Vauxhall Crossland X review
The Vauxhall Crossland X is a super practical, comfortable, and great-value small SUV that puts family life first.
Author: Charlie Harvey
17th Dec 2025 – 8 mins read
The Vauxhall Crossland X is a car that’s all about making family life a little bit easier. It’s a small SUV that’s big on practicality, offering a spacious, flexible interior and a comfortable ride. It arrived in 2017 to replace the slightly quirky Meriva MPV, swapping that car's unusual rear-hinged doors for the more fashionable, high-riding stance of a crossover. While it might not be the most exciting car to look at or to drive, the Crossland X really delivers where it counts for a family car. It's incredibly roomy inside for its size, comes with a generous amount of standard equipment, and is available with a range of efficient engines. If you're looking for a sensible, affordable, and hugely practical small SUV, the Crossland X is a very smart choice.
Pros
- Hugely practical and spacious interior
- Good range of efficient engines
- Comfortable ride, great for daily driving
Cons
- The looks are a little uninspiring
- It's quite dull to drive
- Top-end models can get a bit pricey
Interior
Dashboard & tech
The inside of the Crossland X is a lesson in sensible, user-friendly design. Vauxhall hasn't tried to reinvent the wheel here; instead, you get a dashboard that is clear, logical, and easy to get used to. All the controls are exactly where you’d expect to find them, which makes it a very easy car to jump into and drive.
The cabin is dominated by a modern-looking seven-inch touchscreen, which brings a bit of flair to an otherwise functional design. It's simple to use and controls all the main media and phone functions. While there are a lot of dark plastics, everything feels solid and well put together, giving you the sense that it's built to withstand the rigours of family life.
Comfort
Comfort is a real strong point for the Crossland X. The suspension does a great job of soaking up bumps and potholes, making it a very relaxing car to drive around town. The seats are supportive, and the high driving position gives you a great view of the road ahead.
It’s an easy-going companion for the school run or the daily commute. On the motorway, it’s a reasonably quiet cruiser, although you might notice a bit of wind noise at higher speeds. Overall, it’s a car that prioritises a comfortable and stress-free journey over sporty thrills, which is exactly what many families are looking for.
Quality
The Crossland X feels like a durable and well-built car. The cabin is full of hard-wearing plastics that feel like they will stand up to years of use and abuse from kids in the back. Everything feels solidly screwed together, and there are no annoying rattles or creaks to spoil the peace.
It might not have the soft-touch, premium feel of some more expensive rivals, but it doesn't feel cheap. The quality is perfectly in line with what you'd expect for a car that offers such good value for money. It's a robust, no-nonsense interior that gets the job done.
Practicality & boot space
Interior space
This is where the Crossland X really shines. For a car that's no bigger than a Vauxhall Astra on the outside, it feels surprisingly spacious on the inside. It’s a bit like a Tardis. There's a huge amount of headroom and legroom, especially for passengers in the back. Two adults can sit comfortably in the rear without their knees touching the front seats, which is impressive for a car in this class.
The cabin is also full of useful storage spaces and large door bins, making it easy to keep the interior tidy. This focus on space and practicality makes the Crossland X one of the best small SUVs you can buy for a growing family.
Boot space
With 410 litres of space, the boot in the Crossland X is a very generous size. It’s more than big enough for a family’s weekly shop, a bulky pushchair, or luggage for a holiday. While it’s not quite the biggest in the class, it offers plenty of usable space for most families' needs.
If you need to carry larger items, the rear seats fold down to increase the load area. The boot opening is wide, and the floor is at a convenient height, which makes loading heavy or awkward items much easier. It's a very practical and versatile boot that really adds to the car's family-friendly appeal.
Driving
Driving experience
If you’re looking for an exciting and fun-to-drive small SUV, the Crossland X probably isn’t for you. The driving experience is best described as safe and sensible. The steering is light and easy, which is great for parking and driving around town, but it doesn't offer much in the way of feedback.
The car’s tall body means you'll notice a bit of lean in the corners if you try to drive it quickly, so it’s much happier at a more leisurely pace. Its strengths lie in its comfortable ride and how easy it is to drive. It's a car that's designed to get you from A to B with the minimum of fuss.
Performance
There’s a good choice of efficient petrol and diesel engines available. The range kicks off with an 82bhp 1.2-litre petrol engine that is best suited to town driving. The turbocharged 1.2-litre petrol engines are a much better bet, available with either 108bhp or 128bhp. They offer a good mix of performance and economy and feel punchy enough for all situations.
If you cover a lot of motorway miles, the 1.5-litre diesel engines are worth considering. They come with either 101bhp or 118bhp and offer excellent fuel economy. All versions of the Crossland X are front-wheel drive; there are no 4x4 options available.
Running costs
Fuel economy & CO2 emissions
No matter which engine you choose, the Crossland X is an affordable car to run. The diesel engines are the most efficient, with the 101bhp 1.5-litre version officially capable of returning over 61mpg. This makes it a great choice for keeping your fuel bills low.
The turbocharged petrol engines are also impressively frugal. The combination of efficient engines and reasonable insurance groups means that the Crossland X won’t break the bank, which is a huge plus point for a family car.
Value for money
The Crossland X offers fantastic value for money. It was competitively priced when new, and because Vauxhalls don't hold their value as well as some other brands, it makes for a brilliant used buy. You can find nearly-new models with significant savings off the list price. When you consider the huge amount of space and standard equipment you get, it represents a real bargain in the small SUV market.
Reliability & Warranty
The Crossland X shares many of its parts with other reliable cars from Peugeot and Citroën, so it should prove to be a dependable choice. From new, all Vauxhalls come with a three-year, 60,000-mile warranty. While this isn’t as long as the cover offered by brands like Kia or Hyundai, it still provides good peace of mind when buying a nearly-new model.
Safety
Safety features
The Crossland X is a safe car for you and your family. It was awarded the maximum five-star rating when it was crash-tested by the safety experts at Euro NCAP, performing well in all areas.
All models come with a good amount of standard safety kit, including automatic emergency braking and hill start assist. Many models also feature a lane departure warning system. Higher-spec versions add even more features like rear parking sensors, helping to make the Crossland X a safe and secure choice.
Trims & Engines
Trim levels
The Crossland X is available in a range of trim levels, all of which are very well-equipped.
Griffin: This popular trim level offers amazing value. It comes with 17-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels, LED headlights, a contrasting black roof, a seven-inch touchscreen with smartphone mirroring, and cruise control.
SRi Nav: Adds a larger eight-inch touchscreen with built-in satellite navigation and voice control.
Business Edition Nav: This trim is aimed at company car drivers and gets smaller 16-inch wheels but adds dual-zone climate control, rear parking sensors, and automatic lights and wipers.
Elite / Elite Nav: These high-spec trims add features like front fog lights, rear parking sensors, and ambient interior lighting. The 'Nav' version includes the larger eight-inch screen with satellite navigation.
Engines
There’s a choice of efficient petrol and diesel engines.
1.2-litre Petrol: A non-turbo engine with 82bhp that’s fine for city use.
1.2-litre Turbo Petrol: The best choice for most people. This engine is available with 108bhp or 128bhp and offers a great blend of zippy performance and good fuel economy.
1.5-litre Turbo Diesel: Available with either 101bhp or 118bhp, these engines are the most economical choice, especially for drivers who cover a lot of motorway miles.