IT’s hard to dislike anything with the word ‘grand’ in it. The adjective is a signifier of all things positive, especially if you come from the North West of England, where probably the highest praise is ‘grand as owt’ (translation: an experience/object not to be surpassed).
So Vauxhall’s latest offering in the ever-swelling ranks of the SUV market, the Grandland X, has a flying start in the feelgood stakes.
And, as Weekend Wheels found during a four-day road test, this spacious five-door family motor more than lives up to its name.
Our car was an Ultimate model, boasting a whole swathe of features, including dual zone climate control, heated front seats and heated outer rear seats, leather upholstery, automatic cruise control with intelligent speed adaptation, leather-trimmed heated steering wheel with audio controls, heated windscreen, heated power-fold door mirrors with puddle lights, dark-tinted rear windows, LED adaptive forward lighting pack, LED daytime running lights, automatic function for lights and windscreen wipers, a panoramic glass sunroof, a powered tailgate and a wireless mobile phone charger.
Hi-tech safety features include blind spot alert, lane departure warning, speed-limit sign recognition and traction control/hill-start assist. And, from the practicality point of view, you will find the likes of 60/40 split-folding rear seat, 220-volt power outlet behind the front seats and a ‘flex floor’ for the luggage area.
The Grandland X is big on style, with well-defined lines and a powerful, solid stance on its 19in diamond-cut alloys.
The cabin is a welcoming place to be - roomy, airy and comfortable, with supportive sports seats for driver and front passenger and readily-accessible comprehensive infotainment technology.
Good ergonomics are to the fore, with an instrument panel and centre console with touchscreen which are clearly laid out and horizontally-aligned to the driver.
The car has a suite of cameras to aid parking and, as with most SUVs, they are a welcome feature as rearward vision tends to be a tad limited.
The car performs strongly,
the two-litre diesel engine
mated to a super-slick eight-speed automatic gearbox giving a 0-60mph time of 9.1 seconds and a top speed of 133mph, (manufacturer’s figures).
Combined fuel consumption is 57.6mpg, with CO2 emissions of 128g/km.
Price: £35,005 OTR (inc £725 for premium paint option).
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here