Test drive: Hyundai Grandland...

The Opel Grandland is a model that hit the market back in 2017, positioning itself as a fairly attractive option to compete with tough rivals such as the popular Peugeot 3008, the Renault Kadjar and the Hyundai Tucson, among many others.

Since then, a total of 287,000 units have rolled off Opel’s production lines over these four years, a fairly good figure that Opel wants to boost with today’s protagonist, the updated Opel Grandland.

Built on the same platform as its predecessor, this new C-segment SUV measures 4.47 metres long, 1.85 metres wide and 1.60 metres high, exactly the same dimensions as the pre-facelift model it replaces.

Modern and streamlined

Without a doubt, the big news for the new Grandland is its design. A design led by the brand’s new face, the Opel Vizor, and by straight lines that look very pleasing to the eye, emphasising its width and giving it a more solid, muscular image.

Debuting Night Vision

In addition, alongside the Vizor and its new bumper, it also debuts really advanced lighting, with the option of LED Pixel Matrix headlights featuring 84 LED diodes per lamp and the Night Vision system (for the first time on a Opel), which uses a front infrared camera to detect people or animals up to 100 metres ahead of the car thanks to the temperature difference with the surroundings.

On the side, the big news is the new two-tone alloy wheels in 19 inches, which give it a sportier edge that suits this facelift really well, and which also sports a new rear end. This rear features sharper LED taillights, a new rear bumper, and the lettering has been centred in the middle of the tailgate.

A highly digitalised interior

Once inside, the new Grandland gave us a strong sense of quality, with pleasant-to-the-touch materials and good fit and finish. But without beating around the bush, the star of the new SUV’s cabin is the Opel Pure Panel digital display, available in 10- and 12-inch versions for the central screen.

From this screen we can check a host of vehicle data such as the selected driving mode, navigation, temperatures and so on. Another great decision by Opel has been to keep the physical climate control selector, sparing us from navigating endless menus and taking our eyes off the road to raise or lower the temperature.

The new Grandland range consists of three trim levels: the Business Edition, the GS Line, and finally, the Ultimate version. Even in the entry-level trim, the Grandland comes with plenty of standard equipment, highlights including 17-inch alloy wheels, the Opel Pure Panel, front and rear parking sensors, rear camera, rain sensor, EcoLED lights, and the option, at an additional cost, of a 360-degree panoramic camera, navigation or the road integration assistant, among others.

Time to get going

The moment has arrived to take the wheel of the new Grandland, specifically the 300 hp, 520 Nm Hybrid4 version with plug-in hybrid technology, which allows it to cover up to 66 kilometres of range in fully electric mode.

The first thing we noticed upon sitting in the test unit equipped with the Ultimate trim was the comfort of its seats, with AGR certification, which in addition to being ventilated and heated offered a very high level of comfort. Also worth highlighting is the fairly gradual and very consistent delivery of power and the smoothness of its automatic gearbox.

Its behaviour in sporty driving was quite pleasant, with a fairly firm suspension and steering that, although rather uncommunicative, let us take the Grandland wherever we pointed it. We also found that the homologated electric range was quite faithful to the consumption we achieved with calm driving and without abusing the accelerator.

Opel also gave us the chance to try the petrol version with 130 hp and a manual gearbox, and 230 Nm of torque, which left a good impression though without standing out in any way, with sufficient power delivery for everyday use, good ride comfort and fairly economical consumption.

Besides these two engines, the new Grandland’s powertrain line-up also includes a plug-in hybrid option with 225 hp, 360 Nm of torque and up to 61 kilometres of range in fully electric mode (Hybrid FWD), a petrol option with the same 1.2 turbocharged 130 hp petrol engine we tested, but paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, and a 130 hp and 300 Nm diesel version.

As could hardly be otherwise, the new Grandland’s safety section includes a long list of driver assistance systems, notably advanced sign recognition, adaptive cruise control, blind spot and rear collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, drowsiness alert and parking assistance systems, as well as the aforementioned Night Vision road integration assistant.

Prices and deliveries

With all that said, it’s time to talk about price and arrival at dealerships. The new Grandland starts at €23,600 for the combustion engine version and from €34,600 for the plug-in hybrid version, including the Plan Moves III incentives.

Opel has confirmed that the first units available for sale will begin arriving from February of next year, 2022, so all that’s left is to wait a few months to see this updated and impressive SUV making its mark on our streets.