Vauxhall Grandland Review 2024

The new Vauxhall Grandland might be, at its heart, simply an updated Grandland X. But this is a big facelift, with a significantly more stylish design, much better technology levels and the same affordable price tag. And while it's still doesn't blow away its many rivals in any one area, it's gone from a totally unremarkable to a wholly competitive family SUV. Read our Vauxhall Grandland review for all the detail.

In the ever-growing sea of desirable and multi-talented family SUVs on the market, Vauxhall's old Grandland X stood out from the crowd like a black cab in Central London. It got ticked many rational boxes, but its total lack of style, panache or solid selling points meant it became a byword for mediocrity and anonymity. 

Now, the 'X' has gone from the name, but there's much more to it than that. Many facelifts require Sherlock Holmes detective work to spot the difference, but it's clear that the updated 2022 Vauxhall Grandland has a totally new front-end design inspired by the brand's surprisingly stylish new Mokka. 

The 'Vizor' face, as the brand calls it, certainly modernises the exterior look, as does the option of new adaptive matrix LED headlights, although it's still not going to turn heads like a Hyundai Tucson or Peugeot's closely related 3008. Happily, there's also plenty of new technology to increase the Grandland's showroom appeal. 

Whereas the Grandland X was behind the times in terms of driver assists, the new car has been brought up to scratch with standard autonomous emergency braking, plus a host of other driver aids including adaptive cruise control and lane position assist. What's more, the infotainment screen is larger, which combined with digital dials (and the neat option of a night vision system) helps liven up what is still a pretty unexciting interior.

Conservative it may be, but the inside of the Vauxhall Grandland is plenty practical enough, with good amounts of interior space, a large and well-shaped boot and lots of useful storage compartments. The seats on higher end models are also designed specifically to be kind to your back on long distances, making it a superb car for those doing big motorway miles. 

Such journeys also play into the Grandland's dynamics, which err on the side of comfort. Avoid the biggest wheel options and you get a pretty refined ride, while there isn't an excessive amount of body roll and plenty of grip, so it's not too shabby in the bends either. Granted, you can definitely have more fun in an SUV (the SEAT Ateca springs to mind) but as an all-rounder the Vauxhall is respectable. 

There's a range of petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid powertrains to suit most needs, and keen pricing compared to the competition. No, there's nothing to pull at the heart strings of the enthusiast here, but by focusing on the sort of rational values that matter to family buyers while upping the style Vauxhall has turned the Grandland into a competitive all-round SUV.  

Vauxhall hasn't really changed anything regarding the Grandland's chassis for the facelift. This means it's not a class-leader in any respect, but hits the spot as a perfectly agreeable all-rounder. 

No, it's not as fun to fling down a country road as a Mazda CX-5, nor is it as isolating from the road surface as a Citroen C5 Aircross. The Grandland sits somewhere in the middle, providing safe and stable handling despite a fair amount of body lean.

The steering is light, meaning it's a doddle to park at town speeds but not hugely engaging on the open road. But it's precise enough, and the lightest 1.2-litre petrol is the keenest to change direction. The brakes are a little grabby, however, while we've used more positive manual shifts than this. 

The suspension does a decent job of rounding off the worst potholes on bumpy British tarmac, though. The smaller wheels of Design and GS Line trim reduce the suspension and road noise compared with the top-spec Grandland's 19in wheels, but all of them smooth out the faster you go and comfort is strong on motorways. 

It's worth noting that the heavier plug-in hybrid introduces a bit more pitch and roll in the bends, feeling generally a bit less agile. But comfort is just as good. 

There's a pretty simple engine range in the Vauxhall Grandland: one petrol, one diesel and (at launch at least) one plug-in hybrid. 

For most people, we reckon the 130PS 1.2-litre turbo petrol is the best bet. Not only is it the most affordable, it's plenty punchy enough for most people's needs, with a strong mid-range meaning it rarely feels out of its depth. Its three-cylinder thrum means there's a little more vibration than the hybrid, but it's not unpleasant and quietens down at a cruise. 

By contrast, the 1.5-litre diesel engine is only really worth the extra if you're a high mileage driver. We've not yet driven it in the new Grandland, but in the old Grandland X it wasn't a particularly impressive unit. 

Currently the sole plug-in hybrid option puts out 225PS and is front-wheel drive, but there will be a 300PS four-wheel drive version in due course. Expect that to push prices towards or over £40,000, though, which is a bit much for a Grandland. 

Really, the 225PS model offers sufficient performance: its 0-62mph time of 8.9 seconds sound a bit conservative because it feels fairly strong, and there's plenty in reserve for overtaking. The 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo engine is smooth and refined unless you push it hard, when it gets a bit boomy. 

When the battery is charged, leaving it in hybrid mode allows it to juggle petrol and electric power pretty well. Lock it in electric mode and it'll get up to 84mph without the engine kicking in, although it takes a fair while to reach that. 

The Vauxhall Grandland X was awarded the maximum five star rating when Euro NCAP tested it in 2017. However, that test was less stringent than it is now, and Vauxhall has needed to step up the safety kit count to keep it competitive. 

All new Grandlands get autonomous emergency braking, speed limit recognition, a tiredness monitor to warn you if you need to take a break and lane departure warning with lane keep assist. 

All models also get cruise control and a speed limiter, six airbags, three Isofix mounts and auto-dip headlights. It's also good to see all-round parking sensors standard even on base trims to reduce parking prangs. 

Top models go one step further, bringing a 360-degree camera along with lane position assistant (which helps gently centre you within your lane) and adaptive cruise control. Plug-in hybrids get stop-and-go tech which deals with braking and accelerating in traffic jams. 

The Grandland isn't a large SUV, so its towing capacity isn't generous. If that matters, though, get the diesel: its 1500kg towing limit compares with 1400kg for the petrol and just 11250kg for the hybrid. 

With a wide range of adjustment in the driving position, drivers of all shapes and sizes shouldn't find any issue with getting comfortable. In this respect the Grandland is more vice-free than the platform-sharing Peugeot 3008, whose 'i-Cockpit' design can mean the wheel obstructs the dials for larger or smaller folk. 

It's worth noting, though, that while all models get a centre front armrest, only mid-spec GS Line trim gets Vauxhall's 'ergonomic active' driver's seat. This sports seat, independently approved by the German Campaign for Healthier Backs (AGR), is supposed to be more supportive for your back on longer trips. It's certainly comfortable and supportive, with electric lumbar adjustment, but is only standard on the passenger side on top-spec Ultimate trim. Electric adjustment for the seats is optional on all models, too. 

Those in the back will find no shortage of room, even if they are six footers sitting behind similarly sized adults. Headroom is plentiful, and three adults in the back is less of a squeeze than it is in, say, the Astra hatchback. Annoyingly, though, a centre armrest-cum-ski hatch is only standard on Ultimate trim, while the panoramic roof has been relegated to the options list. Still, there are two Isofix child seat points in the rear and one in the front passenger seat as standard. 

The Grandland's 514-litre boot (down to 390-litres on the plug-in hybrids) isn't the largest in its class, but it's plenty practical enough, with a wide loading area. An electric tailgate with hands-free opening is standard on Ultimate trim, while on all models levers to fold down the seats are handily located on the boot sides. The small underfloor storage space disappears if you specify a spare wheel, however.  

The interior trim on the Vauxhall Grandland is not as high-end as it is on pricer rivals, but it's decent enough for the most part. A Peugeot 3008 has a richer-feeling array of materials and dash plastics, however.

Most of the dash and door trim is soft-touch material, and top models get nice contrast stitching for the leather, too, plus nice Alcantara seat trim. We didn't experience any nasty rattles or creaks on our test drive, too. 

However, there are some areas that are less than perfect. There's some harder, shinier plastics in the lower reaches of the cabin, while the mass of gloss black plastic on the dash just attracts fingerprints. The indicator stalks aren't up to Volkswagen levels of solidity, either. 

The old Vauxhall Grandland X has a maximum infotainment screen size of eight inches, and no digital dials in sight even on the options list. The new Grandland is a fair bit more up-to-date in that respect.

With a high-mounted twin-screen dash panel similar to that on the new Astra, even entry-level models get digital dials, while the base infotainment system still uses a seven-inch display. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity are of course standard, too. 

Upgrade to GS Line trim and that centre screen morphs into a clearer, crisper ten-inch display, with larger twelve-inch digital dials and sat-nav. The graphics aren't all the fancy and the dial display isn't hugely customisable, but it all works pretty slickly and the centre screen is fairly responsive. It's worth noting, too, that the physical controls for the climate functions have been retained, making them easy to use on the move. 

It's a pity that wireless phone charging is only standard on top-spec Ultimate trim, because the USB and 12v socket connections are hidden in the dash cubby. Also, base models don't have any rear USB connectors. But top-spec Grandlands do get a handy 230-volt accessory socket in the rear. 

A three-years subscription to Vauxhall Connect brings things such as live traffic updates and allows the car to automatically call the emergency services in the event of an accident. It's only standard on the hybrid though, which also lets you check the charge status and remotely pre-heat or cool the car via your smartphone. 

As more and more brands push their staple models further upmarket, the starting price is becoming ever higher. Happily, the Grandland remains on the affordable end of the family SUV spectrum.

While the Volkswagen Tiguan, Hyundai Tucson and related Peugeot 3008 all start from well over £28,000, the cheapest flavour of Vauxhall Grandland - Design trim with the 1.2-litre turbo petrol engine - is under £26,000. That's actually less than the old Grandland X. 

While that base petrol engine is actually a very good choice, we'd want to plump for mid-spec GS Line trim, which brings bigger wheels, roof rails and a two-tone roof to help the Grandland look less bland-land. You also get that bigger twin screen setup inside, plus adaptive cruise control and various other comfort and tech features. Even that version is slightly cheaper than the aforementioned basic SUVs at just over £28,000.  

Ultimate trim is just over £31,570 with the same engine, which isn't unreasonable for a top-spec trim line.

An automatic gearbox for the petrol model requires another £1,500, while the auto-only diesel is another £1000 on top of that. Then there's the plug-in hybrid, which starts from £33,820 in GS Line trim. Again, that's not stupidly expensive, and given the reduced tax rates and potential for much greater fuel economy, means it could make financial sense whether buying or leasing. 

No Vauxhall Grandland is particularly expensive to run, with the thirstiest (the 1.2-litre petrol) still managing 45mpg on the WLTP cycle. That should be a pretty realistic figure, but it drops a couple of MPG with the automatic gearbox. 

By contrast, the 130PS diesel promises over 50mpg and is auto-only now. 

The plug-in hybrid models are said to manage up to 39 miles on electric power alone and can be charged from flat to full in as little as 1hr 45mins via a 7.4kW wall charger. You'll need to stump up £500 for the 6.6kW on-board charger to do that, otherwhile it's take twice as long via a wall charger or nearly six hours via a domestic plug socket. 

Official economy for the hybrids is well into triple digits, but that depends entirely on how often you're able to charge it up. Plug it in every day and commute short distances and you might not use a drop of fuel for weeks, but on frequent long motorway journeys the diesel will be more efficient. 

Fuel costs aside, tax and insurance costs are on a par with rivals or cheaper, so the Grandland won't break the bank. 

There used to be a total of 13 trim levels on the Grandland X, but the updated car has reduced that to three.

The entry-level Vauxhall Grandland Design (which isn't available as a hybrid) comes with LED headlights and taillights with auto high beam, 17in alloys, dual-zone climate control and a seven-inch infotainment system with digital dials. Front and rear parking sensors and a range of driver assists also feature. 

Step up to GS Line trim (as most buyers are expected to) and you'll get 18in black wheels, plus black detailing on the outside and a two-tone roof with black roof rails. Most importantly, you get the upgraded infotainment system with bigger screens, plus sat-nav, adaptive cruise control, a 180-degree rear view camera and upgraded front seats. 

Top-spec Ultimate brings along special 'Intellilux; adaptive LED headlights, LED front foglights, a 360-degree parking camera and advanced park assist, keyless entry and go and blind spot monitoring. There's also heated seats with half leather/Alcantara, a heated steering wheel and windscreen, an electric tailgate, a centre rear armrest and 19in alloys.