French bred
It’s not where you’re from, it’s where you’re at. Vauxhall’s Peugeot-based crossover is a winner
NO POINT pretending this is anything other than a lightly rejigged Peugeot 3008, but equally there’s no reason to withhold the praise this new Vauxhall deserves. The 3008 is bang on the money as a family-friendly compact SUV, and so’s the new Vauxhall version.
If, for whatever practical or emotional reasons, you’d rather buy a Vauxhall than a Peugeot, the Grandland X makes every bit as much sense. Conceived before the sale of GM’s European operations to PSA, the Grandland X is a well executed example of badge engineering. You don’t have to look further than key rivals such as the Nissan Qashqai and VW Tiguan to see how prevalent this is; the Renault Kadjar and Seat Ateca respectively are close relatives of those two.
How’s it different from the Peugeot? Not in the engines – you get the same choice of 1.2 turbo petrol (128bhp) or 1.6 turbodiesel (114bhp), both available with six-speed manual or automatic transmissions. It’s front-drive only, as with the Peugeot.
The body is broadly the same too. But the styling is different, with several elements adapted from the Astra, and so’s the interior, which is more conventional than the Peugeot’s.
Prices for petrols start at just over £22,000 and diesels £1000 higher. Automatic transmission adds £1500. These prices are a big step up from the next class down, but in line with direct rivals.
Standard equipment on the base SE includes cruise control, dual-zone climate control, lane departure warning, front foglights, rear parking sensors, LED tail lights and daytime running lights, and touchscreen-based infotainment (including DAB radio) designed for easy integration with your smartphone.
Go for a higher spec – Tech Line Nav, Sport Nav or Elite Nav – and you get kit including forward collision alert with emergency braking, a driver drowsiness system, pedestrian protection, a powered tailgate and plenty more. Options include leather trim, audio upgrades, a black roof and a panoramic sunroof.
It’s a family car, as much about the passengers and the luggage as the driver. Everyone’s well catered for, with a boot and cabin that are not just roomy but feel user-friendly and well made. But it’s not without its pleasures for the driver: the manual 1.6 diesel we drove is a cracking engine, and the Grandland X steers well. The suspension is focused on comfort rather than precision, in line with most compact SUVs; this isn’t pretending to be a Porsche Macan rival. But on first impressions it’s ready to go head to head with the Qashqai, Kadjar, Tiguan, Ateca and Ford Kuga.