Review: The refreshed Opel Grandland is a good all-round off-roader that is safe and sensible

Published on 13 November, 2022

Overview

You may hanker for a decent petrol engine, the rumbling of a throaty exhaust and an open road, but the chances are, if you’re in the market for a family car, then features such as a panoramic sunroof, boot space and rugged styling are probably higher on your list of priorities. The family-car market is the most competitive one, with all carmakers vying for a slice of it.

Our test car this week is Opel’s latest refreshed model, the Grandland. It’s the largest SUV in the German carmaker’s line-up. While not a totally new car, the latest Grandland has been given midlife facelift and gains the distinctive ‘visor’ treatment which incorporates the grille, headlights and the logo in one single sweep across the front of the car and is the new face of Opel.

Inside, you get a generous cabin. The raised seating position makes for good all-round visibility. The all-digital dashboard combines a 7in driver information centre with a similar-sized touchscreen for operating Apple CarPlay or Android Auto via the multimedia infotainment system, Opel says. It’s easy and intuitive.

Powering our test car was a 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine that proved surprisingly capable on the road. While it isn’t the sharpest to drive, it’s punchy enough for everyday driving. There’s also the choice of a 1.5-litre 130hp eight-speed automatic diesel. A plug-in electric hybrid option is offered for the first time on the Grandland.

Cars these days come so loaded with safety features it makes you wonder how anyone got around safely before the introduction of features such as a rear-view camera. The Grandland is no exception. Opel says standard features include forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, lane keep assist, traffic sign recognition and drowsiness detection, as well as cruise control with speed limiter. The last is to prevent you from accidentally nudging above the speed limit.

Our test car came with an optional feature called Night Vision, a really useful system that, according to Opel, uses infrared cameras to detect people and animals up to 100 metres ahead based on their temperature difference from the surroundings. At €1,500, it’s a lot to shell out for an extra but worth considering.

There are three trims to tempt you: SC, Sri and Elite. There’s generous kit as standard. All Grandlands come with features including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 17in alloy wheels, auto headlamps, front fogs,
rain-sensitive windscreen, front and rear parking sensors, and rear-view camera. Top spec models get extras such as heated front and rear seats, leather upholstery, 19in alloy wheels and hands-free electric tailgate.

Priced from €37,395 it competes directly with Hyundai’s Tucson (€36,345), VW Tiguan (€40,775), Nissan Qashqai (€35,100) and Kia’s Sportage (€37,500).

The SUV and crossover craze continues unabated here and the latest incarnation of the Grandland is an improvement in every way over the previous models. While it doesn’t bring any measure of excitement to the family-car market, it blends the right amount of comfort, practicality and desirability to make it a car worth considering.

Star rating: 4/5