Vauxhall Mokka Electric long term test review

Vauxhall Mokka Electric long term report 4: simple but brilliant

Key details

Spec: Vauxhall Mokka Electric Ultimate | Price: from £31,680 (£38,755 as tested) | Mileage: 3502 | Test miles per kWh: 4.4 | Report date: 29th September 2025

Given that we live in an era where technology and touchscreens dominate modern car interiors, it’s refreshing to drive an SUV that still uses buttons and dials.  

For younger drivers, primitive controls like the humble plastic button or rotary dial might feel like something that belongs in the 2010s. But sometimes the old ways are still best.

Perhaps that’s why I like the Vauxhall Mokka Electric, it’s a brilliant but simple car to use. Everything is logically laid out and you don’t need a degree in software engineering to operate the radio or adjust the cabin temperature.

Another area where the Mokka excels in is driver comfort. The front seats are finished in Alcantara trim with leather-effect side bolsters, which are pleasant to the touch.

But it’s the generous levels of padding that ensure the seats are super supportive on a long trip. It also means you don’t get those aches or pains on a long journey that you get with some compact SUVs.

Being a parent to a small child, cabin durability is also important. And the Mokka excels with its hard-wearing plastics and durable fabrics being easy to clean.

Sometimes car reviewers make a big song and dance about ‘cheap looking plastics’, but I think that these people often confuse ‘cheap’ with ‘durable’.

If you’re buying a family car, you are going to need something that’s built to survive everything a toddler can throw at it. And in my case, being the parent to a 16-month-old son, having a car interior that can be easily cleaned is a must.

Take the seats, for example. They look upmarket, but the fabrics don’t absorb mud or food spillages. Likewise, with the plastics, they are hard but easily wiped clean.

Over the past few months, it feels like my son has carried out his very own test of the Mokka’s interior by attempting to stain or damage it at every opportunity. So far, he hasn’t succeeded.

Vauxhall Mokka Electric long term report 3: how much does it cost to charge an electric car?

Key details

Spec: Vauxhall Mokka Electric Ultimate | Price: from £31,680 (£38,755 as tested) | Mileage: 2489 | Test miles per kWh: 4.4 | Report date: 25th August 2025

Electric car running costs are a hot topic. And with good reason, because who would buy a car - electric or otherwise - without a basic understanding of how much it’ll cost to live with?

Working out how much an electric car will cost to charge is simple: multiply the cost of your energy against the battery size of the car and divide it by 100.

My home energy tariff is 28p kWh for peak periods and 8p for off-peak. That means I pay around £14 to fully charge the Mokka Electric during the day (it’s worth noting that 51kWh of the Mokka’s 54kWh battery is usable capacity).  

Get into off-peak rate territory, however, and things get extremely interesting.

A full charge, for example, is just £4. That’s incredible value for enough range to get from London to Manchester.

Obviously, this assumes you are fortunate enough to have a home charger and a place where you can park and charge.

How much does it cost to charge an electric car using public chargers?

Running costs become less clear when you factor in public charging – the only option for some. If you’re shrewd you can charge your car for free - to do this, I’d strongly recommend that you read our guide on .

Paying for a public charger will, in my experience, start at around 30p kWh for a 7kW or 22kW AC charger and rise to almost £1 per kW to access the UK’s network of 100kw+ DC fast chargers.

You can find out more about EV charging costs with the portal, which collates all the latest data to help you make the most informed decisions when it comes to driving and charging an EV in the UK.

Most of my journeys tend to be covered by a full charge at home, with the Mokka Electric capable of covering 200+ miles in the real world (even with lots of motorway driving).

As a result, I can comfortably travel from my home in Cambridgeshire to the RAC office in Bristol on a single charge.

What’s more, with the RAC office having its own set of EV chargers, I can recharge the Mokka while I work and make it home again without having to stop to refuel.

That’s not to say I do not use fast chargers at all, but in my experience I have found them to be more useful for a quick top up when I’m travelling more than 200 miles in a single journey. And even then, with the Mokka capable of fast charging from 0-80% in 30 minutes, it’s rarely an inconvenience.

Money-saving benefits aside, the Mokka Electric continues to impress with its laid back and comfortable driving dynamics.

Our test car runs on 195/60 R18 Michelin tyres and these, combined with the supple suspension, do a great job of absorbing potholes and road imperfections.

As a result, a 200+ mile journey in the Mokka is always a comfortable and stress-free experience.

Vauxhall Mokka Electric long term report 2: can a small SUV cut it as a family EV?

Key details

Spec: Vauxhall Mokka Electric Ultimate | Price: from £31,680 (£38,755 as tested) | Mileage: 1832 | Test miles per kWh: 4.6 | Report date: 21st July 2025

“Is the Mokka big enough to be a family car?” It’s a question I’ve been asked a few times since taking delivery of Vauxhall’s compact SUV.

Now, before I give you the answer, I should point out that there are only three people in my family (partner, baby and myself). However, for us, the Vauxhall Mokka is indeed big enough to be a family car.

If you are a family of four (or more) you’ll probably need something larger (like for example) but for two adults and a small baby, the compact but capable Mokka is perfect.

The petrol Mokka provides 350 litres of boot space, which drops to 310 litres for this electric version to accommodate the battery pack. That’s less than you get in the (466 litres) and the (434 litres).

However, while the boot is smaller than some of its rivals, the load space is over a metre wide (1021mm) which means it accommodates a pushchair – though you do have to remove one of the wheels from the buggy.

If your pushchair doesn’t have removeable wheels then you will still get your stroller into the boot of the Mokka, but you’ll probably find that the parcel shelf will be pushed up when you close the boot (which partially obscures the rear window).

You could take out the shelf and leave it at home, but that’ll allow passers-by to see what you have in the boot. And given that pushchairs and baby accessories are pricey bits of kit these days, you’ll want to keep all of that hidden from prying eyes.

Fitting the is easy, with the Mokka having three Isofix anchor points (one for the front passenger seat and two for the outer rear seats).

The Mokka sits 1.5 metres high, which means you don’t have to strain your back by bending down to lift the seat in or out.

The cabin also has a decent level of head and legroom, so your passenger in the front won’t need to push the seat too far forward to accommodate the baby seat behind.

There are no sharp edges in the Mokka’s interior, either, which means I don’t have to worry about my son hurting himself when he attempts to grabs everything within arm’s length.

Anyone with a baby or toddler will know how stressful travelling can be, but Vauxhall has done a pretty good job of making the Mokka as child friendly as possible. And this makes a trip to the shops, play park or the grandparents an easy experience.

The Mokka Electric is currently averaging at 4.6 miles per kWh across a mixture of regular short journeys and occasional 30 miles trips to friends and family. As a result, I’m getting around 250 miles from a full battery charge – pretty much bang on the car’s WLTP combined range figure.

I should add that I use stronger regenerative braking a lot in the Mokka Electric. You activate it by pressing a small ‘B’ button next to the gear selector and the Vauxhall’s electric powertrain really responds to smooth driving with minimal driver braking. If your driving style is more aggressive or you find regen braking too intrusive, then your average efficiency may be less impressive.

In the coming weeks, I’ll be using the Mokka Electric for some longer 200 mile runs, and I expect the average economy to take a hit as motorways are traditionally the arch enemy of EV range. However, for now, I’m genuinely impressed with the real-world range of the Mokka Electric.

Vauxhall Mokka Electric long term report 1: what’s it like to live with an EV?

Key details

Spec: Vauxhall Mokka Electric Ultimate | Price: from £31,680 (£38,755 as tested) | Mileage: 900 | Test miles per kWh: 4.5 | Report date: 20th June 2025

Since becoming a dad, SUVs have become my favourite kind of cars. Not only are they spacious and practical, but the raised seating position and high roofline makes it easy to get a child seat in and out.

So, when the opportunity to perform a long-term review on the Electric landed in my email inbox, I was more than happy to accept the challenge.

Compact SUVs are big business and have been for some years. That’s why the , and are among in the UK right now.

And the latest Mokka (updated for 2025 after four years on sale) is an impressive bit of kit. Despite its compact dimensions, it is a family car that punches above its weight when it comes to practicality. This makes it perfect for my growing family.

I’m old enough to remember the launch of the original , but the latest version looks much more appealing with its futuristic ‘Vizor’ front-end integrating the grille, headlights and Vauxhall’s Griffin badge.

The original Mokka had a reputation for being a dependable but value-focused SUV. The latest model feels a lot more premium, with automatic LED headlights and LED taillights standard across the range. 

The interior is filled with lots of useful tech, too. All versions get parking sensors, cruise control, lane departure warning, climate control and traffic sign recognition.

The dashboard is dominated by a bright and easy to read 10in colour infotainment display, while a second 10in screen sits behind the steering wheel to provide a fully digital instrument cluster.

Importantly, there are still a handful of physical buttons and dials for key in-car controls. This means you can adjust the temperature, fan speed or audio volume without having to interact with the touchscreen - something that’s becoming increasingly rare with the digital-first approach to car interiors.

With one-in-five new cars sold in the UK now battery powered, I’ve decided to test the electric version of the Mokka. It features a 54kWh battery and 154bhp electric motor. Officially, it’ll cover up to 250 miles on a full charge which is better than the Hyundai Kona Electric (234 miles) and the 198 miles that’s advertised with the MG ZS EV.

As with all , charging times depend on the type of charger the Mokka Electric is hooked up to. A 7kW home charger will take seven and half hours for a full charge from zero while a 11kW unit will do the same job in five hours. Plug the Mokka into a 100kW DC charger and it’ll go from 0-80% in just 30 minutes.

Prices for the Mokka Electric start at £31,680 for the entry-level Griffin trim, while the Design version is £32,430 and the GS is £34,280. I’ve decided to test the range topping Ultimate trim level to get the full fat Mokka Electric experience.

Starting from £38,095, Ultimate adds Intelli-Lux Matrix LED headlights, adaptive cruise control, heated front seats and a heated steering wheel. You also get wireless phone charging and in-build sat nav.

First impressions have so far been good, with the Mokka Electric being a calm and comfortable road companion. I’ve already been impressed by just how easy it is to use. From the in-car tech to the charging the battery, everything is straightforward and simple to understand.

Over the next six months I’ll be using the Mokka Electric for commuting and family transport duties. I’m looking forward to seeing how it copes with everything my work and family can throw at it.