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Would the 2023 Opel Mokka be a hit in Australia at this price? Opel's reboot in NZ headlined by stylish Honda HR-V and Toyota Yaris Cross rival

Opel is making big moves just across the ditch in NZ, but would its new cars make sense in Australia?

Is Opel coming back to Australia? Since its previous owners, General Motors, offloaded the German brand to its rival Stellantis, the answer so far has seemingly been ‘no’.

But with the launch of the attractive Mokka small SUV just across the ditch in NZ, could it herald yet another reboot for the brand which barely lasted a year on sale in Australia in 2012?

While the Mokka is seemingly the right car in the right segment at the right time, its price is key to its chances of a successful Australian arrival, should the brand dare to give our highly competitive market another go.

Announced today, the Opel Mokka for New Zealand starts from NZD$38,990 before on-road costs, the equivalent of $35,407 Australian dollars.

A similar price in Australia would put the combustion version of the car in direct competition with rivals like the mid-spec Toyota Yaris Cross (GXL hybrid: $34,990) mid-spec Hyundai Kona (Elite 2WD: $31,900), base Honda HR-V (Vi X: $36,700), or Kia Seltos (Sport+: $36,290). Interestingly, it would also undercut its Stellantis cousin, the Peugeot 2008, by a significant margin, with the Pug equivalent starting from $37,945 before on-roads.

The Mokka shares a drivetrain from Peugeot, too, with the base ‘Edition’ model packing a 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbocharged engine (96kW/230Nm) mated to either a six-speed manual or an eight-speed Aisin torque converter automatic transmission to drive the front wheels.

The Mokka is available in more than one right-hand drive market overseas. The Mokka is available in more than one right-hand drive market overseas.

Intriguingly, the Mokka is also available in New Zealand with a purely electric drivetrain, costing from the equivalent of AU$63,534 before on-roads. This would put the top-spec zero emissions small SUV right in competition with the long-range version of the Hyundai Kona Electric (from $60,500) or the newly arrived next-generation Kia Niro EV (from $65,300).

The Mokka e-SRi as the electric version is called overseas packs a 363km WLTP-rated driving range on a single charge from a 50kW battery pack, capable of charging at up to 100kW on a DC charger.

The Mokka range is set to arrive in New Zealand in October 2022, and will be eligible for a ‘clean car’ low-emissions rebate available in NZ, adding up to a significant discount (NZ$1923 for the combustion car, and a whopping $8625 for the electric variant). 

Opel’s New Zealand site also offers preview pages for most of the brand’s range, including the Corsa light hatchback, familiar Astra hatch, and the larger Grandland SUV, suggesting all have the potential for an Australian launch.

Is there room in Australia for another mid-market European nameplate? Is there room in Australia for another mid-market European nameplate?

CarsGuide has contacted the local Stellantis division to comment on whether it is considering a similar launch in Australia. It would make for a busy euro-alternative marketplace, which is already occupied by the likes of Peugeot, Citroen, Skoda and newcomer Cupra.