GETTING THE POINT ACROSS
Crossovers 1, compact MPVS 0. The rise of the compact 4 x 4 vehicle at the expense of the mini people-carrier continues unabated.
As a nation, we love crossovers and almost every major manufacturer is now involved in this booming market.
So, why are we so in love with crossovers? Well, it’s their versatility which marks them out. They combine the best elements of estates, hatchbacks and 4x4s to create a car which excels in so many areas.
Now Vauxhall have history here so the Crossland X isn’t exactly breaking new ground. But it is certainly Vauxhall’s best model yet in this sector.
This model is built in Spain and is a sibling to such well rated cars as thecitro enc 3 aircros sand Peugeot 2008. Surprising? Well,Vauxh all–and its Opel owners – are now part of the PSA Group.
But why is there a need for Crossland X when we already have the similar-sized Mokka X? Well, the Mokka is more of a capable 4x4 with good ground clearance and larger wheels, the Crossland X is more of a family road car. less chunky, if you like.
So, how does the Crossland measure up? Well, it’s compact in size but with a decent boot measuring 410 litres rising to 1,255 litres with the seats down. It has a spacious and versatile cabin. For me the most impressive feature of this vehicle is the engine which returns decent performance combined with incredible economy. more than 70 mpg on average is impressive for any car, let alone a chunky family motor.
At just 4.21 metres in length, the Crossland X is more compact than the Mokka X, and a full 16cm shorter than the A st ra hatch, making it better for city driving.
Adding to cross landx’ s urban appeal is an elevated seating position to give the driver better visibility, as well an overall height which is raised ten centimetres above the Astra’s.
It has a number of rivals, of course, with models such as the renault cap tu rand peugeot 2008. Crossland X enters a different SUV class to the Mokka X, whose competitors include the Nissan Juke and Skoda Yeti.
Crossland X continues Vauxhall’s recent trend for creating distinctive models such as Adam and Cascada. This may be a mainstay brand but it does like to turn out cars which are a little different. All credit to Vauxhall for that.
So, what are Crossland’s other best features? It is comfortable, the cabin is simple but well appointed and it drives incredibly well on the road for such a tall and chunky vehicle.
It has some good features to make driving safer and more comfortable, and include a 180-degree panoramic rearview camera, advanced park assist, forward collision alert with pedestrian detection and autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning, traffic sign recognition and side blind-spot alert, among others.
It also has exceptional connectivitythat is becoming the norm in Vauxhall models. Vauxhall Onstar – as well as Intellilink infotainment systems, compatible with apple car play and Android Auto – keeps drivers connected in a convenient and responsible way through anuptoeight-inchtouchscreen.
It seems Crossland X will be more of a private purchase than Mokka which tends to appeal to fleets. Since 2012, the Mokka – now replaced by the Mokka X – has found more than 120,000 buyers in the UK, its single biggest market in Europe. The Crossland X is set to bring further growth.