Car review – Opel Mokka-e

A stronger coffee

As Opel’s compact crossover enters the electric age, it is also entitled to a much more explicit design. It gets its technical basis from its cousin, the Peugeot 2008.

Own direction

Own direction

Dull doesn’t sell. That’s why the designers from Rüsselsheim were tasked with going in search of the core of the Opel DNA. The result is a wide but very slender high-gloss black wing-shaped panel that encloses the elegant headlamps and was christened “Opel Vizor”.

What is striking is that the wheels are quite far apart, both side to side and front to rear. The wheelbase has grown slightly compared to its predecessor, while the length of the body has shrunk by about 12 cm. From the side, this Opel is clearly playing the coupé card, with a sloping roofline and beltline that sweeps up through the rear doors. There’s plenty of headroom on the back seat, but the side view is masked by the roof panel that rests on the interior like a shell.

Stylish cocoon

Stylish cocoon

In the front you’re looking at a fairly sober dashboard that is less attention-seeking than the Peugeot’s i-Cockpit. There are two digital screens: the driver display, which can also display navigation instructions in wide format, and the central touch screen for the infotainment, which is slightly tilted towards the driver.

The materials look smart, without being premium, and the seats illustrate the beautiful design. Unfortunately, there is no longer any trace of the AGR label (a German certification for back ergonomics). Bye-bye adjustable and tiltable seat cushion. Worse still, it’s also bye-bye lumbar support. This is nowhere to be found on either the standard or the options list.

Self-assured

Self-assured

The Mokka-e isn’t easily led astray. It is very quiet and feels sturdy, which is partly due to the heavy battery in its underbelly. It swallows bumps undeterred and stays nice and flat when you take a more swift turn, which is also aided by its low centre of gravity.

Electric cars often have vague steering, but that turned out not to be the case with this Opel. The brakes also feel natural and the transition between regenerative braking (on the electric motor) and friction braking (with the brake pads) is hardly noticeable. It’s a pity that the Brake mode is hidden under a miniscule button on the centre console. Paddles on the steering wheel are much more practical.

Reliable electrical part

The 100 kW (136 hp) electric motor is powered by 50 kWh of battery cells. Opel offers three driving modes: Sport, Normal and Eco, where you lose 20 kW of power per step to save energy and maximise your range. According to the WLTP cycle you should reach 324 kilometres. In practice, count on 250.

Opel had the good idea to give the on-board charger a standard capacity of 11 kW, so that you can charge the battery in five hours. It can fast charge with direct current at 100 kW. In short, the relatively competitive price tag of the Mokka-e delivers an excellent price-performance-range ratio.

The new Mokka tastes much stronger and at the same time more refined than its predecessor. The ‘e’ version offers some pretty convincing advantages. However, the aesthetics are a bit at the expense of the ‘viewing pleasure’ in the back.