The small SUV is the strongest-growing sector of the car market, both in Ireland and across Europe. Opel has featured stronger outside of Ireland and, with the arrival of the new Mokka with improved diesel engine power, that’s sure to change here at home.

The Mokka is a compact version of a small SUV, almost like a Corsa that got a lift. In reality, it’s a lot more and drives and feels so much better. The Mokka has a high seat position, giving good road visibility and it’s a stronger-looking vehicle in every sense.

Take the Mokka out on the road and you see the difference between it and the much lighter Corsa, even if there’s not a lot of extra space in the cabin area. There’s a stronger look to the Mokka than some of the competition and the overall height, at over 1.6m, gives it a bigger look.

That can easily convert to an impression that the Mokka is longer than the competition. On closer examination you can see that it’s shorter and more compact for parking than the likes of the Dacia Duster at one end of the price scale or the new Honda HR-V at the other end.

The big strength of the new Mokka is Opel’s new 1.6 litre turbo-diesel engine. This engine has transformed the Astra, and now the Mokka gets the same benefits.

The difference is in terms of better acceleration, smoother driving and better economy. From a general driving point of view this engine seems made for a smaller SUV like the Mokka. The extra engine power, now at 136bhp, provides the ability to give faster and easier acceleration. This gives the new Mokka almost as much pace as the fastest small SUV diesel on the market, so it’s lively to drive.

The economy figures are good too. With a rated figure of 23km/l (4.3l/100km or 65.7mpg), this small SUV can top the class when it comes to fuel economy. In a practical test over 400km, I found the economy figures were about 20% higher, and that included some field driving that always raises the fuel consumption levels.

Relative to the competition, this Mokka is economical, both in theory and in practice. That fact, coupled with a low CO2 emission level, should make this new Mokka cost effective to own and drive, at around €0.30/km over a three-year ownership period.

I found the Mokka comfortable and quiet to drive. Seat adjustment was easy, and there appeared to be good head and legroom for the rear seat passengers, but a third middle passenger will miss some elbow room.

The Mokka has good-size, solid-looking side-door mirrors, while visibility to the rear is restricted by a smallish window. There are large side C pillars in the car and, couple this with the small rear window and parking could be a bit of challenge.

The suspension has been improved on the car to give a new level of driving comfort. The quieter engine gives an overall better driving experience, transforming the Mokka since the previous time I drove with the old 1.7 litre diesel engine.

The Mokka’s boot is minus a spare wheel, even though there is a deep well in the floor to take one. The boot space itself is not big; in fact, it has one of the smallest capacities in the small SUV group I’ve compared it with.

The Mokka has all the usual safety features, but it is still rated with a 2012 Euro NCAP rating, which in fairness is a five-star one. Hill start assist, to allow for easy hill starts, is standard on all models, and there is an adaptive forward lighting system to make rural night driving easier.

The Mokka is reasonably price competitive, at €26,195, or £20,614 in Northern Ireland for the entry-level 1.6 litre turbo-diesel models. There is more value at entry level in the new Mazda CX-3 or the Honda FR-V, while the Opel has the greater engine torque to deliver more pulling power.

So much of the Mokka story will depend on the re-sale values. Used Mokka prices going back to 2013 are holding up well, giving a three-year depreciation of about 30%, which is good. The new Mokka should be even better, simply because it has one of the best 1.6 litre turbo-diesel engines around.

Those credentials are good enough for me. CL

Opel Mokka 1.6 CDTi FWD

Engine 1.6 litre

Engine power 136hp

0 – 100km/hr 9.9 seconds

Economy 23km/litre

Fuel tank capacity 52 litres

CO2 emissions 114g/km

Road Tax Band A4 (€200)

Main service 20,000km/

12 months

Euro NCAP rating 5 Star (2012)

Towing rating 1,500kg

Warranty Two years

Entry price €26,195

NI price £20,614

Opel Zafira fire danger alert

Opel is currently carrying out an investigation following reports of a fire in the area of the heating and ventilation system in a number of Opel Zafira cars. The 2005 Zafira B model is under investigation, not the current Zafira Tourer. Contact Opel on 01-5339818 or by emailing opel.ireland@gm.com or visit opel.ie/zafira-customer-advice.html

Volkswagen’s customer support

Volkswagen has announced the five key steps to deal with the scandal around the Volkswagen Group as a result of the US emissions cover-up. Volkswagen chief Matthias Müller said they are still working intensively to develop effective technical solutions and has assured customers that the changes to the cars will begin to be implemented in January 2016.

Octavia RS all-wheel drive & DSG

Skoda has added a new model to the Octavia RS with the Octavia RS 4x4 DSG. This is a 2.0 litre 184bhp turbo-diesel engine powered car with an entry list price of €39,395. This 2.0-litre TDI engine is twinned with a six-speed DSG transmission. Power is distributed over the four wheels depending on driving conditions when the 4x4 technology is active.

Merc GLE price drop and specs lifted

Mercedes-Benz has released the price and specifications of the new GLE and GLE Coupe models ahead of January registrations. The new GLE, replacing the popular M-Class, will be offered at lower prices with higher overall standard specifications. The entry level GLE 250d model starts at €65,665 with annual road tax from €280, an 8% price decrease for the new 2WD.

Kia plans for new Sportage

The new Kia Sportage SUV, available in Ireland from January 2016, will be offered with the 1.7 litre turbo-diesel version in two-wheel-drive at €27,495, followed by a more powerful 2.0 litre turbo-diesel model in March with a four-wheel-drive version. The 1.7 litre diesel engine comes with Idle Stop and Go technology the new Sportage moves from Band B2 to A4.