Vauxhall Grandland X review

The Vauxhall Grandland X is a very popular medium size SUV. It looks good and is available in a range of brilliant colours including some with a contrasting roof.
With an elegantly designed interior, it has lots of space for five with room in the boot for all your needs. It’s very well equipped, with everything from cruise control to heated front and back seats on some models.
The Grandland X drives well with a range of engines that provide a good balance of power and fuel economy. Its suspension keeps you comfortable on long journeys, while it has good towing ability.

Safety is a plus too with a five-star Euro NCAP test rating and the latest systems to keep you and your family secure on the road.

The interior has an upmarket look and feel with a dashboard that is elegant and modern. It has a clean look with many of the functions being controlled using a touchscreen that also operates the infotainment system. Materials have a high quality feel to them and there’s lots of storage including a big space between the seats as well as numerous door pockets for odds and ends.

There’s room for five people and even taller adults will sit comfortably in the back seats. Boot space is excellent with its 514 litres capable of taking three large suitcases or a pushchair. Fold the back seats down and you get 1,652 litres - enough for larger items such as furniture. There’s an adjustable floor that can create a flat loading space if you fold the seats down or room to hide things beneath it. There are also useful hooks for hanging shopping bags on.

A big part of the Vauxhall’s popularity is that it’s great to drive. The suspension provides a smooth ride on all types of road surface. The Grandland X is also impressively quiet for those inside, even at motorway speeds.
There’s one petrol, two diesels and a pair of plug-in hybrids, ensuring an engine to suit all needs. Each provides different levels of power but all drive well and are fuel-efficient, especially on long journeys. You also get a choice of manual or automatic gearboxes. Most models are front-wheel drive, but the hybrids come with all-wheel drive. If you need a vehicle for towing, the diesels are a good choice.

Prices for the Grandland X are similar to its SUV rivals although the hybrids cost more because of the additional electric motor and batteries.

The engines are all very fuel efficient, with a lowest claimed consumption figure of an impressive 53mpg. The hybrids claim to deliver up to 204 mpg but you’ll need to plug it in regularly to achieve this, and even then the figure is ambitious. Diesels only really make sense if you are going to do over 12,000 miles a year.
Insurance costs are about the same as rivals as is road tax. Service costs are affordable and Vauxhall offers a range of service plans that you can buy online or from a dealership, to suit your mileage and budget.

Vauxhall does well in most reliability surveys and no major issues have been reported for the Grandland X.

It has a five-star Euro NCAP rating and safety equipment is extensive with multiple airbags, three Isofix child seat anchor points, a lane departure system that warns if you start to veer out of your lane, and rear parking sensors. Some models will have an optional safety pack that detects a potential forward collision and autonomous emergency braking.