New Opel Mokka lands in Mzansi with a double shot of sass

The new Opel Mokka arrived in SA this week and we've got to say that it's something of a looker. While the outgoing car was a bulbous assemblage of soft curves and gentle angles, this second-generation model rocks the boat with some radically penned sheet metal.

Indeed, Opel's designers have cranked-up the aggression dial; particularly up front where the firm's radical new 'visor' grille (first seen on the 'GTX Xperimental' concept car back in 2018) brings some much-needed differentiation to the overcrowded crossover segment. Finished off with some sharply-sculpted flanks and revised dimensions that similarly help the visual cause (shorter by 124mm and wider by 10mm), the new Mokka should certainly appeal to those who feel that the likes of the VW T-Cross et al. are somewhat passé. 

The interior is a bit more restrained, however, with Opel choosing to pair things down as much as possible to avoid driver distraction (a 'digital detox' according to the press release). Be this as it may, the cabin is far from analogue thanks to the presence of a digital instrument cluster and centrally mounted touchscreen infotainment system that vary in size depending on the model variant selected: expect seven-inches for both in the entry-level Elegance while the flagship GS Line ups this to 10- and 12-inches respectively. 

Standard features are generous across the Opel Mokka range and you can look forward to niceties such as a leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel, heated front seats with a shared central armrest, automatic headlamps with tunnel detection, rain-sensitive wipers, heated power-folding side mirrors, chromatic rear-view mirror, automatic climate control and interior ambient lighting with LED roof lights. A slew of driver assistance systems also ship as standard and include blind-spot detection, speed sign recognition, cruise control with a speed limiter, lane-keep assist, forward brake assist and driver attention alert. 

The Mokka GS Line further sweetens the deal with the addition of full leather upholstery (the Elegance makes do with cloth), keyless entry and start, adaptive cruise control with stop and go, lane-keep assist and departure warning as well as forward collision avoidance and mitigation. Another exclusive is the mighty 'Matrix Lamps Pack' that bolts on a set of directional LED headlights with automatic levelling plus brighter LED taillamp clusters. 

Moving on to the oily bits and you'll find that both new Mokka models are powered by a punchy little 1.2l three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine tuned to deliver 96kW and 230Nm of torque. This is transferred to the front wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission. Performance is reasonably brisk with Opel claiming that both variants will scamper from 0-100km/h in 9.2-seconds and onwards to a top speed of 200km/h. Fuel consumption? You're looking at a fairly miserly 6.1l/100km on the combined cycle. 

The Mokka Elegance will set you back R469,000 with the GS Line coming in at R519,900. Both include a three-year/120,000km warranty and four-year/60,000km service plan.

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