Opel/Vauxhall Mokka B

The Mokka, the hit crossover from Opel/Vauxhall, has undergone a full model change and the newest generation shares nothing in common with the previous generation because everything around it is all new from scratch. It's time to take a look at this all new Mokka.

Priced at 19,990 Euros/20,735 Pounds plus additional costs, the second-generation Mokka marks the new chapter for Opel/Vauxhall ever since the Peugeot folks took control of them. Although German in spirit, the new Mokka is as French as the latest Peugeot 2008 it was based on and the design that dons it serves as the blueprint for future Opels everywhere.

They called it the Vizor and the Mokka is the first to don its new signature face that will be applied on future Opels/Vauxhalls soon. It was heavily inspired from the GT X Experimental Concept as seen on a certain motor show back in 2018 and while some are appreciated over the concept-turned-reality approach, others find it a bit more like the 80's cyberpunk stuff.

Cyberpunk aside, have you guys checked out the interior? On the driver's side, he or she will be greeted with two long screens, one for the speedos and other for touch screen nonsense. Don't worry, speedo boys, there are buttons preset. On the comfort side, the new Mokka is surprisingly more spacious and more comfortable compared to the old one and it's slightly even more spacious as well, meaning it's a do-all machine that is all work and all play, thank you very much.

Because it runs on the same underpinnings as the Peugeot 2008, the new Mokka feels more energetic and more lively to drive compared to the old one which is basically based on the Chevrolet Trax. Weirdly, you couldn't find any Grip Control magic on it, which is a bit of a shame really. Under the hood, a normal Mokka can be fitted with either a 1.2L petrol turbo that can be mated to either a 6-speed MT or an 8-speed AT and a diesel engine you must avoid. For the first-ever Mokka-e, the 100kW electric motor has a range of 322km in one full charge by WLTP standards. That's about over 13 trips from your house in Muntinlupa to a church in Pasay and back. Nice stuff.

There are numerous safety stuff in the new Mokka such as IntelliLux lights, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keep Assist, 180-degree Rear View Camera, Advanced Park Assist, and Automatic Emergency Braking.

Like ir or not, the new Mokka will generate strong sales for Opel/Vauxhall like most crossovers do and while it makes a new beginning for them, some people will have a lot of questions about this French-fried crossover. Thoughts? Who knows? You might just get yourself noticed by one.

Photo: Opel/Vauxhall

Buick Encore

The Buick Enclave has been the only crossover utility vehicle offered by Buick as of now but despite having around for a few years, it's still one of the most hospitable crossovers made by Buick. I wonder what if someone wants a Buick crossover but can't afford the Enclave? Well, it looks like Buick came up with a cheaper model that slots behind the Enclave and positioned to be a desperate rival to the likes of the BMW X1, Audi Q5, and the Acura RDX. It's called the Encore and with the starting price of just 24,200 US Dollars, it seems that this is much cheaper than those luxury import crossovers from Europe and Japan. Apart from its pricing, the Encore does score with some European flair because the design is purely European and hey...did I just talk about that a few months ago?

2013 Buick Encore

Now if I can remember correctly, the Buick Encore was sold in the European market as the Opel Mokka. That's right, it's just another of the Opels turned Buick since the Opel Insignia, which became the Buick Regal in the North America and Chinese market but there's some issues here and because of my stress, I'll shorten the situation okay? Here... Encore first launched, Mokka later. Then, Mokka went sale now, Encore later. In translation, the Encore was premiered at the 2012 NAIAS in Detroit while the Opel Mokka showed up at last year's Geneva Auto Show. However, the Opel Mokka went on sale on the European market, just few months before this moment where the Encore is available for the North American and Chinese market. Hey, since it's the year 2013, it's the Encore's time to shine like some kind of pirate living at Encino, California, if you know what I mean?

I once checked it out in last year's Seattle Auto Show and it seems because someone's so generous, they even let us getting inside the Encore's interior to see how lovely is the interior of the Encore's. Need to remind you that the Encore I saw on last year's show was just a pre-production mule, not the finished product because it's not yet available until early 2013. But now it's early 2013 so the Encore is now available for the general public. However, before you jump into conclusions, here are a couple of drawbacks...

First of all, the Encore's cargo volume is too small for a small SUVs of this magnitude. With the cargo volume of just 18.8 cubic feet, the Encore is not quite a fitting compared to others. Also, the 1.4 ECOTEC engine with Variable Valve Timing has a power to weight ratio of 23lb/hp, making it too much for a small SUV of this attitude. Lastly, the front legroom of the Encore is 40.8 inches, meaning that sometimes, there's not enough room to stretch my legs at the front.

Despite the downturn, there are some ups for the Buick Encore. Despite having a not-so-good power-to-weight ratio, the Encore has a best-in-class fuel economy of 33MPG highway and this is covered by a basic 48months/50,000 mile warranty. Not bad for the Encore though...

2013 Buick Encore interior

The things that made the Encore right such as its striking European design, best in class fuel economy and the comprehensive warranty were balanced out by the things that made the Encore wrong such as bad power-to-weight ratio, bad legroom at the front, tiny cargo boot, and the fact that it was made in Bupyeong, which I think its in South Korea. The Encore may or may not be a good Buick crossover but I will say this. I want to have one more than I can handle my breath away and thanks to its status of being a world-class crossover, the Encore sure knows how to sort out against its rivals.

Available Colors: Quicksilver Metallic, Deep Espresso Bronze Metallic, Ruby Red Metallic, Glacier Blue Metallic, Brilliant Blue Metallic, Cocoa Silver Metallic, White Pearl Tricoat. Satin Steel Gray Metallic, and Carbon Black Metallic.

Photo: General Motors

Opel Mokka

Now, let's talk about mocha and something that sounds like mocha. Mocha is a small, round coffee beans of the Coffea Arabica variety. Mocha Girls are the the hottest girl group whose member got to show herself topless at some adult magazine as a protest against a new law that most internet netizens are feared of because of well, you know, the L-word. Moka Akashiya is the heroine from Rosario + Vampire. Now, though, there's another thing that sounds like mocha...

2013 Opel Mokka

On the front, it looks a bit more like next year's Buick Encore. On the back, it does a bit more like next year's Buick Encore. Underneath, it uses the same platform as the Corsa compact. And as for the engine choices, it offers three different engine types (1.6, 1.4 Turbo, and 1.7 CDTi). Some people say that this is a new kind of Opel compact crossover that works well on the urban roads and for the great outdoors. Some people say that this is just another car made for the soccer mom in mind but oh no. This new crossover is as unique as a cheese-top burger and as stylish as a historical sculpture. Say hello to the all new Opel Mokka.

2013 Opel Mokka

Yes, the Mokka really is based on the Opel Corsa but I'm not really sure how the heck the boffins from Opel gave the Opel Corsa some outdoorsman credentials. Do you think Opel made a worthy contender to other crossovers of this magnitude such as the Mitsubishi RVR, Nissan Juke, Mazda CX-5, and the Subaru XV? Not necessarily though, this compact crossover may not talk about the competition because what this Mokka focused at is being a stand-out as a city cruiser or a perfect adventure vehicle for those who want to go out BMX-ing or camping or fishing or mountain climbing or whatever these outdoorsy people want to do. 

Sure, the Opel Mokka does have a typical Opel interior and it can accommodate up to five people but surprisingly, this B-segment compact crossover that really is a Corsa underneath has some of the finest Opel technologies offered from models such as the Astra or the Insignia. Oh wait, there's even the feature last seen on the Meriva or Zafira Tourer as well! It was this...new generation rear bicycle carrier Flex-Fix that allows me to store up to three BMX's and it's very convenient. This unique bicycle carrier acts like a drawer because you can slide it in or out. Amazing...

2013 Opel Mokka interior

It really is a very sensible Opel. It maybe more civilized as a city car but as a sports utility compact, it really is want to let it all out and turn the whole city into a jungle and if I mean jungle, I do mean gonna end up like a video game where animals rule the world and fighting for survival. Actually, this Mokka isn't that kind of thing but it feels like humanity has declined because of today's ever changing times.

The optional all-wheel drive system on the Mokka though, that is somewhat simply clever because unlike other 4WD-fitted cars, this one weighs about 65kg to keep its fuel efficiency a bit as fine as a good haircut at a very nice barber shop. Also, there is a feature where you can have the power being distributed in either front or all wheels. In FF mode, it becomes very effective in high grip driving conditions such as asphalt but when switched to AWD mode, traction's enhanced, handling's enhanced and it becomes a Frankfurt jungle.

Is it an urban cruiser? Is it an offroader? You really can't even tell until you discover's the Mokka's true potential.

Available Colors: Royalblau, Schneeweiß, Boracayblau, Diamantgrau, Graphitschwarz, Seidengrau, Argonsilber, Orientrot, Espressobraun.

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Photo: ADAM OPEL AG