VAUXHALL CROSSLAND X 1.6D
Practical new baby crossover gets frugal diesel power
It’s an opportunity, not a risk,” according to Vauxhall. Releasing a car that is only marginally different in size from another car in its line-up may look like the result of a muddled thought process, but the Crossland X supposedly fulfils a different role from the ‘larger’ Mokka X.
The Crossland X is more of a minimpv – it is an indirect successor to the Meriva – than an SUV, whereas the Mokka X is more of the latter.
The 108bhp 1.2-litre petrol will take the biggest portion of sales, but this entry-level 1.6-litre diesel will be the most popular oil-burner thanks to its appeal to the fleet market.
The Crossland X meets many of the basic prerequisites of a small SUV. Space inside is fairly generous, and it has rivals beaten on boot space. It also has a decent driving position with plenty of adjustment, and it’s well equipped, with Elite trim getting you 17in alloys, a touchscreen infotainment system and parking assistance. Fleet buyers are better off with Tech Line Nav trim than the Elite we’re testing here, though, to get smaller 16in alloys and sat-nav.
If that hasn’t sealed the deal for you, there’s little hope the Crossland X’s dynamics will win you over.
This diesel engine feels a lot flatter than the petrol units. It’s slow off the mark, and even when you keep it in the mid-range it never feels brisk.
Still, for low-speed town driving, the Crossland X is fine. It keeps up with traffic, has nicely weighted pedals and the engine isn’t too noisy. The five-speed manual gearbox has a vague shift action, though.
The ride becomes unsettled at higher speeds and there’s a lot of body roll through corners, while the steering is extremely light, with minimal feedback. All of this hardly makes for confidenceinspiring handling.
It’s good news for fuel economy, though. The 1.6-litre diesel matches or betters most of its rivals and should keep running costs (including company car tax bills) down.
The Crossland X is also cheaper than the Mokka X, as well as the Nissan Juke and Renault Captur, but the latter two are better to drive.
It makes sense for fleet buyers to plump for this engine, but lowmileage private buyers are far better off looking at the petrol options.