OPEL'S UNITED NATIONS

A refreshing blend from the Stellantis Group gives Opel new personalities

- Pawan Dhingara

The Mokka returns

Not that you’d easily recognize the new from the old, such is the metamorphosis that Opel has undergone in a bid to lose some of the former’s chubbiness and replace it with toned athletic muscle. It looks like it might be championing some form of next-generation EV architecture. Simply put, the Mokka immediately makes a bold statement in a mosh pit of new contenders, all separated by very fine details.

Does it still have its German roots?

Far from it. In fact if you dare trace the Mokka’s ancestry you need to look far and wide through the Stellantis Group. To create the Mokka, mechanical recipes and digital know-how from all corners have been combined and while that has inevitably led to some core dilution of the Opel brand as we use to know, it does yield some exciting chemistry along the way.

Range anxiety?

On more than one occasion, perplexed onlookers had difficulty identifying the Mokka as an Opel, but then proceeded to regale fond memories of the brand. The next query was aimed at the powertrain; the full black grille closed off to airflow is typical of new-fangled, EV style language, although in this instance, such assumption is incorrect.

From every angle the Mokka represents a chiseled and defined newcomer with assertive creases that help it to branch away a family tree that has seeded models such the Peugeot 2008 and various other Citroen models hewn from the modular CMP platform. We think it’s one of the most confident looking compact utility vehicles on the road, while the aggressive hot hatch styling mixed with futuristic cues should endear it to the younger generation.