Vauxhall Mokka: common problems, best years and what to check
Popular budget small SUV; check belts on the newer PureTech. Covers 2012–2024 cars: every popular engine, its known faults with typical UK repair costs, and how each year has held up on Britain's roads.
Updated November 2026 · By the Carnod team · How we build this guide
Is the Vauxhall Mokka a good used buy?
Best buy
2016–2019 Mokka X 1.4T or 1.6 CDTi manual
Avoid
2021+ 1.2 PureTech without belt evidence
Who it suits: Drivers who want a small, cheap SUV with a raised seat.
What's good
- Raised driving position
- Mokka B looks sharp and modern
- Mokka-e is a decent used EV
- Cheap to buy used
What's not
- Original Mokka feels dated inside
- Mokka B 1.2 turbo uses the PureTech wet belt
- Small boot for an SUV
- Firm ride
By the numbers
- #20 most common model on UK roads, with about 291k licensed (DfT).
- The biggest surviving year is 2015: 41.0k cars still licensed.
- 2014 cars survive 6% better than comparable cars of that year.
- 1.2 PureTech uses a wet belt (inspect 4 yrs, replace ~60k–100k): budget £600–£900 if there's no invoice.
- The most expensive common fault: Wet timing belt degradation (up to £4,000).
Vauxhall Mokka common problems by generation and engine
Vauxhall Mokka Mokka / Mokka X (2012–2019) · small SUV
How to spot it: 12 plate to 19 plate. Chunky, rounded small SUV; renamed Mokka X in 2016 with a wing-shaped grille.
1.4 Turbo (B14NET, petrol, 2012–2019)
Generally fine
- Turbo actuator / boost leaks£300–£90050k+
1.6 CDTi (B16DTH, diesel, 2015–2019)
Refined
- DPF on short trips£300–£1,00050k+
1.7 CDTi (A17DTS, diesel, 2012–2015)
Older and noisier
- Injectors / EGR£400–£1,20070k+
Faults on any Mokka / Mokka X (2012–2019) engine
- Auto gearbox shift quality£0–£1,500any
- Rattles and squeaks—any
Vauxhall Mokka Mokka B (2021–) · small SUV; Mokka Electric
How to spot it: 21 plate onwards. Flat black 'Vizor' front panel with the Griffin badge and sharp LED lights.
1.2 PureTech 100/130 (EB2, petrol, 2021–)
Wet timing belt risk
- Wet timing belt degradation£600–£4,000from ~40k / 4 yrs
Mokka Electric 50kWh (e-CMP, electric, 2021–)
Good for town
Costs are typical UK independent-garage prices including parts and labour. Main dealers usually charge more.
Best and worst Vauxhall Mokka years
How many Vauxhall Mokkas from each year are still licensed today (DfT), coloured by how well that year survives compared with similar cars of the same age.
Years that outlast similar cars: 2014. No year falls off the road noticeably faster than similar cars.
Vauxhall Mokka MOT pass rate and common failures
First-time pass rate (2025)
Average UK car of the same age
MOT tests analysed (2012+ cars)
Vauxhall Mokkas pass their MOT first time 8 points less often than the average UK car of the same age (69% vs 77%). Older cars fail more, so we compare like with like.
| First registered | Pass rate | Average UK car that age | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 58% | 63% | 90k miles |
| 2013 | 62% | 66% | 89k miles |
| 2014 | 63% | 69% | 78k miles |
| 2015 | 63% | 72% | 67k miles |
| 2016 | 63% | 75% | 60k miles |
| 2017 | 67% | 78% | 53k miles |
| 2018 | 71% | 81% | 45k miles |
| 2019 | 77% | 84% | 38k miles |
| 2021 | 83% | 87% | 26k miles |
| 2022 | 89% | 89% | 20k miles |
| 2023 | 92% | 92% | 17k miles |
Pass rate by fuel
Petrol
Diesel
Electric
Fuels differ in age and mileage mix, so treat this as a pattern rather than a like-for-like comparison.
Most common MOT failures
- Ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt10.07 per 100
- Coil spring: fractured or broken5.73 per 100
- Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively4 per 100
- Position lamp: not working2.95 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick2.69 per 100
- Tyre pressure monitoring system: malfunctioning or obviously inoperative2.59 per 100
- Ball joint excessively worn2.38 per 100
- Track rod end: ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated2.31 per 100
Most common advisories
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm18.34 per 100
- Tyres: has a tear17.12 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick10.72 per 100
- Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened9.14 per 100
- Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine7.91 per 100
- Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn6.11 per 100
- Exhaust system: has a major leak of exhaust gases4.91 per 100
- Brake discs: significantly and obviously worn3.66 per 100
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT results for 2025 (normal car tests). First-time pass counts faults fixed during the test as fails. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Does the Vauxhall Mokka have a timing belt or chain?
| Engine | Type | When | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4 Turbo | chain | check from 60k | £400–£900 |
| 1.2 PureTech | wet belt | inspect 4 yrs, replace ~60k–100k | £600–£900 |
Vauxhall Mokka running costs
Road tax (from April 2017)
Road tax (before April 2017)
Insurance groups
Real-world economy
Servicing (independent)
Tyres
Warranty when new
Is the Vauxhall Mokka ULEZ compliant?
- Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001.
- Diesel: compliant only if Euro 6 — generally cars first registered from September 2015; earlier diesels pay £12.50 a day in London's ULEZ.
- Electric: always compliant.
- Same standards apply in Birmingham and Bristol Clean Air Zones (which charge private cars) and Scotland's LEZs in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee (which fine them). Check the exact car on TfL's vehicle checker.
Safety and practicality
Euro NCAP
Boot
Seats
Vauxhall Mokka vs rivals
| Model | On UK roads | Insurance | Boot | Best buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vauxhall Mokka | 291k | 12–21 | 356 l | 2016–2019 Mokka X 1.4T or 1.6 CDTi manual |
| Nissan Juke | 379k | 11–20 | 422 l | 2019+ F16 1.0 DIG-T manual |
| Renault Captur | 186k | 8–21 | 422 l | 2013–2019 0.9 TCe or 1.5 dCi manual; 2020+ E-Tech |
| Peugeot 2008 | 179k | 10–24 | 434 l | 2019+ 2008 with PureTech belt done, or e-2008 |
| Ford Puma | 180k | 11–21 | 456 l | 2020+ 1.0 EcoBoost mHEV 125 manual |
| Skoda Kamiq | 44k | 9–17 | 400 l | 1.0 TSI 110 manual |
What to check when buying a used Vauxhall Mokka
- Mokka B 1.2: wet belt evidence
- Mokka X 1.4T manual is the simplest
Vauxhall Mokka FAQ
›Is the Vauxhall Mokka reliable?
Generally, if you pick the right version. Best buy: 2016–2019 Mokka X 1.4T or 1.6 CDTi manual. Avoid: 2021+ 1.2 PureTech without belt evidence.
›What is the Vauxhall Mokka MOT pass rate?
69% of Vauxhall Mokkas passed their MOT first time in 2025 (225,767 tests), below the 77% average for cars of the same age. The most common failure: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt.
›What are the most common Vauxhall Mokka problems?
The costliest known faults are Wet timing belt degradation; Injectors / EGR; DPF on short trips. Each one is listed by engine with typical UK repair costs above.
›Does the Vauxhall Mokka have a timing belt or chain?
1.4 Turbo: chain; 1.2 PureTech: wet belt.
›What is the best year Vauxhall Mokka to buy?
By DfT survival data, 2014, 2015, 2016 cars have outlasted comparable cars best. Condition and history still matter more than the year.
›How much does a Vauxhall Mokka cost to run?
Real-world economy: 1.4 Turbo 36–42 mpg; 1.6 CDTi 50–58 mpg; 1.2 PureTech 44–50 mpg. Insurance groups 12–21. A minor service is about £170–£240 at an independent garage.
›How much is road tax on a Vauxhall Mokka?
Cars registered from April 2017 pay £200 a year (more if the list price was over £40k). Older cars pay by CO2 band, from £20 to £790.
›Is the Vauxhall Mokka ULEZ compliant?
Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001. Diesel: compliant only if Euro 6 — generally cars first registered from September 2015; earlier diesels pay £12.50 a day in London's ULEZ.
How we build this guide
We combine official UK data with what independent garages see most often on this model.
- How many are still on the road: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, by year first used. The survival comparison is against cars of the same age.
- MOT pass rates, failures and mileage: DVSA anonymised MOT results — every normal car MOT in Great Britain for the year, compared with all cars of the same age.
- Road tax: GOV.UK rates from April 2026. ULEZ: TfL and Clean Air Zone emission standards.
- Faults and repair costs: known problems by engine code, priced at typical UK independent-garage rates including parts and labour.
- Insurance groups, mpg, servicing and tyres: typical ranges, not quotes. Your car's exact figures depend on the version and where you live.
This is a buying guide, not a mechanical inspection. A specific car's MOT history tells you far more than any model average — run a free check on it before you go and see it.
Sources: licensed counts and survival from DfT vehicle licensing statistics; road tax from GOV.UK (April 2026 rates). Faults, costs, mpg and insurance groups are typical ranges, not quotes. A guide, not a mechanical inspection.