2026 Opel Mokka GSE | PH assessment

As you might expect, that’s where GSE comes into the picture. It brings a sense of performance back to Vauxhall in a way that vaguely resembles the GTE, GSi and VXRs of old. But where GTE stood for Grand Touring Einspritzanlage (Einspritzanlage is German for injection), GSE stands for Grand Sport Electric. That means, as we’ve known for a while, it’ll be a battery-only affair. But with the front-wheel drive Stellantis platform underpinning the new Mokka from the start, Vauxhall’s return to the world of (modest) performance cars isn’t exactly off to a standing start.

Alfa Romeo engineers played the most important role in developing the already well-known architecture, which combines 281 hp and 254 Nm of torque from an electric motor with a Torsen limited slip differential. It has high-quality springs and dampers, hydraulic bump stops and a not insignificant amount of negative camber. Although Opel wouldn’t give us figures, an Alfa engineer previously told me that the closely related Junior Veloce runs -1.6 and -2.0 degrees of the stuff, at the front and rear respectively. Even a small drop from that would be extreme for any series-produced road car, let alone an Opel-badged crossover.

Making the most of these corners of the Mokka are Michelin Pilot Sport EV tires on 20-inch wheels, supported by 380mm discs and Alcon four-piston brake calipers up front. The GSE’s suspension lowers the Mokka by 10 mm and significantly increases the spring rate front and rear. While perhaps the most glaring evidence that the setup is nothing like the regular Mokka is the anti-roll stiffness at the rear, which has increased by 189 percent. On paper, the GSE’s underlying configuration resembles the Junior Veloce, or even the Abarth 600e Scorpionissima, which isn’t a bad thing.

They are also a lot more expensive. Although, to be fair (and especially in the gray of the launch spec), the GSE is much more subtle in its sporty makeover, and so immediately ranks as less desirable than the Italians. Nevertheless, with £1.5k of UK EV subsidy included, at £35,495 the GSE is not only two grand cheaper than the smaller and less powerful Alpine A290, but also four grand cheaper than the 281bhp 600e Scorpionissima, and seven grand less than the Alfa. Before you head to the comments to ask who in their right mind would spend another £35,000 on a Mokka, remember that this electric crossover class is the most popular among commercial vehicle drivers. If a GSE appears on your commercial vehicle list next to a mid-range ID.3, you’d be forgiven for being tempted.

It’s a real shame, then, that the understated exterior – which admittedly gets more muscular bumpers to match its beefed-up stance and GSE stickers – isn’t helped much by what’s inside. If you ignore the GSE’s bucket seats, you’re essentially confronted with a standard Mokka cab. Granted, the previous generation Vauxhall switchgear means you have real knobs and buttons where other Stellantis cars don’t, but the designers could have at least thrown the GSE livery on the steering wheel cover and passenger airbag. Nor are the Alcantara-trimmed seats as exciting to look at as the Sabelt buckets you get in both Italian siblings, although I guess we should just be grateful that they fit as standard. They certainly support with good reinforcement and are mounted lower than in the cooking version.

This sets the tone appropriately enough, because as soon as you drive away you also feel the ‘Alfa’ in the driving genes. With Michelins with a 225/40 profile, the ride is firm at low speeds, although the dampening effect of those hydraulic stops prevents it from seeming brittle. A faster steering rack with 2.7 turns lock-to-lock has improved low-speed agility, and the effortlessness of an electric motor means everything from navigating rush-hour traffic to joining highways is a breeze. At normal speed, the ‘Alpha-ness’ simply means that the GSE feels like a more mature Mokka. Albeit one with a noticeable increase in road noise thanks to the new tires.

Pick up the pace and the power of the upgraded chassis is evident enough, even in the mixed conditions of the GSE’s launch in central Spain. Put the car into a bend and the nose responds sharply, but it is only when you actually enter a bend that the adjustments come into play. The nose shoots to the top, like a puppy following a tennis ball, with the camber angle of the outside wheel meaning that the more load you put through it, the more grip it gets. Even on a winding mountain route where barriers are barely a meter from the Mokka’s wing mirror, the differential’s ability to convert mid-corner throttle input into corner-tightening traction always inspires confidence.

From previous experience we know that the Alfa and Abarth equivalents of the GSE have a similarly enthusiastic front end, although they are matched by a rear end that contributes to agility. Where the Alfa tries to emulate an old-fashioned hot hatch by tensing the inside wheel, the firmer-riding Abarth tends to leave the rear rounded, but this initial experience suggests Vauxhall has taken a more stable approach. Even with the firmer sway bar adjustment, the GSE’s rear end is noticeably softer than its 281-hp siblings. Only when we enter Madrid’s former Grand Prix circuit, Circuito del Jarama, is the speed high enough to really get the tail moving. Even then it’s never lairy.

Body control is impressive, as are the brakes, which are powerful and progressive, and remarkably resistant to fade on the track. You won’t be giving them much exercise on the road, not when the GSE’s B-mode – which ramps up regenerative braking – is strong enough to keep the car crawling at slow speeds. Although even with this effort-reducing and efficiency-enhancing technology, the Mokka GSE can’t overcome the Achilles heel of a 50.8 kWh battery capacity. A claimed range of 330 kilometers is only attributed to cars running eco-focused Goodyears; if you want the grippier Michelins, that drops to 201 miles. Drive consistently fast and you’ll probably cover half that distance. And with a maximum charging speed of 100 kW that takes at least half an hour to get from zero to 80 percent, you can’t exactly opt for a ‘splash and dash’ ethos with the GSE.

This means the GSE faces the same challenge as its stablemates. Drive it like a normal EV and the range is probably acceptable for most city dwellers – but work the engine, differential and chassis as the manufacturer intended and you’ll want to be conveniently close to your destination, or have a way to charge up when you get there. Plus, it’s easier to imagine the likes of the Abarth or Alpine playing second fiddle to a two-car garage; the number of people who buy an Opel (even a mildly sporty one) because of its looks or the appeal of its badge will probably be drastically lower.

That doesn’t mean there aren’t customers for a car with a 200-mile range and 281 horsepower, but with its more aggressive pricing strategy and less aggressive handling, you can imagine that most of these are commercial vehicle users attracted by the added value of a GSE badge. And while that doesn’t sound like there’s a huge party taking place in the new Mokka’s pants, it at least neatly conforms to Vauxhall’s previous concept of what exactly a performance variant should do in its range. Likewise, it will be hoped that a worthy upgrade in capabilities is enough to make the prospect of a practical electric crossover seem more enjoyable, although with a Peugeot E-208 GTI-linked Corsa likely to be the next addition to the GSE range, the best is likely yet to come from Vauxhall.

Engine: single electric motor with permanent magnet, usable battery of 50.8 kWh
Transfer: one-speed automatic, front-wheel drive
Power (hp): 280
Torque (lb⋅ft): 254
0-100 km/h: 5.9 seconds
Top speed: 200 km/h
Weight: 1,597kg (without driver)
Efficiency: 5.4 miles/kWh
Electric range: 320 km (WLTP), 100 kW charging
Price: £35,495 (incl. £1.5k UK EV grant)