vauxhall Mokka review - high on kit, low on thrills - Performance and 0-60 time

Vauxhall Mokka sells well but key rivals are better

Evo rating
RRP
from £17,590
  • Roomy, well-built, quiet 'Whisper Diesel' engine
  • Poor ride, inert steering, noisy petrol engines, can be pricey

Performance and 0-60mph time

Performance is best described as leisurely – even the quickest Mokkas are somewhat restrained in their offering by today’s performance standards and there's no hotter model, like Nissan offers with its Juke Nismo RS. The diesels make the most sense given their extra mid-range grunt thanks to broad torque curves, and we'd strongly recommend turbo models for anyone doing longer trips and motorway work. 

Advertisement - Article continues below

The 1.6 petrol takes a painstaking 11.9 seconds to get from zero to 60mph and tops out at 106mph. It would be fine for an urban-based owner’s needs and it is at least relatively smooth and quiet when going about its business. The 1.4 VVT turbo petrol does anything between 9.3 (manual front-wheel drive) and 10.1 seconds (auto) for the 0-60mph sprint, with top speeds of 118- to 120mph, although it’s louder than the 1.6i.

>Read our Skoda Yeti review

It's soon to be replaced when the Mokka X arrives though, with a new 1.4-litre, direct-injected turbocharged engine. Performance will be similar (9.4sec to 60mph, 120mph) but the 151bhp unit should be more pleasant to use.

If pace is what you are after then we currently recommend going for the 134bhp 1.6 CDTi. It’s not much quicker on paper than the 1.4 petrol, but will need less fuel stops. Front-wheel drive manual and EcoFlex cars sprint from 0-60mph in 9.3 seconds, the four-wheel drive version taking 9.7 seconds and the auto checking it off in 10.3 seconds. Top speeds range from 116- to 119mph, but the healthy 236lb ft the 1.6 produces means it is by far the nicest Mokka to drive when you need to keep up with traffic flow.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

£15k off Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio super SUV
Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio
News

£15k off Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio super SUV

If you have to have an SUV, a Stelvio QV is acceptable. Now it's being heavily discounted.
8 Jul 2025
MST Mk1 Sports is a more affordable less extreme Ford Escort recreation
MST Ford Escort front
News

MST Mk1 Sports is a more affordable less extreme Ford Escort recreation

Costing a tenth of most made-new classics, the MST Mk1 Sports is comparatively accessible
8 Jul 2025
Mini JCW 2025 review – too feisty for its own good
Mini JCW – front
Reviews

Mini JCW 2025 review – too feisty for its own good

The petrol-powered JCW lives on – for now. But in its latest incarnation, has this supermini survivor become too hardcore?
6 Jul 2025