As glow-ups go, the Vauxhall Grandland has had a big one. And it's no more expensive than the last one.
Having revealed the new Vauxhall Grandland SUV in April, the Brit brand has now confirmed that prices will start at £34,700. That's a few hundred pounds less than the outgoing Grandland in top-spec Ultimate trim. Although, if you want the new Grandland in Ultimate trim, that'll be £38,400.
As is the way with Vauxhall's current cars, Ultimate trim sits above entry-level Design and the sporty mid-range GS trims. Design is well stocked, with features including adaptive cruise control, parking sensors, LED headlights, lane-keep assist and a 10-inch touchscreen. GS gets a bigger screen, as well as wireless phone charging and heated seats; Ultimate spec highlights include a panoramic sunroof, semi-autonomous driving tech and a Focal stereo.
Vauxhall’s largest SUV has been thoroughly overhauled – besides the name, this new one has very little in common with the outgoing Grandland. There’s a clean-sheet design and larger proportions, plus an interior that’s been shoehorned with more tech than you can shake a stick at. And the choice of several electrified powertrains, including a fully electric one.
Let’s start with the Grandland Electric. Its arrival means Vauxhall now has a fully electric option for every one of its cars (excluding the Crossland, which is about to be replaced by the new Frontera). The car’s platform enables a battery size of up to 98kWh to be fitted – that’s huge for a family car. With a battery that size, Vauxhall quotes a range figure of 435 miles, which would put the Grandland right up there with the longest-range electric cars. Recharging to 80% on a fast charger takes 26 minutes.
The Long Range version is coming later. For now, every electric Grandland features a 73kWh battery for a range of around 320 miles. Prices for the electric car range from £40,995 to £45,195, although we suspect its appeal will largely be seen by company-car drivers who want the favourable tax rates of an EV.
There’ll also be a plug-in hybrid Grandland with up to 53 miles of electric-only driving, and a hybrid 1.2-litre petrol with 136hp and a new six-speed automatic gearbox. It appears that, like the latest Volkswagen Tiguan, the Grandland will be only sold with an automatic gearbox. The PHEV isn't available at launch – we expect it to join the range next year.
Under the bonnet, new frequency selective dampers should make the Grandland better to drive and more configurable – giving it a better breadth of ability on a wide range of road types.
The Grandland has grown in length by 17cm and now measures 4.65m. The result is more generous rear-seat space and a larger boot, up to 550 litres from 514. The new Grandland also boasts over 35 litres of interior storage.
But you’ll probably be more focused on the 16-inch infotainment display to notice (fitted on GS and Ultimate trims). It’s incredibly wide but slim, which will be good for visibility, but we wonder how well it’ll show sat nav directions, for example. There’s wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as a ‘Pixel Box’ that hides wireless phone charging. The air con settings can be adjusted through the screen or by using physical controls.
The seats are designed to be good for your back and your posture, and now include powered bolsters for improved comfort. Ventilation and massaging functions will also be available on the driver’s seat. Meanwhile, the upholstery and trim is made from recycled materials.
Outside, the Grandland debuts new ‘Intelli-Lux Pixel Matrix’ headlights (again, on GS and Ultimate), which contain 51,200 individual elements to precisely light the road ahead without blinding other road users. As is increasingly common, there are different head and taillight animations to enjoy. How often you’ll actually change these in real life is up for debate.
At the rear, there’s a new full-width light bar with an illuminated Vauxhall wordmark. Above the rear windscreen is a vertical third brake light like the one on the new Astra.
Viva la Vauxhall!
Shop used Vauxhall Grandland and Grandland X cars for sale at Motorpoint, or read our guide to the best cars for under £200 per month.
