cars news 10: Opel Mokka X in Geneva Hints at New Buick Encore

The new Opel Mokka X subcompact crossover making its world debut at the Geneva auto show provides a strong hint of the look of the updated Buick Encore.

Buick has said it will show the Encore next month at the New York auto show.

The Mokka X will go on sale in Europe this fall with its first major update since it was introduced three years ago. The tiny crossover has a new look inside and out and even the name has changed with the addition of the “X,” which is being attached to all Opel SUVs and crossovers going forward.

The new headlights with adaptive forward lighting complete the winged look of the grille and there is less plastic in the front fascia in an effort to make the small crossover look bigger and a bit tougher with a wider stance.

The shape of the grille now resembles that of hot Buick concepts like the Avista, and Buick designers have said some of their work on the Avista made its way onto production vehicles. Translation: this is the new grille shape for the next Buick Encore.

The interior has a new dashboard with horizontal lines and shapes in the new instrument panel. The center stack was redesigned to accommodate the touchscreen of the new infotainment system, allowing designers to get rid of some of the cockpit buttons for a cleaner look. The IntelliLink infotainment system offers Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Opel OnStar, and turns the vehicle into a 4G LTE Wi-Fi Hotspot in a small but growing number of European countries. It is all easily envisioned in the Encore, as well.

Power for the Mokka X comes from the next-generation 1.4-liter direct-injected, turbocharged gasoline engine with a six-speed automatic transmission and stop-start technology. The European model will also offer a 1.6-liter turbodiesel.

Opel also debuted much-hyped GT concept at Geneva, a car that some say may never make it to production. Opel also showed the Astra and the new Astra TCR race car that CEO Karl-Thomas Neumann said shows the brand is embracing its motorsports heritage.

Astra gets Opel’s all-new 1.6-liter turbodiesel which makes its debut in Geneva. The Astra TCR has a turbocharged 2.0-liter generating 330 horsepower, a six-speed racing transmission with paddle shift on the steering wheel, an automated double declutching system, and other enhancements to participate in TCR championships this year.