The first meeting with the new Opel Mokka. It will be a nice car

Although the new Opel Mokka will lose all-wheel drive, it will acquire a new design style. In addition, the possibility of a purely electric drive.

We were able to explore the first pre-production pieces of the new Opel Mokka in Prague

| Photo: Radek Pecák

Inspired by the legendary Manta model. That’s how Opel people justify the new design style of this traditional German carmaker. The first concrete result is the second generation of the Mokka car.

I was able to see the first pre-production specimens in Prague, where the carmaker imported both a version with an internal combustion engine and an electric motor. You can look at them in the annotated photo gallery.

It will be available from the very beginning of sales, which is planned in the Czech Republic approximately in February or March. As the car is designed on the same chassis platform as the Corsa hatchback, it is no surprise that it will be powered by identical units.

In the case of the electric version, which differs from the outside only by the added letter “e” on the center pillar of the body, this means 100 kW and a torque of 260 Nm. The range is 324 kilometers in WLTP mode thanks to a battery with a capacity of 50 kWh.

Two power versions of the 1,2 petrol turbo engine will be fitted to the specimens powered by internal combustion engines in France. The weaker will provide a maximum, the stronger 130 horses. Even in this car, the diesel power unit is still maintained. Its output is 110 horses. In addition to the manual transmission, the more expensive versions will also offer an eight-speed automatic.

Buttons are not “out”…

During the static premiere, I was also able to explore the cars from the inside. Although the interior is dominated by two horizontally oriented displays at the top of the dashboard (the first replaces a standard instrument panel), I found a relatively large number of physical buttons. These in the line below the display are used for quick access to the individual submenus, below are the classic circular controls of the air conditioning system.

There is already another set of buttons on the center console. Among them is the quick deactivation of the much-hated system for actively keeping the car in the designated lane.

The tiny gear selector of the transmission (very similar to, for example, the new Škoda Octavia) also has a rocker switch for selecting driving programs (sport, comfort,…).

I also examined the space in the rear seats and in the luggage compartment. While the front passengers will not be able to complain at all about the lack of space, there is no such glory in the back. If the driver’s seat is adjusted for a person with a height of 186 centimeters, the equally large rear passenger in front of the knees will have 4 centimeters of free space, but the head is already touching the roof upholstery. In addition, it is relatively difficult to enter here through a relatively small door opening and a door that opens at an insufficient angle.

The volume of the suitcase of 350 liters is a value that is sufficient for urban use and weekend trips for a couple. While the combustion variant still has space under the floor to store a full-fledged spare wheel, this is no longer possible with an electric car.

Prices have not been set yet, but they should be lower than, for example, the technically related Peugeot 2008. Its Czech price list currently starts at CZK 395,000.

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