A heavily facelifted version of the Vauxhall Grandland SUV has been revealed, featuring a host of design changes and tech updates to help it stay competitive against the likes of the new Nissan Qashqai.
As with Vauxhall’s smaller Crossland and Mokka SUVs, the Grandland drops its predecessor’s ‘X’ tag, while it receives styling cues inherited by the new design language on the smaller Mokka. These include Vauxhall’s now trademark Vizor grille, as well as the brand’s latest Griffin logo and adaptive IntelliLux LED Pixel light units, the latter carried over from the Insignia. The Vizor face gives the Grandland a sleeker look, while at the rear the British brand’s flagship SUV now sports new badging.
The new light units feature a total of 168 LEDs, with the car adjusting the light beams to adapt to road conditions and oncoming cars so as not to dazzle other drivers. It’s familiar tech, but a step up for the Grandland. However, it’s not only the new lights that will help at night, as for the first time on a Vauxhall, the Grandland is also available with Night Vision, a system which detects pedestrians and animals up to 100 metres away in darkness.
The new car’s exterior changes are matched by a big tech update inside, as the Grandland inherits the fully digital Pure Panel infotainment set-up from the Mokka. Depending on spec in the Mokka, this incorporates either a seven or a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system with either a 10 or 12-inch digital driver display. Vauxhall says the Grandland features an “up-to-10-inch central touchscreen” so we’d expect this to be the case here too.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality is offered, as well as built-in sat-nav, plus the new Grandland supports wireless phone charging. The upgraded infotainment is a driver-focused set-up that means drivers shouldn’t have to take their eyes off the road for long, according to Vauxhall, improving safety.
There is a host of new safety kit, too, including Vauxhall’s new Highway Integration Assist system. It’s available on automatic models and is effectively an adaptive cruise control set-up with stop and go functionality that will also keep the Grandland in its lane on the motorway. Every Grandland comes fitted as standard with collision warning and autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning, traffic sign recognition, cruise control and special ergonomic front seats to improve comfort. Blind spot warning, a 360-degree camera and automatic park assist are also available, along with full keyless operation and a powered tailgate with kick-to-open gesture recognition.
Vauxhall is yet to confirm specifics on the Grandland’s engine line-up, but has outlined that a plug-in hybrid variant will be offered. It’s likely that the same 222bhp front-wheel drive and 296bhp four-wheel drive versions of Vauxhall’s 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol unit and electric motor combination will feature, both fed by a 13.2kWh battery as in the outgoing Grandland X PHEV.
Expect Vauxhall’s 128bhp 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine to make up the majority of the range though, available with either a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic gearbox, while a more powerful 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol turbo unit could feature too. The brand has also confirmed that diesel power will still be offered.
Pricing will be confirmed closer to the new Grandland arriving in showrooms later this year, but given the tech updates and extra style a starting price of around £26,000 is likely. Deliveries begin in autumn.
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