Opel Mokka GSE: Entering a New Era

As a devoted Opel driver—and one who has been driving Opels for decades—Cécile Wolfisberg’s eyes light up when the Opel Mokka GSE pulls up: «I’ve been driving Opels since I was 24—always a Corsa—but I’d love to test drive this electric SUV too,» says the Autosprint sales administrator. No wonder—the compact SUV, just 4.15 meters long, packs a punch, as the acronym suggests. GSE—or GS/E—once stood for «Grand Sport Einspritzung» and graced legendary models like the Opel Commodore. Today, it stands for «Grand Sport Electric» and is meant to combine electric propulsion with dynamic performance.

Plenty of Power for the E-Blitz

And thanks to 207 kW/281 PS and 345 Nm, the Mokka certainly doesn’t lack for power. The electric powertrain has no trouble handling the Opel Mokka, which weighs just 1,672 kg, and effortlessly accelerates to 100 km/h in 5.9 seconds. «The acceleration is great,» says the woman in her sixties after just a few kilometers in the Mokka on her way to her favorite café. «The GSE delivers a very dynamic driving experience, yet it’s still extremely quiet on the road—brilliant!» If you like to drive a bit faster—and the Mokka certainly encourages that—the roughly 325 km range will be used up quickly despite the 54-kWh battery. But a smile plays on her lips, just like it does for Opel fan and electric-car newbie Cécile.

A funny, if unintentional, detail: The Mokka GSE is also the car that charges the fastest—sometimes even at over 242 km/h. We’ll see which software update will finally convert that to the correct unit, kW, on the display. It certainly brings a smile to your face at the charging station. Thanks to 100 kW, charging is quick here, but not ultra-fast: that’s why it takes 27 minutes for the battery to reach 80 percent charge.

Very comfortable seats

«Incredibly comfortable, yet with plenty of lateral support,» says Cécile, looking at the elegant, six-way manually adjustable Alcantara sports seats as she steps out of the test car with a satisfied smile and runs her hand once more over the flat-bottomed steering wheel. Both are perfect when you want to take this electric speedster for a spin as a change of pace from racing through the curves. «The suspension tuning, on the other hand, is a bit too firm—bordering on bumpy—for my taste,» she notes critically. We understand this penchant for sportiness—after all, it is a GSE model—but we would have expected just a touch more refinement. Cécile also takes points off for the ventilation: «Just like in my 2023 Opel Corsa, the heating and ventilation in the leg area are too weak—it’s a shame.»

The Mokka GSE, priced at 42,990 francs, does score points for its great sound system. ’It really lifts your spirits, just like the lively electric Mokka as a whole. If I could charge it at home, I’d have to think it over again,« she says, climbing back into her Corsa with one last—albeit somewhat wistful—glance at the stylish GSE with its striking LED lights and the clever Intelli-Lux Matrix system, which ensures the best possible lighting and visibility at all times.

Expert Review: Opel Mokka GSE

This electric SUV stands out with its compact exterior dimensions and sleek design. The suspension and shock absorbers could be tuned a bit better, but GSE fans will probably like it.

Advantages
+ Bold design and great seats
+ Excellent LED lighting
+ Good multimedia system with great sound

Disadvantages
– A bit of a bumpy ride – there are other ways to drive sportily
– Heating and ventilation in the leg area could be better