Opel has been road-testing the second-generation Mokka X crossover for a few months. This is our first sighting of the prototype undergoing winter testing in Scandinavia.
The Mokka was one of the first big players in what's now a huge segment. Six years ago, Opel teamed up with Buick and Chevrolet, using a platform derived from the Corsa to take on the Nissan Juke.
Much of the testing was done by the South Korean division which GM bought from Daewoo. Even production took place there until European demand proved too much to handle.
The next Mokka X will also be developed in partnership with another brand, but it won't be Buick. After many years of consecutive losses, GM sold Opel and Vauxhall to Peugeot. Thus, the crossover is going to revolve around the French carmaker's tech.
This test prototype appears slightly longer than the 4,275mm current model. That means the 4,394mm Nissan Qashqai is within the Mokka's sights. But Opel needs to walk a fine line, careful not to compete with its own Grandland X.
It's impossible to know which platform the Opel model rides on since the French had only taken charge a year ago, in March 2017. However, the fact that this test vehicle has AWD fitted sets it apart from 99% of B-segment models.
The engines will almost certainly be borrowed from PSA, who have some of the cleanest small diesels in the world right now. There's a new 1.5 BlueHDI with 130 HP and 300 Nm that is particularly well suited for this project. Gasoline motors will mostly be of the 1.2-liter turbo variety.
We expect the debut of the new Mokka X to come in 2019, only after the hotly anticipated all-new Corsa hits the market. That car will give us the first glimpse into the synergy of Opel and Peugeot technology.
Much of the testing was done by the South Korean division which GM bought from Daewoo. Even production took place there until European demand proved too much to handle.
The next Mokka X will also be developed in partnership with another brand, but it won't be Buick. After many years of consecutive losses, GM sold Opel and Vauxhall to Peugeot. Thus, the crossover is going to revolve around the French carmaker's tech.
This test prototype appears slightly longer than the 4,275mm current model. That means the 4,394mm Nissan Qashqai is within the Mokka's sights. But Opel needs to walk a fine line, careful not to compete with its own Grandland X.
It's impossible to know which platform the Opel model rides on since the French had only taken charge a year ago, in March 2017. However, the fact that this test vehicle has AWD fitted sets it apart from 99% of B-segment models.
The engines will almost certainly be borrowed from PSA, who have some of the cleanest small diesels in the world right now. There's a new 1.5 BlueHDI with 130 HP and 300 Nm that is particularly well suited for this project. Gasoline motors will mostly be of the 1.2-liter turbo variety.
We expect the debut of the new Mokka X to come in 2019, only after the hotly anticipated all-new Corsa hits the market. That car will give us the first glimpse into the synergy of Opel and Peugeot technology.