New Vauxhall Grandland SUV to focus on families with huge amounts of space
The Vauxhall Grandland will grow in size and our exclusive image previews how it could look when it arrives later this year
Vauxhall will take its assault on the SUV segment up a notch in the coming months with the launch of two new models. Leading the charge will be the Frontera, a replacement for the ageing Crossland. But the maker will hope to bolster profits further by overhauling its Grandland flagship – as previewed by our exclusive image.
Based on the same STLA Medium platform as the forthcoming Peugeot 5008, the next-generation Vauxhall Grandland will grow in length to around 4,700mm. However, Auto Express understands Vauxhall won’t offer the option of seven seats, and will instead prioritise boot space and room for those in the second row. This will be boosted by lengthening the current car’s wheelbase.
Visually, the Grandland will become squarer and chunkier. While existing spy pictures disguise the intricacies of the car’s design, we can pick out the Mokka-inspired front end, with a more upright ‘Vizor’ panel and sharp LED lights. The bonnet will be flatter and set higher, meeting a raked windscreen and raised roofline.
That roof stays tall right the way to the tailgate, which drops off sharply to ensure the new Grandland’s load volume is strong – a figure of more than 500 litres with the rear seats in place isn’t out of the question. The rear of the car remains under wraps, although we expect the SUV to inherit a slim, arrow-like lighting signature like the one found on the Corsa and Mokka models.
The Grandland’s shape and size mean it’ll sit somewhere in between cars like the Nissan Qashqai and the larger X-Trail this time around. However, unlike those models, Vauxhall’s biggest SUV will be offered as both a hybrid car and electric car. We can look to the Grandland’s Stellantis siblings for an idea of the details; it’ll almost certainly mirror the latest 5008’s engine range, including that car’s 315bhp dual-motor EV option.
Fitted with the biggest 98kWh battery, that should make the Grandland Electric capable of 400 miles on a charge. A single-motor model will also be offered, either with the 98kWh battery (producing 217bhp) or a more affordable 73kWh unit (201bhp) – the latter good for around 320 miles of range.
Alongside the electric offerings, Vauxhall will fit the Grandland with a selection of hybrid powertrains. We can expect a 1.2-litre mild-hybrid petrol with 134bhp, as well as a 1.6-litre petrol-electric plug-in offering at least 40 miles (and probably more) of zero-emissions range. Despite the SUV’s positioning within the Vauxhall line-up, we don’t expect any diesel engines.
The interior will be completely different to the outgoing Grandland’s, with more tech and superior quality. This should help justify the new car’s elevated starting price of around £40,000 – or close to £50k for the EV. Expect dual screens, with fully digital dials and wireless phone connectivity.
Vauxhall’s recognised (and recently rationalised) trim structure will likely be carried over to the new car. Base Grandland Design should come with a strong level of kit, with GS throwing sporty flourishes and dark trim elements into the mix. Grandland Ultimate will top the range, bringing higher-quality materials, plus bigger wheels and access to the full range of engines.
The Grandland will be revealed in the spring, at around the same time as the Frontera – a boxy crossover set to share its ‘Smart Car’ platform with the new Citroen C3. With the Mokka, the two new Vauxhalls will complete a three-strong SUV line-up.
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