Full of character: Armstrong’s Christchurch
Look back on the history of Opel and you find everything from bicycles to rocket powered land speed record cars.
Now this German marque steeped in history is beginning to make waves in New Zealand. This brings us onto the Opel Mokka-e you see here, one of a handful of new models now for sale over here.
Starting at $62,990, the Mokka-e is the all-electric variant of the regular petrol powered Mokka urban SUV. Its electrical prowess is thanks to a 50kWh battery powering the front wheels. The Mokka is also funky and modern to look at with its two-tone paint scheme and clean-cut LED Matrix headlights. Many contemporaries serve up a clean-cut design which looks modern, some tend to lack a splash of colourful character. This is not so with the Opel Mokka.
The interior is also nicely laid out, but I wish the colour on the outside continued on the inside. The switchgear feels chunky and well put together. It is also nice to have toggle switches for a change instead of touch buttons everywhere which seems to be the norm these days.
It is also well equipped with plenty of features including wireless charging, heated steering wheel, heated seats and safety features like lane keep assist, lane departure warning and blind spot monitoring.
Passenger entry and exit is decent for those at the front and the back, though those with longer legs may find rear legroom a tad restrictive to those in the front. Head room is pretty decent and while you sit quite high up, visibility is also pretty good all around.
Open the boot and you find 310L of space. This grows to 1060L with that second row stored away flat. It’s quite easy to load and unload plenty of whatever too.
Around town the Mokka-e serves up an entertaining and engaging drive. Its compact dimensions also mean tight turns and inner-city manoeuvrability are a doddle. It’s not the most rapid EV around but it is rather
smooth nonetheless.
It is also phenomenally quiet. Tyre roar is quite minimal but combination of very good build quality and that electric powertrain means the Mokka-e serves up a library reading room level of silence, even at motorway speeds. Overall, the Mokka-e is full of character and a pleasant way of silently getting around.
With plenty going for it, Opel’s Mokka-e injects plenty of colour and character into the ever-growing BEV SUV segment.
He Says/She Says
Ben Likes
Funky Styling
Good levels of equipment
A dynamic and engaging drive
Azariah Likes
Quietness
Very smooth power delivery
Ride comfort
FACT FILE
2023 Opel Mokka-e
Price: $62,990
Clean car rebate: $8625
Engine: 50kWh battery
Power: 100kW
Drivetrain: One-speed automatic
Electric Range: 363km WLTP
Torque: 260Nm
Charge Time: 7 Hours with 7.4kWh Wall Box Charger/80% in 30 minutes with DC Fast Charger
Boot Space: 310L-1060L
Weight: 1523kg
Warranty: 5 years/100,000kms
