SA Road Tests

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This is the home of automobile road tests in South Africa. I drive South African cars, SUVs and LCVs under real-world South African conditions. Many of the vehicles driven are world cars as well, so what you read here possibly applies to the models you get where you live.

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In name only: 2022 Opel Mokka 1.2T

Three-pot growl

Posted: August 3, 2022

The numbers
Prices: Elegance at R469 900, GS Line at R519 900
Engine: PSA EB2DS, 1199 cc, DOHC 12-valve, inline three-cylinder GDI with turbocharger
Power: 96 kW between 5100 and 5600 rpm
Torque: 230 Nm between 1700 and 2000 rpm
0-100 km/h: 9.2 seconds
Top speed: 200 km/h
Real life fuel consumption: About 7.6 l/100 km
Tank: 44 litres
Luggage: 350 – 1105 litres VDA
Turning circle, between walls: 11.08 metres
Ground clearance (min): 160 mm
Standard tyre: 215/60R17 Michelin Primacy 4
Spare: Spacesaver
Warranty: Three years, 120 000 km with roadside assistance
Service plan: Four years, 60 000 km at 15 000 km intervals

The lightning flash proclaims “Opel” and the script across the tailgate reads “Mokka” but that’s where similarities to the previous-generation car end.

Its engine and build platform are from Peugeot-Citroën; the eight-speed automatic ‘box is supplied by Aisin, a subsidiary of Toyota, and the body is noticeably shorter even though its wheelbase is two mm longer. It’s also lower, if slightly plumper, while all the underpinnings and insides, including the familiar, narrow French glove box, come from Peugeot, Opel’s new owner.

Ground clearance is 29 mm higher than previously and its visage has changed completely. A medieval knight’s armoured helmet in the closed, jousting position, provided inspiration for Mokka’s new Vizor front face.

Mind you, to be fair, one other thing remains the same. Its engineering team is still headquartered at Rüsselsheim-am-Main, in the state of Hesse, in Germany.

Power comes from a 1.2-litre, turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine developing 96 kilowatts and 230 Newton-metres to propel it from zero to 100 km/h a full second-and-a-half quicker than the old 1400 did and on to a terminal velocity nine clicks faster. Shedding 114 kg of body mass during the transition had something to do with that.

Apart from all the expected safety-, handling- and connectivity equipment, the control panels are unlike any seen elsewhere. Screens are placed side-by-side in an almost continuous layout and nothing is analogue. One has a choice of six instrument layouts – Dials, Driving, Computer, Minimum, Personal and Navigation – it all depends on personal preferences and one’s needs of the moment. And, naturally, there are three power modes.

Gear shifting is different too. A roller switch with tab controls Drive, Neutral and Reverse movements but Park and Manual override have separate buttons. Personal ratio selection is controlled by paddles. Like many others, Park and the electric brake engage automatically on switch-off.  Driving away disengages the restrainer spontaneously.
 
The locking system has quirks of its own. Walk away- and approach- locking and unlocking is a given, but there’s no way to unlock all doors simultaneously and the rear hatch has separate decrees. It unlocks exclusively by fob and one can do so only when the engine is switched off. Big Brother is looking out for you - whether you like it or not.

Another ‘controlling’ function is the lane watcher that defaults back on at every restart. Thankfully, it isn’t too intrusive in city driving and one can switch it off by means of a button.

But one quickly forgets these little irritations once the show is on the road. Mokka’s signature tune is a throaty little three-pot growl and the transmission is almost intuitive - providing just the gear you would choose at any given moment and kickdowns happening exactly as required. Something one doesn’t see every day is that, for a given road speed and gear, it dials in more revs when climbing a gradient than when running on the level. At certain times you just need more pulling power than at others.

I mentioned earlier that the new body is noticeably shorter (127 mm) than the old one. This has implications. Although luggage volume remains about the same, the new car’s fuel tank is nine litres smaller and rear seat leg room is curtailed. A 1.85-metre rear passenger cannot fit behind a similarly proportioned person in front. He or she just wouldn’t be able to squeeze in or out at all, so this car might best suit families in which all members are average- to small.

Other reasons I had for not being comfortable with rear seat accommodations are that there is no central armrest, no second courtesy light and no grab handles. Perhaps more money might have been spent on what average people want than on selections of virtual instruments?

Those in front are better catered for with adequate storage, including cup holders; lit visor mirrors; automatic air conditioning; an arm rest; a charging pad; 12-volt socket and a USB point. GS Line seats are covered in leather and most adjusters are mechanical, although driver’s chair lumbar functions are powered electrically.

New Mokka: It’s boldly styled, fitted with what young buyers apparently want, has sufficient power, a decent gearbox and is very avant-garde. But the old one was Real.

Test unit from Stellantis SA press fleet


What We Do

This is a one-man show, which means that every car reviewed is thoroughly researched, given my personal evaluation and receives my own seat of the pants judgement - no second hand input here.

Every test car goes through real world driving; on city streets littered with potholes, speed bumps and rumble strips, on freeways and if its profile demands, dirt roads or goat tracks as well. As a result, my test cars do occasionally get dirty. It's all part of the reviewing process.

I do my best to include relevant information like real life fuel economy or a close mathematical calculation, boot size or luggage space, whether the space is both usable and accessible, whether life-sized people can use the back seat (where that applies), basic specs of the vehicle and performance figures if they are published. In the case of clearly identified launch reports, fuel figures are of necessity the laboratory numbers provided with the release material.

If ever I place an article that doesn't cover most things, it's probably because I have dealt with a very similar vehicle already, so you will be able to find what you want in another report under the same manufacturer's heading in the menu on the left.

Hope you like what you see, because there are no commercial interests at work here. There are no advertisers and no “editorial policy” rules. I add bylines to acknowledge sponsored launch functions and the manufacturers or dealerships that provide the test vehicles.  And, as quite a few readers have found, I answer every serious enquiry from my home email address, with my phone numbers attached, so you can see I do actually exist.

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