Vauxhall Mokka SRi Nav Premium 1.2 – long-term review

Several years ago, I ran a Seat Ateca – great car, I really enjoyed it. But every other day I got a puncture.

I’m not even joking… I seem to recall I got eight punctures in six months. For pity’s sake.

So imagine my unfettered delight when I walked out to the Mokka one morning to go to work to discover it had suffered a puncture, and a proper good one as well – just off the shoulder.

All those terrible memories returned. I was not just gutted, I was bereft. Yup, an inch-and-three-quarter-long screw somehow buried itself in the rubber necessitating a new tyre.

And not just ANY new tyre, but a like-for-like replacement Michelin tyre costing £170.40. Which, you may not be surprised to learn is the most expensive tyre you can get for the Mokka –  so the tyre fitter told me.

Unfortunately, it’s not a tyre that the fitters keep in stock (what kind of an idiot would pay that for a crossover tyre, after all?)

Fortunately, the fitters have an amazing service that means the gold-plated Michelin rubber was ordered and arrived just a couple of hours later. Now that’s what I call service!

As an aside, when the wheel was off, I took the opportunity to take a quick snap of the rear brake disc and suspension. It’s always fascinating to get a look behind the scenes, as it were. I was expecting something meatier, but as it all works very well, I’m not complaining.

Another note while we’re making observations – those little plastic wheelnut covers are a right old pain to get off without the tweezers the tyre fitters use. Wish the Mokka had a set of them in the boot.

Anyway, back to the puncture… to be honest, I’m just hoping the tyre lasts long enough for me to get my money’s worth.