► Vauxhall’s largest SUV now full-electric
► One battery option at launch, long range model to follow
► Shares the Stellantis STLA Medium platform with Peugeot
Pity any mainstream carmaker trying to make a splash in the sea of noise in the best electric SUV market. On the one hand, the Koreans have transformed Hyundai and Kia into cutting-edge premium challengers for mainstream money, and on the other, the Chinese are slipping effortlessly into the budget market with some incredibly capable gear. And let’s not forget Tesla, the ultimate disruptor, which continues to drop its prices square into the heart of this automotive moshpit.
In that shifting landscape, the new Vauxhall Grandland looks like it has its work cut out. But the British brand is going in all guns blazing, chasing the golden ticket of ICE vs EV price parity – allowing buyers to make a straight choice for their new car’s power, unencumbered by stiff pricing and barriers to charging. That’s the theory anyway – and I will get back to that, I promise.
What of the Grandland itself? It sits on the new Stellantis Group STLA Medium platform, making it very closely related to the good-looking and beautifully trimmed Peugeot 3008. Like the new Pug, it’s being offered with a choice of hybrid, plug-in hybrid and pure-electric powertrains – and this review is concentrating on the unimaginatively-named Grandland Electric. Luckily for Vauxhall, its French stablemate is chasing VW’s ‘premium volume’ market slot, so its latest challenger is at least usefully cheaper.
At a glance
Pros: Stylish in certain colours and trims, planted handling, decent headroom
Cons: Infotainment isn’t easy to use, despite interesting finance deals, it’s still Model Y money
What’s new?
In Stellantis’s world, the e-3008 might have beaten the Grandland Electric to the draw, but for Vauxhall, this is all-new, and a complete transformation of the model range. The new platform, motors and batteries deliver more range and power than any previous model from the group, taking it to the sharp end of the grid.
It’s not as if the Grandland lacks visual appeal these days, either. The old one was neat and undistinguished, but order this in the right colour and trim, and it’s quite a looker. Design Director Mark Adams has done a great job of injecting some purpose into the Vauxhall range in recent years, and this one continues the theme, with neat detailing and that striking front distinguishing what otherwise could have been quite a bland design.
But unlike many rivals, Vauxhall has not tried to disguise its SUV bodystyle by giving it a sloping roofline to laughingly call it a coupe. No, it’s an upright, chunky-looking thing that celebrates its practicality, offering a taller alternative to the Astra Estate. It’s no doubt helped by the swish light signatures and Wolseley-style light-up grille badge that – for now – allows it to stand out from the crowd a little – shame not all models get them.
In addition, Vauxhall has given the Grandland the latest version of its Matrix LED headlights. They’re called Intelli-Lux Matrix LED HD – and the units have 51,200 elements between them. I’ll tell you how they perform when I get into the dark skies of the north, but for now can confirm they put on a pretty show for you when you start it up.
What are the specs?
The Grandland Electric is offered in a single flavour from launch, but more variety will follow. For now, it gets a 210bhp motor and a decent 73kWh battery pack and offers a WLTP tested driving range of 325 miles – call that 260-280 in day-to-day driving. Performance claims are so-so, with a claimed 9.0 seconds for the 0-62mph time. That time should give you a clue to the Grandland’s overall heft.
A Long-Range version with a 97kWh battery and an estimated range of up to 435 miles joins the range next year, which should hopefully dispel any lingering range anxiety fears that drivers may still have. Charging speeds are okay, if not groundbreaking, at 160kW but that’s fast enough a 20-80% recharge in around 26 minutes. Enough time to grab a coffee and be on your way at the motorway services.
What’s it like to drive?
There’s good news here, with a lofty driving position, and decent forward visibility (with the usual caveat about bulky A-pillars), and on the motorway, it’s unerringly refined with low levels of wind noise, and an overall sense calm, that’s helped by the firm but very supportive seats. You can thank the AGR for that.
Acceleration isn’t its strongest point, though. In isolation, new Vauxhall doesn’t put in a bad performance on the road. There’s no way to sugar coat this – I found the Grandland slow off the mark, and lacking in any meaningful overtaking punch. Yes, it’s okay at motorway speeds and is probably not too bad if you’re an unenthusiastic driver, but I can’t help but feel it’s hampered by its hefty kerbweight.
And the problem is that most electric car drivers are enthusiastic and do enjoy rapid and seamless acceleration – so the Grandland’s a genuine disappointment here. It’s much better news when it comes to handling, though, which was a surprise. The engineers at Russelsheim have done a great job with the car’s damping, which is taut and allows good body control, instilling me with a sense of confidence in once I was dialled in to the weighty but rather dead-feeling steering.
I was always aware of the car’s weight, especially in the wet, but feed it smoothly into corners and it didn’t go to pieces. The jury is out on ride quality, because I drove the car near Russelsheim on spookily smooth German roads. It never felt particularly settled on its large Ultimate-spec 20-inch wheels and I suspect on UK roads, it could end up being on the wrong side of uncomfortable. A Renault Scenic is far more resolved in that department.
What’s the interior like?
Well, it’s bigger than the old one. The new Grandland is 173mm longer than before, which has helped to liberate an extra 20mm of legroom for those in the back. I managed to find a six-foot passenger to sit in the rear, behind a similarly sized driver and he said, ’legroom is okay, but I could wear a stove hat in here!’ So, it’s roomy enough. It’s also 19mm taller and 64mm wider, so head and shoulder room are more than adequate.
Vauxhall has also given the Grandland a bit more storage space. Its seats-up boot capacity has swelled from 514 litres to 550 litres (ahead of the e-3008) – and there are more than 35 litres of storage bins dotted around the car’s cabin, including smartphone pockets in the front seat backrests, a massive centre console and Vauxhall’s brand-new Pixel Box.
What’s that, I hear you ask? It’s a storage bin that’s been specially designed to hold a smartphone. It has a built-in wireless charger and a glass lid that Vauxhall says will ensure you never forget your device when you get out of the car. Can’t say I noticed…
The new 16.0-inch infotainment system is thin, wide and mounted high up on the dashboard to help minimise driver distraction – and it’s been teamed with a new digital gauge cluster and head-up display. Older drivers – like me – could find the onscreen display a little small and cluttered compared with a Scenic, Model Y or Enyaq, even if the system undeniably looks good.
Thankfully, Vauxhall hasn’t fallen into the trap of shifting all the Grandland’s switchgear onto the touchscreen. Like the Astra, it retains a row of physical climate controls on the centre console. Plus, if you find all the data from the two screens rather overwhelming, Vauxhall has added a ‘Pure’ mode that pares back the info to just the essentials.
And even though the new Grandland is larger than the model it replaces, that extra bulk should be relatively easy to wrangle around town. There’s a roster of technology to assist you when parking, such as front and rear parking sensors, a rear-view camera (with a self-cleaning function, don’t you know) and a 360-degree parking monitor.
It’s also worth mentioning that, while the Grandland’s seats-up boot capacity has increased, its maximum boot capacity has fallen ever so slightly from 1652 to 1641 litres. But overall it’s less roomy for passengers and luggage than its most important rivals.
Before you buy
There are three models to choose from – Design, GS and Ultimate. Going for the £40,995 entry-level Design means you get a skinny 10.0-inch touchscreen, which at least comes with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The good news is that they all come with adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist and traffic sign recognition.
GS trim adds the 3D Vizor with illuminated Griffin and Intelli-Lux HD headlamps. You also get larger 19-inch alloy wheels, as well as a gloss black finish for the roof, rear spoiler and front and rear bumpers. The infotainment screen grows to 16.0 inches, and satnav, that Pixel Box and ambient interior lighting join the fray.
Finally, the £45,195 Ultimate adds niceties, such as panoramic glass roof, a heated windscreen, a powered hands-free tailgate, and a head-up display. You also get rear cross traffic alert, lane change assist and a 360-degree surround view parking camera. The thing is, that’s Kia EV6 or Tesla Model Y money…
Verdict: Vauxhall Grandland Electric
Taking the Vauxhall Grandland Electric purely at face value, and judging it against the best electric SUVs, such as the Renault Scenic E-Tech, Ford Explorer and Skoda Enyaq, it’s up there in terms of usability and interior. It’s undoubtedly a better all-round better bet than the Peugeot e-3008, even if it feels less special inside than its French cousin.
But it could be argued that what Vauxhall wants us to look at with the Grandland Electric is not its many talented rivals, but at the hybrid alternative in its own model range – and come to the conclusion that the EV costs the same on monthlies, and will be cheaper to run if you are able to take up its offer of a free charger to come with the car.
For this, Vauxhall should be lauded, even if there’s some smoke and mirrors here, with the PCP deal being over a lengthy five years, against the hybrid’s four. Given that the upcoming Frontera is the same cash price in EV and ICE forms, the Grandland has some way to go – and you can be sure that the market will find its own level quickly enough.
And with that out of the way, what are we left with? It’s a perfectly acceptable family SUV that doesn’t put in a bad performance on the road, should offer competitive driving range, and has good seats. It’s not bad, but neither does it stand out. I wouldn’t be too upset if this ended up being my next company car, but I rather suspect retail buyers will find the Explorer and Scenic – in particular – far more appealing.