Vauxhall Grandland
MODEL TESTED: Grandland GS 1.2 Turbo PRICE: £31,730 POWERTRAIN: 1.2-litre 3cyl, 128bhp
SINCE its release in 2017, the Vauxhall Grandland has quietly gone about its business admirably well, without ever quite offering the wow factor to top the class. Can this new model, which in GS trim and with a 1. 2-litre turbocharged petrol engine starts at £31,730, be enough for it to make that final step?
Tech highlights
IN February 2022, UK sales began for a revised Grandland model, which dropped the previous X off its name, but more significantly gained a restyled exterior and overhauled interior design. Mechanically, it was identical to the pre-facelift car, using the same EMP2 platform, the same engine line-up and the same chassis settings.
For 2023, however, Vauxhall’s engineers have turned their attention to the third of those areas. Across the range, the Grandland gets revised suspension settings, which are designed to increase the damping force over large bumps, but soften the response over harsher lumps – moves which the brand claims have improved comfort over poor surfaces. There are also tweaks to the steering set-up, which Vauxhall says has been recalibrated for a quicker, more accurate response.
The 1. 2-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol engine we have here is unchanged. It produces 128bhp and delivers 230Nm of torque to the front wheels.
SAFETY:
When the Grandland was assessed by Euro NCAP, it achieved a maximum five-star rating. This was back in 2017, however, and NCAP’s testing now marks down a lack of active safety tech more strictly. The GS spec we’re evaluating isn’t lacking in that area, though; adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning and forwardcollision alert are all fitted as standard.
On road
THE Grandland’s road manners are everything you need for a family car. It’s not outstanding in any one area, but it’s comfortable, easy to drive and delivers decent performance.
AROUND TOWN:
One of the first things that you notice when getting behind the wheel of the Grandland is that the suspension set-up is a little softer than in some rivals. Combined with the modestly sized wheels of this test car, it results in a fairly soothing ride, which doesn’t crash harshly into potholes or speed bumps. Light steering and a fairly tight turning circle mean that the Vauxhall is simple to drive around town.
A & B-ROADS:
A 1. 2-litre engine in a car of this size needs to rely quite heavily on the turbocharger to make progress. Fortunately, peak torque arrives at 1,750rpm, so it pulls quite strongly from low revs. But work it beyond that and it struggles towards the upper reaches of the power band; at this point it begins to sound strained, too. It’s best, then, to avoid working it too hard, because otherwise the three-cylinder unit remains hushed.
On a twisty road the Grandland rolls a little bit around the turns, with a slight nose-heavy balance. Although heavy braking causes quite a lot of dive, the car remains stable and composed enough the rest of the time. Vauxhall’s revised steering set-up is less successful, though. It offers very little selfcentering, which feels a little odd.
MOTORWAY:
While that engine makes a gruff noise under hard acceleration, slot it into sixth and the engine is hushed at a high-speed cruise. Road and wind noise are fairly well suppressed, and that soft ride continues to contribute to the relaxing feel.
WHEELS
Mid-range GS spec comes with 18-inch alloy wheels finished in gloss black. They’re an inch smaller in Design trim and an inch larger for Ultimate models
“The Grandland’s road manner everything you need for a famil
Ownership
INTERIOR quality took a big step forward with the Grandland’s mid-life facelift, although the biggest reason for the change was to accommodate the new and improved in-car technology. Everything inside feels sturdy, but the glossy black plastic across the dash doesn’t look like the most robust surface to cope with family life.
The driving position has lots of adjustment, but the dash feels quite high and imposing, so unless you jack the seat higher up than you might usually choose to, the view out isn’t that great. The seats are supportive, but are a little firmer than the Kia’s.
In the 2022 Driver Power customer satisfaction survey, Vauxhall didn’t fare well as a brand overall, finishing 19th overall in the standings. That’s still an improvement on its performance the previous year, and perhaps more encouragingly for this contest, the Grandland itself finished in 24th in the individual model rankings – inside the top third overall, and comfortably the highest-ranking Vauxhall. The Grandland comes with a three-year, 60,000-mile warranty as standard, which is below the class standard – and less than half of the duration you get with the class-leading Kia.
When it comes to depreciation, there’s little in it. Indeed, the Grandland is ever-so-slightly better, holding 55.9 per cent of its original value after three years. years. The Kia manages 55.3 per cent..
STORAGE:
Compared with the most modern family SUVs, the Grandland’s storage spaces don’t feel like they were planned with current technology in mind. The central bin at the base of the dashboard – the one where most people would tend to keep their smartphone – is too small for the latest devices, so it’ll need to be kept in the central cubby between the seats.
Other spaces are compromised, too; the door pockets are small and the glovebox is tiny, with the fuse box hogging most of the space.
TESTERS’ NOTES
“The Grandland is fitted with three Isofix points – two in the back and another on the front passenger seat. This’ll give families plenty of flexibility when installing a child seat.”
Alex Ingram Chief reviewer
INTERIOR
Grandland’s front seats are quite firm compared with the Kia’s. Boot hasn’t as many useful features, either
Practicality
WHETHER you’re in the back or loading items into the boot, the Grandland offers plenty of space. It’s not quite a class-leader in this respect, but there’s nothing major to mark it down, either.
REAR SPACE:
There’s plenty of space in the back of the Grandland, so even tall adults won’t moan about a shortage of headroom. They could complain about the seat bases, though; they’re relatively short, so longer-legged occupants might find the under-thigh support somewhat lacking.
BOOT:
At 514 litres, the Grandland’s boot is more than roomy enough for most needs. When you do need more space, the seat backs can drop down – and they go almost flat to expand the total volume to 1,652 litres. Although the back seats only split 60:40, there is a central ski hatch, so that you can carry long, thin items while still catering for two in the back.