New version is bigger, sleeker and available as a 435-mile EV, mild hybrid and PHEV
JONATHAN BRYCE
The Vauxhall Grandland has been rebooted for its second generation with a bold new look as it moves onto a different platform, gains a thoroughly overhauled interior and offers the option of electric power for the first time.
The new Grandland follows the latest Peugeot 3008 and 5008 in swapping from the PSA-engineered EMP2 platform onto parent company Stellantis’s STLA Medium architecture.
In doing so, it has grown 173mm in length and 31mm in height, making it substantially larger than its predecessor. It will be offered with plug-in hybrid and mild-hybrid powertrains as well as in EV form.
Taking inspiration from the Experimental concept Vauxhall revealed in 2022, it has also been extensively redesigned in line with the firm’s new-era design language and with a focus on aerodynamic optimisation to extend the range of the electric version.
Design chief Mark Adams told Autocar: “In our mind, we said we want the car to be electric first, visually.
“Even if you can go and get an ICE powertrain, it’s about projecting its sleek and modern lines, and not being overly decorated.”
The top-rung Grandland Electric uses the same 98kWh battery as the e-3008 to give a claimed range of 435 miles, with a maximum 160kW charging speed getting it from 0-80% in around 26 minutes.
A shorter-range 73kWh battery is expected to be available, too, and that is set to be offered with a 315bhp dual-motor drivetrain.
The Grandland is the final model in Vauxhall’s line-up to receive an EV option, following the unveiling earlier this month of the smaller Frontera, which replaces the Crossland. Vauxhall is aiming to transition to an all-electric line-up of cars and vans by 2028.
The plug-in hybrid version uses a 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine and a battery big enough for 53 miles of EV range. The mild-hybrid pairs the same 136bhp engine with a 28bhp 48V motor and both versions drive the front wheels through a six-speed dual-clutch gearbox.
The Grandland’s larger footprint takes Vauxhall into new territory, giving it a rival to the likes of the Toyota RAV4 and Nissan X-Trail, but Adams said urban manoeuvrability remained a priority. “We didn’t want to go huge and the car become too big and cumbersome for people,” he said. “We still wanted it to work in normal parking conditions and not be too massive but, at the same time, be at the top e
