Call me old fashioned if you like, but I do prefer certain things a certain way. For example, music should tell a story (and be 80’s), jeans suit most occasions and both tea and coffee must always be hot – or at least I thought so. Then Opel gave me their ICE’d Mokka to taste, a compact SUV that’s both hot AND cool.
The Opel Mokka SRi comes to us straight outta Germany but it’s from the modern ‘Berlina’ Germany not the old industrial version, so its design and tech is ultra contemporary and its powertrain’s (either BEV or ICE) are efficient and detoxifying.
Having already reviewed the Mokka-e BEV, I was fully up to speed with compact Euro’s kerbside appeal. The exterior is sleek and modern, with a distinctive ‘Visor’ front grille, intellilux matrix headlights (a first in the segment?) and sharp lines that gives it a dynamic and sporty appearance.
My review model came in diamond black which is probably not the best colour to show off its curves (there are six options Matcha green is my favourite), but it does contrast well with the bright red slash that runs above the cabin windows and inserts in the 18-inch alloys.
Although the Opel Mokka is primarily a city based ride, the profile does come with some protective garnish around the wheel arches and sills and this theme runs to just under the rear bumper. The Mokka’s tail lights are LED, there’s a roofline spoiler to add to its aero-flare and the hatch gives you access to 350L of luggage space, 40L more than the EV-only model.
Inside the cabin, the Mokka SRI is well-equipped and comfortable and surprisingly spacious. The seats are supportive and supportive, with plenty of legroom for both driver and passengers. For those relegated to the rear, the shoulder room is fine but will require negotiation with those in the front should they need legroom.
The dashboard is well-designed and intuitive, with Opel’s new 22-inch ‘pure panel’, a driver-angled single panel when off that upon switch-on delivers both infotainment and instrumentation data – lots of both in fact.
The controls are easy-to-use with a mixture of traditional buttons and touchscreen accessibility for the infotainment, climate control, and advanced safety features. There’s a large lean towards SRi sportiness too with bright red trim contrasting against shiny piano blacks and various driving modes with ‘Sport’ being the one I used the most.
Off the mark, the Mokka ICE takes around 9 seconds to get to 100km/h which admittedly is not record breaking, but then again, it only has a 1.2L (96kW/230Nm) engine under the bonnet. But before you start getting your lederhosen in a twist, it’s a 3 cylinder set up so makes a glorious note under high revs and when not being pushed gives you 5.7L/100km economy (I managed 8L in Sport) and 130g/km emissions – happy now?
On the road, the Opel Mokka SRi delivers a smooth and responsive driving experience. The car’s suspension system does an excellent job of absorbing bumps and uneven terrain, while as outlined before, the engine is responsive and playful (certainly audibly).
This ICE model felt lighter and more nimble than its all-electric sibling and to me, the braking felt far more responsive – maybe just more traditional without any regen going on? It handles well in corners, with good grip and stability even at higher speeds, bearing in mind that this is not a sportscar, and its higher seating position and good all-round visibility made for a confident ride.
Overall, the Opel Mokka SRi is a stylish, practical, and fun-to-drive car that combines sportiness with versatility. It’s a great choice for those who want a car that can handle both city and rural-road driving, without sacrificing comfort or reasonable amounts of performance.
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