Vauxhall Grandland Review & Prices

The new Vauxhall Grandland is the sort of car you might buy if you wanted a no-nonsense family SUV that comes loaded with impressive equipment and won’t cost the earth to run. Alternatives include heavy-hitters such as the Skoda Karoq and Nissan Qashqai, as well as the Peugeot 3008 and Kia Sportage – talk about having your work cut out for you.

So it’s a good thing it stands out in a crowd. Where the old model was a bit ho-hum in the styling department, this one certainly isn’t. It looks like it’s been to the shops for a swish new designer outfit.

The Grandland also gets the now-familiar Vauxhall family face, meaning a gloss black visor across the front that contains radars and sensors, with the headlights blending into that panel. Body creases, the option of a two-tone roof and some snazzy alloy wheels all combine to make the Grandland a tidy car to look at.

The inside is similarly slick, but perhaps not quite as spectacular. Still, you get two seven-inch digital displays as standard, while mid- and top-spec models get a 10.0-inch touchscreen and a 12.0-inch instrument display – both of which feature decently clear and responsive graphics. Material quality is generally good too, though passenger space – particularly in the second row – is a bit tight.

That said, the boot is reasonably sized in the petrol and diesel models with 514 litres of storage space. That’s about average for this type of SUV – the Skoda Karoq offers slightly more space, while the Nissan Qashqai has slightly less. It’s also worth pointing out that the more economical plug-in hybrid version of the Grandland has a smaller boot, with just 390 litres of space on offer.

There are three engines to choose from. The 1.2-litre petrol and 1.5-litre diesel are offered with 128hp, while the plug-in petrol hybrid has 222hp available, although it is considerably heavier.

For those doing plenty of miles, the diesel is great, while the petrol is much better for shorter trips or around town. If you’ve got a company car and need cheaper tax rates, the plug-in hybrid will serve you the best.

Out on the road and the Grandland is solid enough, although it isn’t the most comfortable owing to the way it can occasionally bounce and fidget over bumps. This is particularly true if you go for the GS Line or Ultimate models, which come with larger alloy wheels.

On a twisty road, you do get steering that’s direct enough, but it can feel a bit numb, so you never really have a huge amount of fun through corners. Still, roll is quite well handled thanks to the car’s firmer suspension setup.

Around town, the Grandland has good visibility and you’ll be able to navigate around easily. There’s light steering to help make turning easy, while the car doesn’t feel as big as you might think.

There are some foibles with the Grandland, but on the whole it does a decent job of being a family SUV, it’s just a little rough around the edges. It now starts at a lower price than it used to, so you might find that it’s more attractive than ever before.

If you’re interested in the Vauxhall Grandland, check out the latest prices through carwow, and see how much you could save on a new model. Or check out our selection of used Vauxhalls.

The Vauxhall Grandland sits in the hotly contested mid-sized SUV segment. The recent update has allowed it to compete on a more equal footing with the mechanically similar Peugeot 3008, while slightly undercutting it on pricing.

The best-selling Nissan Qashqai is marginally cheaper, but the Grandland does have more kit as standard and a broader engine range. The new Kia Sportage is another strong competitor, as is the pricier but posher Volkswagen Tiguan.

Against such a wide range of alternatives, we would recommend the mid-spec Grandland GS Line trim and 128hp petrol engine combination. This would retain the Vauxhall’s value-based positioning with low running costs and a decent level of kit.

The Vauxhall Grandland hits the middle-ground between comfort and sporty dynamics. This makes it quite capable down a back road but a bit firm in regular driving

In town

The Vauxhall Grandland is well-suited to the daily grind around town. It has the usual SUV benefits of a raised ride-height and good visibility, and even the base Design trim comes with a rearview camera to aid parking. Thanks to a light steering feel and good responsiveness at city speeds, the Grandland also feels smaller than it is.

The ride can be a bit firm at times, though, bouncing over bumps and feeling a bit unsettled on rougher road surfaces. Aside from that, it makes for a great family-friendly mid-sized SUV.

On the motorway

Head out on the open road and the Grandland feels suitably refined, with minimal road noise and just a little wind noise from the side mirrors. Larger alloy wheels can disturb the ride quality, so we’d stick to the smaller wheels (17-inch on Design and 18-inch on GS Line trims) for the most passenger comfort.

On a twisty road

That firm ride does pay dividends on a twisty road; the Grandland doesn’t lean much in the corners, and it feels planted around the bends. It isn’t particularly fun to drive, but that’s not what a family SUV is really about.

The Grandland has a decent amount of in-cabin storage, and plenty of space up front. The second row isn’t all that spacious though, and the boot is about average for the class

A pair of supportive seats are provided for the two occupants in front, with the GS Line trim getting even comfier ‘ergonomic sports-style seats’, which also gain heating on the top Ultimate trim. As with most SUVs in this category, head and legroom are more than adequate, and the large window area makes for an airy and bright cabin.

The front door bins will take larger bottles and there’s space for your takeaway coffees in the centre console, too. The centre armrest can store a few more items, and there’s also a closable storage area just below the heating and ventilation controls.

Space in the back seats

The back row is less accommodating and legroom is rather limited, especially for taller passengers. The backrest isn’t angled quite far back enough, which also impacts on comfort and headroom, especially for taller adults. Some alternatives, like the Volkswagen Tiguan, offer reclinable rear backrests.

A small hump in the centre of the footwell impacts on legroom for the centre passenger, although children should still find it perfectly adequate back there. The rear centre backrest folds down to provide an armrest, and the door bins are smaller than the ones up front, but still fine for small water bottles or wallets.

Boot space

Petrol and diesel models get 514 litres of boot space which expands to 1,652 litres with the rear seats down. These figures are very similar to the Peugeot 3008, with which the Vauxhall shares its design, although it trails the Kia Sportage (591 and 1,780 litres). This places it somewhere in the middle for maximum boot space, but it should be enough for most and you can adjust the boot floor to make the loading area flat. There are also two little storage areas on either side of the boot.

The plug-in hybrid has its batteries under the boot floor, so it gets 390 litres behind the back seats and 1,528 litres when you fold them down. This drop-off is similar to the Volkswagen Tiguan eHybrid, although the Kia Sportage plug-in hybrid loses just 51 litres over its petrol-powered stablemates, which gives it a still decent 540 litres of loading space.

It’s not the most adventurously-styled, but the Grandland’s cabin is well-laid out and finished in reasonable quality materials

The Vauxhall Grandland may be based on the Peugeot 3008, but it trades that model’s space-age interior styling for a somewhat more sombre layout. The latest update has introduced some welcome new tech, though, with all trims getting a digital driver display and everything is laid out in a logical fashion. Physical buttons are still used to access commonly-used functions, making it far easier to change settings while on the move than with the touchscreen-only setups in many alternatives.

The material quality is good too, with even the base Design trim getting plenty of soft-touch plastics and premium-feeling cloth seat coverings. The GS Line gets fancier fabric seat inserts with leather-effect side bolsters, while the Ultimate trim gets Alcantara inserts.

The base Design trim gets a 7.0-inch digital driver display and 7.0-inch infotainment touchscreen. The graphics are clear and overall system responsiveness is decent. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, with the usual DAB radio and Bluetooth connectivity also featuring. There’s no sat nav, but you can always use your phone’s apps instead.

GS Line and Ultimate trims get a 10.0-inch driver display and 12.0-inch infotainment screen, these larger units are better integrated into the dashboard. There are a few shortcut keys along the side of the infotainment screen, and it is all quite intuitive to use. Navigation is standard on the larger units, although its accuracy was a bit off when we tested it, so sticking to your phone’s built-in apps may be the best move here. USB ports are provided front and rear.

The Grandland is offered with petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid engine options. All are front-wheel-drive, with the petrol being available with a six-speed manual transmission and an eight-speed automatic. The diesel and plug-in hybrid are automatic only.

The 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine offers 128hp and can manage up to 45.6mpg in combined driving. It gets from 0-62mph in 10.4 seconds. Both performance and fuel economy are about on par with entry-level options found in the Peugeot 3008, Kia Sportage and Nissan Qashqai. The automatic gearbox is similarly quick, but overall fuel economy drops a bit to 44.1mpg.

The 1.5-litre turbocharged engine is a little coarser, but offers the same 128hp and a bit more torque which helps during overtaking. It will do up to 53.3mpg and manages to complete the 0-62mph sprint in 12.3-seconds. That’s not particularly quick, and most alternatives have more powerful diesel options that are slightly less frugal but faster.

The range-topper is the 222hp plug-in hybrid. It uses a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine and electric motor which makes it the quickest here, with an 8.9-second 0-62mph time, and a official fuel economy of 192mpg. You can travel up to 39 miles using electric power alone, so if your daily commute is less than that figure you could avoid filling up with petrol until you need to go on a longer trip. The 13.2 kWh battery pack will charge from 0-100% in just 3 hours and 45 minutes using a 7kW home wallbox.

Peugeot has a similar engine in its 3008, with predictably comparable performance and economy. The VW Tiguan TSI eHybrid has 245hp, which makes it quicker still but slightly less efficient overall.

The Vauxhall Grandland was tested by Euro NCAP in 2017, it scored a full five-star rating with 84% for adult occupant safety and 87% for child occupants. The updated model has since received more safety features as standard, although the test itself has also become more stringent.

Either way, the Grandland remains a safe mid-sized SUV and comes standard with hill start assist, automatic emergency braking, rear view parking camera, cruise control, lane departure warning and lane keep assist. Adaptive cruise control and forward collision alert becomes standard on the GS trim, while the Ultimate trim gets front and rear parking sensors, advanced park assist and side blind spot alert.

The Grandland (known as the Grandland X before the mid-life update) has performed well in owner surveys, no doubt benefiting from the joint development of this SUV with Peugeot. The engines and build quality were considered particularly good, which bodes well for those looking for a used Grandland.

There have been a number of recalls for the Grandland, these have ranged from issues like incorrectly fastened seat belts to diesel particulate filter problems and incorrectly tightened shock absorbers and brake calipers.

The Vauxhall Grandland comes with a three-year/60,000-mile warranty, which is rather average compared to the five- and seven-year warranties offered by Hyundai and Kia respectively. An extended warranty is available at a price, though.

The hybrid components of the plug-in hybrid model are covered for eight-years/100,000-miles. Petrol engines require servicing every year or 12,500-miles, while the diesels need a service every 20,000-miles or annually.