Vauxhall Grandland review

The new Vauxhall Grandland is the sort of car you might buy if you wanted a no-nonsense family SUV that comes loaded with impressive equipment and won’t cost the earth to run. Alternatives include heavy-hitters such as the Skoda Karoq and Nissan Qashqai, as well as the Peugeot 3008 and Kia Sportage – talk about having your work cut out for you.

So it’s a good thing it stands out in a crowd. Where the old model was a bit ho-hum in the styling department, this one certainly isn’t. It looks like it’s been to the shops for a swish new designer outfit.

So the Grandland gets the now-familiar Vauxhall family face, meaning a gloss black visor across the front that contains radars and sensors, with the headlights blending into that panel.  Body creases, the option of a tow-tone roof and some snazzy alloy wheels all combine to make the Grandland a tidy car to look at. 

This inside is similarly slick, but perhaps not quite as spectacular. Still, you get two seven-inch digital displays as standard, while mid- and top-spec models get a 10-inch touchscreen and a 12-inch instrument display – both of which feature decently clear and responsive graphics. Material quality is generally good too, though passenger space – particularly in the second row – is a bit tight. 

That said, the boot is reasonably sized in the petrol and diesel models with 514 litres of storage space. That’s about average for this type of SUV – the Skoda Karoq offers slightly more space, while the Nissan Qashqai has slightly less. It’s also worth pointing out that the more economical plug-in hybrid version of the Grandland has an even smaller boot, with just 390 litres of space on offer. 

There are three engines to choose from. The 1.2-litre petrol and 1.5-litre diesel are offered with 130hp, while the plug-in petrol hybrid has 225hp available, although it is considerably heavier.

In GS Line and with the petrol engine, the Grandland is more relaxing and better on fuel too.

For those doing plenty of miles, the diesel is great, while the petrol is much better for shorter trips or around town. If you’ve got a company car and need cheaper tax rates, the plug-in hybrid will serve you the best. 

Out on the road and the Grandland is solid enough, although it isn’t the most comfortable owing to the way it can occasionally bounce and fidget over bumps. This is particularly true if you go for the GS Line or Ultimate models, which come with larger alloy wheels. 

On a twisty road, you do get steering that’s direct enough, but it can feel a bit numb so you never really have a huge amount of fun through corners. Still,  roll is quite well handled thanks to the car’s firmer suspension setup.

Around town, the Grandland has good visibility and you’ll be able to navigate around easily. There’s light steering to help make turning easy, while the car doesn’t feel as big as you might think. 

There are some foibles with the Grandland, but on the whole it does a decent job of being a family SUV, it’s just a little rough around the edges. It now starts at a lower price than it used to too, so you might find that it’s more attractive than ever before. 

If you’re interested in the Vauxhall Grandland, check out the latest prices through carwow, and see how much you could save on a new model.