Good stuff
Smart looks, premium cabin, good option for EV first-timers
Bad stuff
Not much fun to drive, hybrid version rides better, there are more exciting electric options out there
Overview
What is it?
It’s the second generation Vauxhall Grandland, available for the first time with electric power, in case you hadn’t already guessed by the name. Don’t fret if that’s not to your taste, because there’s a mild hybrid available from the getgo and a PHEV on the way too. Click these blue words if it’s those you’re after.
So new power, but recognisably Vauxhall, complete with updated 3D Vizor front end. It now gets a front light bar and illuminated logo plus 'Intelli-Lux' HD headlights with over 25,000 individual pixels each side, while round the back the Vauxhall lettering additionally lights up. Snazzy.
It’s also grown in size, measuring 173mm longer, 36mm taller and 49mm wider than the previous Grandland, meaning more passenger room (particularly in the rear) and a bigger boot too.
Rivals include the Peugeot e-3008 (with which it shares the same electric powertrain), Volkswagen ID.4, Toyota bZ4X, Skoda Enyaq, Nissan Ariya, Ford Explorer… we could go on, but you know the type.
Go on then, hit me with the figures...
From launch, your electric options consist of a single 207bhp motor driving the front wheels and good for zero to 62mph in no less than 9.0 seconds exactly, mated to a 73kWh battery for up to 325 miles on a single charge.
Not sure it’ll be enough for your daily round commute of 50 miles? If you can wait, next year it’ll be joined by a long range version with a 98kWh battery and a range of up to 435 miles, meaning it’ll go further than most of its competitors too.
Just don’t go expecting much fun when it comes to the drive. And the ride is a little firm too. Still, 160kW fast charging means a 20-80 per cent is achievable in under half an hour. Head over to the Driving tab for more.
Is the cabin all futuristic too?
It looks smart, it’s well furnished but it’s not as space-age as some of its rivals, and certainly doesn’t have quite the same wow factor as the e-3008, for example. But that’s been the story between these two Stellantis stablemates for a while now, and it’s undoubtedly better than the previous generation Grandland.
Highlights include a 10-inch digital instrument panel and 10- or 16-inch widescreen infotainment display complete with proper climate control buttons, impressively comfortable AGR-certified seats (good for your back, in other words), and extra rear leg and boot room. Tasteful, see. Click through to the Interior tab for more.
How much is it gonna cost me?
Prices start at £40,995, some six grand more than the mild hybrid. But Vauxhall’s big play here is offering monthly payment parity between the two thanks to a PCP introductory offer on electric models.
With a £2k down payment, repayments will set you back an identical £469 per month, based on the electric version over five years and the hybrid version over four years. More on the Buying tab.
Our choice from the range
What's the verdict?
The Grandland Electric is just fine. It looks smart, the cabin feels upmarket and it does exactly what it says on the tin as a compact crossover. But it’s not going to knock your socks off, nor does it really excel in any one particular area.
To anyone making the transition to electric power it’s an easy option, while its 325-mile range (435 miles when the long range variant arrives) is good enough too, given that this is a car that’ll likely spend the majority of its life pootling around town.
Electric power suits its rather bland driving dynamics and general easygoing demeanour, but that's hardly putting a cat among the pigeons in this segment. In which there are many, many pigeons...
The Rivals
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