I drove Vauxhall’s Mokka GS – it’s the best looking motor in its class and is well priced but falls down on key feature

THE Corsa actually has this car to thank for its handsome new face – the Mokka.

The Mokka is the model that debuted Vauxhall’s snappy new design language back in 2020.

Supplied

Supplied

The Crossland, Grandland and Astra quickly followed suit, and now the Corsa has finally caught up.

For those who remember the original Mokka – you’d be forgiven if you don’t – you’ll know that Vauxhall effectively tore up the blueprints and started again.

It was dreary inside and out, it drove poorly, and it wasn’t doing the numbers.

For a while there, the Mokka’s future looked about as promising as Phillip Schofield’s.

But fair play to Vauxhall, it didn’t give up.

Thanks to a complete overhaul, Mokka is now probably the best-looking car in its class.

It also sits at the lower end of the price bracket, rivalling cars like the Nissan Juke, even though it’s prettier than something much pricier like the Audi Q2.

Unlike the Juke or Q2, there’s an electric version of the Mokka available.

But if its claimed 252 miles of range isn’t enough, you can save yourself a serious chunk of change and go for one of the three efficient petrol engines.

There’s plenty to like about the Mokka beyond its head-turning looks.

The interior feels far more premium than Vauxhalls of the past and the infotainment system is mostly intuitive and responsive.

Out on the road there are no complaints either.

Vauxhall hasn’t tried to take on the Ford Puma in terms of handling sharpness, but it’s comfortable and quiet – arguably more important qualities for a family car.

Another important quality for a family car is interior space, but that’s where the Mokka falls down.

The back seats are cramped compared to something like the Kia Niro and the boot isn’t the biggest in the class.

Not a problem if you only have little kids to cart around to endless birthday parties but I wouldn’t recommend a Mokka to a cabbie.

Is the Mokka the best all-around compact crossover?

No, probably not.

But if you think looking good at the wheel is more important than legroom in the back, the base Mokka Design is £25k well spent.