Four years after its debut on the market, the Opel Grandland is updated with rather substantial interventions. The first is evident already in the name that the final X has lost, following the example of the other crossovers in the Russelsheim range, namely the Crossland and the Mokka. With its more compact sisters, it now also shares the Vizor, the new horizontal and dark grille inspired by that of the Manta of the seventies. In this way the style of the front changes a lot, while that of the rear is practically unchanged, creating a slight unevenness between the two areas of the car. In the side view, on the other hand, the side moldings and wheel arches in the same color as the body stand out. Now the two 12 (instrumentation) and 10 (infotainment) inch displays are brought together in one large frame.
The first of the two screens is an absolute novelty that replaces the good old circular instruments and the second is now more oriented towards the driver, even if at the hardware level it has not changed. Speaking instead of software, on the screen behind the steering wheel you can now observe the work of Night Vision, a system still not so common in the automotive sector and even more so in the C segment: thanks to the infrared camera it detects people and animals up to 100 meters. recreating the image for use and consumption by the driver who can prepare himself in advance of the situation he is about to encounter. Finally, the latest generation of adaptive cruise control with stop & go function debuts, working in conjunction with lane keeping, configuring the highest level of driving assistance legally available today. Another hi-tech gem is the latest evolution of IntelliLux active headlights which have 84 LED elements for each projector. The equipment menu is completed by AGR certified seats.
The seats approved by the German posturologists allow millimeter adjustments and support the driver’s body very well, configuring an excellent driving position but not only: in the new Grandland they have gained the Alcantara upholstery and also the ventilation, another first for this kind of car. Speaking of categories, the measurements of the German crossover have not changed: with 4.48 meters it fits into the upper part of the C-SUV segment, where the competition is wide and varied. To tackle it, Opel has chosen to focus on two 130 HP thermal engines – petrol and diesel – and its two plug-in hybrids, one with two and the other with four-wheel drive, which have 225 and 300 HP respectively. In the second case, you have to give up some luggage compartment capacity, with the volume going down from 514 to 390 liters, mainly due to the presence of 13.2 kWh lithium-ion batteries.
Those on tap are two of the most transverse powertrains of Stellantis (in this case PSA side) and differ from each other by the presence of an additional electric motor on the rear axle. We have tried the less powerful, that is the more balanced choice if you want to travel 65 km in 100% electric mode, not spend too much and still have respectable performance. The push in urban driving is gentle and velvety, but if you want it can become very vigorous: it all depends on how much you push on the accelerator pedal. In fact, making the most of the two engines, the Grandland PHEV sprints from 0 to 100 km / h in 8.9 seconds and reaches a top speed of 225 km / h. The road behavior, already excellent previously, is confirmed: the suspension tuning is a perfect compromise between the absorption of roughness at low speeds and stability at high speeds. To all this is added the pleasant surprise of a global improvement in terms of comfort and soundproofing.
Opel Grandland, the card
What is that: the mid-career restyling of the second generation of the German compact crossover
Dimensions: length 4.48 meters, width 1.90 m, height 1.61 m, pitch 2.68 m
Trunk: 395 liters
Motor: hybrid powertrain, 1.6 4-cylinder petrol Atkinson cycle + one electric motor, total power 225 hp, torque 300 Nm
Exchange: 8-speed automatic with torque converter
Traction: front
Benefits: road behavior, comfort, ergonomics, visibility
Defects: sometimes slow infotainment, leg room for rear passengers
Production: Russelsheim, Germany
Prices: The price list of the Opel Grandland starts from 29,350 euros for the 1.2 petrol and 33,850 euros for the Diesel. For the PHEV you have to spend 44,300 euros, which becomes 50,300 euros if you want all-wheel drive.
