Despite a significant facelift in 2022, there’s no doubt the Vauxhall Grandland was falling behind mid-size SUV rivals. Now it’s back, boasting the same Stellantis STLA electrified platform as sister model, the Peugeot 3008, and shares many of the same technologies.
Design and interior
The new Grandland demonstrates the latest version of Vauxhall’s ‘Bold and Pure’ design language, that has done so well for them firstly on the Mokka, and more recently with our favourite Family Car, the Vauxhall Astra.
At the front, we have the latest version of the now identifiable Vizor grille, and for the first time, the Griffin badge is lit. This sits below a distinctive bonnet crease, representing a vertical axis, and alongside excellent, standard-fit Intelli-Lux HD headlights.
Move to the side, and the lack of chrome trim (like the Peugeot 3008) is what you notice first. In fact, the Grandland shares its hidden beltline with its French sister, together with the curvy, stretched roofline. Elsewhere, there’s the smoothed, sharp arches, and distinctive lower cutout. At the back, the ‘Vauxhall’ badge is lit – like the Griffin badge at the front – with ‘Grandland’ embossed on the boot. It is a sleek (0.28 Cd), sharp design, but oddly doesn’t have as much visual impact as you might expect.
Inside, the Grandland’s dashboard is very horizontal in design, with the highlights being the central infotainment screen, which is 10in if you go for the Design equipment grade, or a bigger 16in on GS and Ultimate models, with a smaller 10in instrument display behind the oval multi-function steering wheel.
The infotainment itself is easy to use, and there’s 35 litres of stowage (most obvious in the high-set centre console!). The driving position is comfortable, with supportive ergonomic seats fitted to the Ultimate-spec EV version we drove the longest.
The Grandland is also 120mm longer between the front and rear axles than the 3008, so it gains an extra 30 litres of boot space (550 litres in total) and provides additional legroom for rear passengers.
Performance and drive
Vauxhall’s new C-SUV is available with electric and mild hybrid powertrains. An EV version with a larger 97kWh battery and a range of up to 435 miles is expected next year. Until then, the EV version of the Grandland is fitted with a 73kWh battery, which has 213hp and 345Nm of torque, and a range of up to 325miles. The Vauxhall is also fitted with a standard heat pump to help with efficiency and can be charged from 20 to 80% on a rapid charger in just 26 minutes.
On the road, the Grandland EV strikes a decent compromise between performance and efficiency. It is no firecracker, but never feels underpowered, and just gets on with hauling the Grandland along in a seamless manner. This Vauxhall’s brakes aren’t quite so easy going – feeling grabby at low speed and lacking in feel as you press on.
The 48V mild hybrid engine might be new to this Vauxhall, but it’s well-proven in other Stellantis brands, and employs a belt-driven starter/generator, on top of the 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine. This Grandland might be over 500kg lighter than the EV version, but the petrol engine seems to be working hard more of the time than you might expect. This Vauxhall might boast 124g/km emissions, plus 51.4mpg fuel economy, but to do this, its gearshift software seems to heavily skew towards selecting the highest gear possible from the six-speed automatic gearbox, making this Vauxhall feel slower and noisier than its 10.2 second 0-62mph acceleration figure would suggest.
Elsewhere, the steering is precise – but lacks feel. And even though the EV is fitted with more sophisticated multi-link rear suspension, it feels disappointingly firm and fidgety on slower roads and around town – in much the same way the mild hybrid version does. Although both suspension set-ups work better on faster motorways.
The Peugeot 3008 still stands out more design-wise, but we think the Vauxhall Grandland does virtually the same job, in a likable, higher-value package with prices for the EV in Design spec starting at £37,345.
Positive: Exterior and interior design, tidy drive, decent interior and loadspace
Negative: Brake feel, low-speed ride, mild hybrid engine noise
Standard equipment: Adaptive cruise control with stop and go, lane keep assist, automatic emergency braking with in-crash braking, traffic sign recognition, front and rear parking sensors, Intelli-LED headlights and taillights, LED daytime running lights, multimedia infotainment system with 10in colour touchscreen, 10in digital instrument cluster, wireless Apple Carplay/Android Auto, electric parking brake, dual-zone electronic climate control, power folding door mirrors, 19in alloy wheels,
Engine: Petrol mild hybrid: 134hp 1.2; Electric: 210hp
Equipment grades: Design, GS, Ultimate
Transmissions: Single-speed automatic (EV), seven-speed automatic (mild hybrid)
| Model | Vauxhall Grandland GS Electric 73kWh |
| P11D | £38,495 |
| Residual value | 52% |
| Depreciation | £20,190 |
| Fuel | £3,165 |
| Service, maintenance and repair | £2,297 |
| Cost per mile | 44.5p |
| Range | 325 miles |
| CO2 (BIK%) | 0g/km (2%) |
| BIK 20/40% a month | £13/£26 |
| Luggage capacity | 550 litres |
| Battery size/power | 73kWh/213hp |
| Score | 7/10 |
