We first tried the facelifted version of Vauxhall’s second-generation Mokka small SUV earlier this year, in EV form. However, one significant aspect of the update that we didn’t cover then was the addition of a new powertrain option to the range, in the form of a 48V mild hybrid, which we’re now sampling here. In the spec tested, the mild hybrid is more than £6,000 cheaper to buy than the EV – although of course it incurs far higher BIK company car tax payments.
Performance and drive
Badged (perhaps misleadingly) as simply ‘Hybrid’, the new powertrain features a 1.2-litre petrol engine, together with a 48V, 21hp electric motor, and an electrified six-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. This is designed to reduce fuel consumption, and allow the Mokka to be driven on EV-power alone at low speeds. In practice, we found that EV-only operation was only really possible in situations where we were crawling along without touching the accelerator, with even the lightest of touches on the right-hand pedal enough to fire up the petrol engine. As we further discovered, owing to some hot weather during our test, the Mokka Hybrid is even more reluctant to be EV-only while the air conditioning is running, with the petrol engine often required even while the car was stationary to keep us cool.
More positively, the powertrain has plenty of power for a car this size, and more appreciable benefits of mild hybrid assistance can be felt with strong in-gear acceleration. The three-cylinder engine is also reasonably quiet– although we did sometimes notice some strange whining sounds around town.
The Mokka Hybrid is nearly 200kg lighter than the EV, and some of the benefits of this can be felt in the handling, with the car feeling nippy, agile and willing to turn in to corners. There’s some body roll, but not enough to spoil the fun on a twisty road. The only thing that does that is numb steering – though we suspect many Mokka drivers will gladly put up with that in return for the system being light and easy to use around town. Ride quality is generally reasonable, though things can get a bit jiggly on rougher roads.
Interior and technology
Having tested the Mokka Electric in the range-topping Ultimate equipment grade, we tried the Hybrid in the mid-range GS spec. Given its positioning in the line-up, this grade comes with a decent amount of (vegan) leather trim, although the finishing around some of the plastic feels low-quality. Compared with Ultimate spec, GS misses out on features such as adaptive cruise control, matrix LED headlights, and heated seats. However, it does benefit from a reversing camera, while the whole Mokka range gets twin 10in screens handling instruments and infotainment, with useful physical ventilation controls underneath.
Compared with the EV, the Mokka Hybrid offers extra rear seat footwell space, as well as an extra 40 litres of boot capacity with the rear seats in place, an advantage that grows to 55 litres with them folded. There is however quite a high load lip – and the annoyance we previously noted from the EV remains, where the boot release button is located on the rear bumper rather than the tailgate, making opening the boot effectively a two-stage process.
Lots of Vauxhall’s fellow Stellantis brands, including Citroen, Jeep, and Peugeot, also offer 48V hybrid small SUVs, and compared to these the Mokka stacks up well on a cost per mile basis. However, we should note that despite being a full hybrid, an equivalent Renault Captur is actually cheaper to buy, as well as more fuel efficient and more powerful.
Positive: Feels more nimble than EV, strong in-gear acceleration, increased boot space.
Negative: EV-only driving capabilities limited, some trim quality disappoints.
Standard equipment: LED headlights, taillights and DRLs, 17in alloy wheels, electrically adjustable/heated door mirrors, automatic wipers, electronic climate control, 10in colour touchscreen, 10in digital instrument cluster, wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto connectivity, rear parking sensors, cruise control with intelligent speed limiter, automatic high beam assist, extended traffic sign recognition, enhanced automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning with lane keep assist, driver drowsiness alert.
Engines: Petrol: 130hp 1.2, 136hp 1.2; Mild hybrid: 136hp 1.2; Electric: 156hp
Equipment grades: Design, GS, Ultimate
Transmissions: Six-speed manual, eight-speed automatic, six-speed dual-clutch automatic (mild hybrid), single-speed automatic (EV)
| Model | Vauxhall Mokka GS Hybrid |
| P11D | £29,450 |
| Residual value | 43.1% |
| Depreciation | £17,005 |
| Fuel | £5,210 |
| Service, maintenance and repair | £2,181 |
| Cost per mile | 40.66p |
| Fuel consumption | 57.6mpg |
| CO2 (BIK%) | 110g/km (28%) |
| BIK 20/40% a month | £137/£275 |
| Luggage capacity | 350 litres |
| Engine size/power | 1,199cc/136hp |
| Score | 7/10 |
