Vauxhall’s new odd one’s out
Bland Crossland X lacks sparkle
Vauxhall is focusing on family fun at the Goodwood Festival of Speed (June 29-July 2), with a free creche, face painting, a ball pool and other attractions. And the grown-ups can look around a selection of historic Vauxhalls, including a 1926 30/98 which was the first UK production car capable of more than 100mph, to a 1993 Lotus Carlton that has a top speed of 176mph. Go to goodwood.com for ticket information.
PRODUCT planning, or the process of deciding what to make next, is pretty straightforward these days. BMW makes a small SUV, Audi and Mercedes then follow suit with a direct rival of the same size and for the same money. Simple. It’s the same at the less posh end of the market and it usually involves SUVS and crossovers because that’s what sells. Skoda and Seat, fresh from launching their first SUVS (Kodiaq and Ateca), are busy producing smaller ones. And this week we have Vauxhall’s new creation. It is called the Crossland X and it’s a bit of an odd one. Firstly it’s a joint project with Peugeot but was completed before the French company bought Vauxhall. It sits on a new platform that will be used for next-gen Citroens and Peugeots. Our first task is to understand where this new car sits in the Vauxhall range. Oddly is the answer. It actually sits under the Mokka X where it will be a rival to Renault’s Captur and the Nissan Juke among others, but it is only 63mm shorter than the Mokka. It has more interior space than that car, too. Also, it’s not really an SUV, more of a cross between an old-fashioned MPV and a crossover. There’s no four-wheel drive option, but the Crossland X does have the bluff front of an SUV, and not the pointy nose of an MPV. An MPV like the Vauxhall Meriva, which the Crossland X replaces. The Crossland has the same blade styling on its flanks as the Astra but doesn’t look anything like as attractive as the hatchback. Bland is how I’d describe it. Inside, the Crossland X shows its value with excellent use of space front and back. There’s an option to have a sliding rear seat which is a must if you have a young family. The boot is class leading in capacity and has a two-level floor. We’re testing an Elite spec car fitted with a 1.6-litre diesel engine that produces 98bhp. Vauxhall reckons that the 108bhp petrol will be the bigger