Vauxhall Grandland Electric GS long-term test: impressive efficiency eases range anxiety

Range anxiety is something I’ve never really encountered until recently, when I had to drive non-stop 160 miles between Canterbury and Norwich with only 80 per cent charge, so as not to miss a show my sister was working on at the local theatre. Luckily, the Grandland’s superb motorway efficiency of 3.6 miles per kWh meant I got there with no trouble at all, thus eliciting a standing ovation from me.

Vauxhall Grandland Electric GS: second report

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Electric family SUV can transport people and even the kitchen sink

• Mileage: 4,100 miles
• Efficiency: 3.4 miles/kWh

I acutely remember moving into a new house and wondering, “What on earth am I going to do with all this space?” I had the same feeling when I took delivery of the Vauxhall Grandland Electric that had just joined our fleet, because it certainly lives up to the ‘Grand’ part of its name.

Recently, the Vauxhall’s fittingly vast proportions have been incredibly handy. While my adoption of roles has historically been restricted to amateur theatre, over the past month or so I’ve found myself playing the parts of chauffeur, man-in-a-van and garden-waste disposal officer – all of which the Grandland was more than capable of assisting me with.

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For a long time, the Vauxhall Grandland has, first and foremost, been a family car, and the switch to electric propulsion hasn’t changed that. In fact, the latest model is more family friendly than any of its predecessors.

Used - available now

2024 Vauxhall

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18,138 milesManualPetrol1.2L

Cash £17,452

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2023 Vauxhall

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27,919 milesManualPetrol1.2L

Cash £15,299

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2023 Vauxhall

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31,530 milesAutomaticDiesel1.5L

Cash £17,584

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2023 Vauxhall

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25,106 milesAutomaticPetrol1.6L

Cash £18,295

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While I don’t have any dependents in the strictest sense, my mum and dad seem to always be jetting off somewhere during their retirement – or what they jokingly refer to as “SKI-ing” (Spending the Kids’ Inheritance). This being the case, I often volunteer to act as their taxi driver to and from the airport.

In order to fit such a large battery into the Grandland – forthcoming top-spec cars are set to get a 93kWh battery with a 400-mile range – Vauxhall has extended the wheelbase for this generation by around 20cm.

This, as you might expect, has had a huge impact on passenger space, resulting in plenty of head and legroom, so full-grown adults can sit in the back with no problem. Even three abreast is more than achievable for shorter journeys, with the big windows providing plenty of light into what would otherwise be a pretty dark cabin.

What is a shame, though, is that even the top-spec Ultimate model doesn’t get tri-zone climate control, nor heated seats in the rear – both are features kept aside for the more expensive Peugeot E-3008. Given that kids (and, from my experience driving my dad around, middle-aged men) tend to be quite picky in terms of being hot or cold, having a separate air-conditioning zone for those in the rear seats is sorely missed.

My family, who have not spent all that much time in electric cars, frequently remarked on the smoothness of the Grandland’s powertrain, while the whistling air-conditioning appears to have resolved itself now, making it lovely and quiet on the move. The driver-assistance functions can be a little too sensitive, though, sending everyone in the car lurching forwards as the Vauxhall brakes, thinking I’m going to crash into a parked car, despite leaving plenty of space.

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On the subject of space, this is something the Grandland’s boot offers in spades – you can quite literally store everything, including the kitchen sink. With a capacity of 550 litres, the Vauxhall boasts pretty much the biggest boot at this price point – if you ignore the raft of van-based MPVs also offered by other brands in the Stellantis empire.

The Vauxhall is not only larger than our Car of the Year, the Skoda Elroq, but is also capable of carrying pretty much anything you throw at it. Coffee table? No problem. Costumes and bags for a show? The Grandland swallowed them all with ease. Hedge trimmings? Yes, although I now get splinters every time I pick up the adjustable boot floor.

I only wish that Vauxhall hadn’t reserved the powered tailgate for the top-spec Ultimate edition; the bootlid on our GS model can be a little heavy for some people, and cumbersome to open when, for example, you’re carrying several bags of shopping.

Nevertheless, it wasn’t all that long ago when a fully loaded Vauxhall Corsa Electric would set you back almost £40,000; offering all of this space for less money, the Grandland appears to be a great-value option for families who value practicality above all else.

Vauxhall Grandland Electric GS: third fleetwatch

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Now that we have an Ohme smart home charger installed, we are starting to unlock some real-world EV savings

We all know the high cost of buying an EV is outweighed by its low running costs. Now, courtesy of Ohme, I have a charger installed, and can reap all the EV benefits. 

Even without an EV-specific tariff, the Grandland only costs around £14 to charge, giving me well over 250 miles of range. Given that the car costs similar money to a petrol mid-size SUV, it’s a compelling package for thrifty buyers.

Vauxhall Grandland Electric GS: second fleetwatch

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Our Grandland Electric occasionally forgets which brand it belongs too

Vauxhall is such a household name in the UK, it’s easy to forget that all of the brand’s models offered today are re-badged Opels. That is, until you hit the ‘off’ button on the Grandland Electric’s infotainment, after which Opel’s ‘Blitz’ logo is displayed on the touchscreen. I use Apple CarPlay most of the time, with the Grandland’s handy climate control toggles meaning I don’t have to leave Apple’s interface to change the temperature.

Vauxhall Grandland Electric GS: first fleetwatch

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From light-up logos to chilled sausage rolls, it’s all in the details

Summer has arrived and one could argue the coolest thing about our Vauxhall Grandland is its light-up front badge, which, I must admit, has grown on me over the past couple of months. But it’s the car’s air-conditioned cool box that’s proven to be most useful on longer trips; the centre console offers lots of space and has been the custodian of drinks, sausage rolls and even a tub of ice cream.

Vauxhall Grandland Electric GS: first report

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The Vauxhall Grandland Electric is set for a tough test over the next six months on our fleet

One of the biggest incentives to invest in an electric car is the fact that it can potentially save you a great deal of money. However, ‘potentially’ is the key word here, because an EV’s biggest savings typically come through the use of a home charger – something that I don’t have.

Imagine, then, my concern when I was handed the keys to Auto Express’ new Vauxhall Grandland Electric test car. I was more than a little worried as to how I’d be able to inject some juice into its beefy 72kWh battery without having to sell any organs in order to afford it.

Driving around my home city of Norwich, it’s amazing how several of the comparatively slow charging options cost almost the same as plugging into one of the ultra-fast units that will make the most of the Grandland’s 160kW charging capabilities; you have to dig a little deeper if you wish to save a bit of cash.

For example, there’s a Lidl just around the corner and if you sign up for the LidlPlus app, you get a lot more than a free tote bag and some cheaper pastries; LidlPlus, like some other supermarket charging apps, offers 
a small discount on charging. Dropping the price of charging from over 70p per kilowatt-hour to just over 60p saves around £7 per charge, which certainly takes the sting out of paying for each session.

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However, I’ve noticed a couple of niggles with the car in my first 1,000 miles or so, and while these glitches are certainly not painful, they are undeniably irritating. The primary annoyance is the air-conditioning system, which sounds like a cricket has been trapped in the dashboard; the incessant chirping sound has felt somewhat akin to Chinese water torture on longer journeys, and has led me on more than one occasion to turn off the air-con completely – even in an admittedly welcome warm spell in April.

Speaking of being rather toasty, the Grandland’s infotainment system tends to heat up so much (even when it’s not particularly balmy outside) that it can come as a bit of a shock whenever you touch it in order to choose a different song or adjust the climate controls; thankfully, the Grandland does have physical toggle switches for the temperature and fan speed.

Don’t think I don’t like the Grandland, though – thus far it’s been a relaxing motorway companion – because I’m actually shocked how desirable I think it is. Vauxhall’s signature ‘Vizor’ front-end design goes a long way to accentuate the SUV’s fittingly ‘grand’ proportions which, in our particular test car, are picked out with striking Impact Copper paintwork that really pops in the sunlight.

Unfortunately, the inside is less striking. The hodgepodge of cheap and premium materials is a bit of a letdown, however I am a fan of the way different fabrics have been used to adorn the inside of the doors. Vauxhall also talks much about the car’s illuminated ‘Pixel Box’ mobile phone charger, although after using this for a while, my phone, much like the Grandland’s infotainment screen, tends to overheat.

Finally, on the topic of illumination, I must say that I remain sceptical of the illuminated Vauxhall logo and script that dominate the front and rear of the car respectively. Both are certainly well executed – they really add to the sense of occasion as you approach the car at night – however any other logo or combination of letters would make a lot more sense in my eyes. There’s nothing overly wrong with announcing to everyone that you own a Vauxhall, but it’s a little bit like bragging that you shop in Tesco – it’s not anything particularly special.