26 Vauxhall Grandland 239kW AWD Ultimate 73kWh 5dr Auto [Fixed Roof]

With this second generation Grandland, Vauxhall brings us an electric version of its mid-sized EV crossover. Jonathan Crouch takes a look.

Ten Second Review

In second generation form, Vauxhall's Grandland offers the full-EV drivetrain its predecessors lacked. It borrows everything from its Peugeot E-3008 Stellantis Group cousin but clothes the STLA-platformed mechanicals with a very Vauxhall-orientated interpretation of what a modern mid-sized EV crossover should be.

Background

The idea of a Vauxhall Grandland you can plug in is nothing new. The first generation model sold in Plug-in Hybrid form as long ago as 2019. But before the launch of this MK2 design, we'd never had a full-electric Grandland. Now though, the full-EV drivetrain is the one Vauxhall most wants to sell you with this mid-sized SUV - the one this second generation model was designed around. You can still get it as a Plug-in Hybrid (and as a 48V mild hybrid too) but it's this Grandland Electric variant that the Griffin brand most wants to talk about. Like all Grandlands from the very start, this one is a Peugeot 3008 underneath the 'Vizor'-themed Vauxhall bodywork - or, as in this case, an E-3008. Like that car, it sits on the latest Stellantis Group STLA Medium platform, though Vauxhall/Opel has been allowed a bit more input into the design detailing than was the case with the first generation Grandland. But this Electric version demands a big price premium over its Hybrid-powered showroom stablemates. Is it worth it? Let's take a look.

Driving Experience

For the time being, Vauxhall is only offering this Grandland Electric with a 73kWh battery. You can have it either in 2WD form with 213PS and 323 miles of range. Or (for less money) in 325PS AWD form - with 307 miles of range. Later there will be a larger 98kWh battery Grandland model which boosts range to 435 miles. There's a big boost in performance if you go with the 73kWh AWD model; torque goes up from 345Nm to 509Nm, so the 0-62mph time drops from 9s to 6.1s and top speed rises from 106 to 112mph. The AWD version also gains a Frequency Selective Damping system. On all Grandland Electrics, there are three stages of selectable regenerative braking and three main driving modes - 'Eco', 'Normal' and 'Sport', with an extra '4WD' setting available on the dual motor model. Vauxhall claims the underfloor battery pack gives the car greater stiffness than its combustion predecessor, which should help handling. An independent multi-link rear axle ought to help clump all that weight over speed humps and poor surfaces; combustion Grandlands make do with a cruder twist beam set-up. Those include both Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid options, despite the fact that the new platform here was primarily developed for this full-electric model. Don't expect cutting-edge driving dynamics from this EV, but potential family customers aren't likely to be looking for those. They'll probably be more interested in technology, like the Intelli-Lux Matrix LED HD headlights of the top variants, which feature 51,200 elements and cut out oncoming vehicles with really sharp definition to help avoiding dazzling oncoming road users.

Design and Build

You can see at a glance that this is a very different kind of Grandland. For a start, it's a lot bigger, 173mm longer thanks to the new 'STLA Medium' architecture. And there's the new era of Vauxhall design language that was previewed by the brand's 'Experimental' concept of 2022, intended to position the car as 'electric first visually'. At the front, this sees a new three-dimensional version of the company's usual 'Vizor' nose, with a transparent structure housing lighting elements and an illuminated Griffin badge. There's a similar effect at the rear, where three-dimensional tail lamps in a clear acrylic casing sit within a full-width lighting element that includes illuminated Vauxhall script. In profile, you notice sleek aerodynamic optimisation, the lack of chrome, the flush-fitting glass and the big wheels (19 or 20-inch rims). Vauxhall design has moved on inside too, where the previous 'Pure Panel' digital interface is replaced by a slimmer 10-inch instrument display and a separated wide-aspect-ratio 16-inch centre dash touchscreen equipped with ChatGPT Artificial Intelligence. What it doesn't have (fortunately) is climate controls - those separated out into physical buttons. If you're overwhelmed by data from the two screens, there's a 'Pure' mode that pairs it back to just the essentials. Another nice touch lies with the fabric-covered central bin's wireless 'phone charger; there's a clever transparent wall facing the driver that hides the 'phone when it's not in use but illuminates it when you come to a stop, so you don't forget to take your handset with you when you leave the car; neat. That 'Pixel Box' is part of 35-litres of cabin storage space. Interior quality has taken a big step up, with lots of contrasting textures and finishes; and there's an unusually-styled steering wheel that's smarter and oblong in shape. You'd hope the extended 4,650mm body length would allow for extra second row legroom - and so it proves; there's 20mm more of it. The extra 31mm of body height aids headroom too. There's also more space out back, the 550-litre boot 36-litres larger than before. And Vauxhall has added in more flexible 40:20:40 seatback split and an extra bit of under-floor storage. When everything is flattened, there's up to 1,640-litres available.

Market and Model

The Grandland Electric qualifies for the £1,500 ECG government grant. Prices start from around £35,500 after grant deduction (about £1,000 less than the equivalent Hybrid version) and there are three trim levels - 'Design', 'GS' and 'Ultimate'. Avoid base trim and you'll be offered two powertrain options - the choice of either the 2WD 213PS version or the AWD 325PS variant; curiously, the more powerful AWD derivative is around £1,500 cheaper. Expect the Plug-in Hybrid version to be significantly pricier than either the EV or the Hybrid. Equipment levels are reasonable. As well as the two dashboard screens, there are all-round parking sensors, plus a rearview camera with a washing function and 360-degree views. Media connectivity includes wireless 'Apple CarPlay' and wired 'Android Auto' smartphone-mirroring. Top models get an upgrade from 19 to 20-inch wheels; and Intelli-Lux Matrix LED HD headlights with 51,200 elements. There's also a vast level of standard passive and active safety equipment, which includes an active cruise control system with a 'stop & go' function, plus intelligent speed adaption, traffic sign recognition and automatic autonomous braking. If you want to go further, you can fit Vauxhall's updated Intelli-Drive 2.0 system, which includes steering assist and a semi-autonomous lane change assist system. It'll also actively prompt you to change the set speed when a speed limit change is oncoming.

Cost of Ownership

We gave you the driving range figures earlier: 323 miles for the 73kWh single motor model; up to 307 miles for the 73kWh AWD; and up to 425 miles for the 98kWh version. To get near to these, you'll have to make frequent use of the provided 'Eco' drive mode and the various settings (low, medium and high) of the regenerative braking system. Vauxhall claims an efficiency figure of 4.5 miles per kWh for the entry-level variant. This is aided by eco tyres, friction-reducing bearings, a slippery drag coefficient and a heat pump which will preserve range in cold weather. As for Grandland Electric charging, well little surprisingly, the 'STLA Medium' platform hasn't been engineered with the 800V architecture that would enable use of the latest breed of ultra-rapid DC public chargers. But with its 400V system, the Grandland Electric can charge at up to 160kW, which allows for 20-80% charge in 26 minutes, with a charging rate of 2.4kWh per minute at its peak, at which point 62 miles of range are added every 10 minutes. Home AC charging will take 6 hours 45 minutes from a single-phase 7.4kW wallbox; which you can reduce to 4 hours 30 minutes if you're able to use a three-phase 11kW AC wallbox. Via the Vauxhall smartphone app or by using the vehicle's touchscreen, owners can schedule a wake-up time for the battery. This means that the cells can be at the optimal temperature for efficiency from the time you start up, plus of course the interior can also be pre-cooled or pre-heated too. Owners can opt to purchase a single service plan to cover all essential maintenance. Service intervals for all Grandlands are every year or 20,000 miles. And with the Grandland Electric, you'll be given a certificate of battery capacity after each service; both batteries come with an eight year / 100,000 warranty for 70% of their capacity. All versions of this model will be covered by the brand's usual unremarkable three year/60,000 mile warranty. Insurance is group 34E for 'Design' or 36E for the other variants.

Summary

There's little point in us trying to guide you in whether you should choose this Grandland Electric in preference to its Peugeot E-3008 Stellantis cousin. It's the same car with different packaging, which you'll either like or you won't. Whether this EV Grandland is a better choice than mid-sized EV crossovers from other mainstream brands is a more relevant question. It lacks the practicality of a Renault Scenic E-Tech Electric, the nostalgic spice of a Ford Capri and the 800V ultra-fast charging system of a Hyundai IONIQ 5 or a Kia EV6. But it looks good against blander rivals like the Nissan Ariya, the Toyota bZ4X or the Volkswagen ID.4. So there's probably room in the market for this Vauxhall. That said, with the state of things EV right here and right now, we'd be tempted, if the Grandland was our preferred segment target, to save this electric model's substantial price premium and choose the PHEV version (or more likely the 48V Hybrid model) instead. If an EV it has to be in this class though, this one merits a place on your shopping list.