Vauxhall Mokka (2012 - 2016) 1.7 CDTi Exclusiv 5d Owner Review

Vauxhalls take a bashing from the motoring media and folk in general but this vehicle has been solid, reliable, stylish and surprising which is probably reflected in how many are seen on UK roads. OK, they are not the panacea of motoring but mine cost less than a third of what an equivalent so-called premium brand would have cost to purchase but in my opinion performs to 95% of any of the acknowledged market leaders. Being extremely picky - one has to adapt to the car’s characteristics. Fueling is extremely lean and gearing high to achieve excellent economy but one has to negotiate slow corners in a gear lower than might be expected to prevent potential stalling. Once the technique is mastered no problems will be noticed. The clutch pedal can occasionally squeak but the take up is consistent and the gear change quality perfectly acceptable. The interior is interesting with contra-swooping lines and everything fitted as standard that I require. It is also robust save for flakey satin chrome finishing around the central control panel which peels in sub-zero temperatures. However, the rest of the car is solidly assembled and consumables (tyres and brakes) last an extremely long time. I do service my car more regularly than the recommended schedule but it has never used one single ml of oil and despite published fears re. DPF regeneration my car has never once been of concern in the 25k miles in my ownership. In summary, it is an honest everyday mode of transport with a profile different to most mainstream small SUVs. For the low purchase price they can be bought for on the used market they are more than worth consideration against those considerably more expensive models from German manufacturers.