Vauxhall Mokka - Why it should come to India

Experts in the industry say that the next big thing in the Indian automobile sector is the compact SUV segment. Premier kick-started this segment with the Rio though it’s another matter that the vehicle hasn’t performed too well in the market so far. The Ford EcoSport compact SUV concept showcased at the 2012 Delhi Auto Expo in January also generated tremendous interest from prospective customers and the public at large. 

It’s not just the Indian market, global demand for compact SUVs is showing a positive feedback, because of which bigwigs like Ford are coming up with vehicles particularly for the segment. 

Vauxhall of UK understands the potential of the new segment and has come up with a compact SUV called the Mokka, which has been unveiled at the ongoing 2012 Geneva Motor Show. The Vauxhall Mokka is 4.28m long and will hit the UK market  with three engine options comprising two petrol -- a 1.6-litre naturally aspirated motor with 115PS of power and a 1.4 litre turbocharged motor with 140PS of power. The diesel option is a 1.7-litre CDTI engine that generates 130PS of power. Two six-speed gearbox options will be on offer in both manual and automatic, and front-and all-wheel drive variants. 

For the uninitiated, Vauxhall Motors is a British Company owned by General Motors, which also owns the Chevrolet brand. It is, therefore, quite a possibility that the Mokka can be manufactured and sold in India as a Chevrolet. This will give Chevrolet India quite the advantage over car makers like Ford if GM decides to bring the Mokka to India. If this happens, the Mokka will become the first compact SUV in India that people will want to buy. 

The compact SUV will work for India as snob value is a core criterion for the Indian car buyer, and the SUV scores top marks on that aspect.  It will also be an economical car to run, cheap to maintain and easy to drive around in urban environs.