By Malusi Msomi

The Opel Grandland was introduced back in 2018 at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Fast forward, and Opel has given us a refresh, dropping the “X” in the model name.

Looks

Right off the bat, we really love the styling. It looks like a larger Opel Mokka and features the brand’s new “Opel Vizor” front design. Highlights on our Ultimate test unit include 18-inch wheels, IntelliLux LED Pixel Lights, LED taillights, high-gloss roof rails, as well as front and rear silver skid plate inserts. The wheels are borrowed from the Opel Zafira, its MPV cousin. As much as we like them, we think it should have different wheels. Overall, it’s a great-looking car.

The Cabin

Stepping inside, the Grandland now comes with a more premium look and feel. Buyers can enjoy niceties such as a 12-inch digital instrument cluster, a 10-inch infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto capabilities, a wireless charging pad, heated and cooled front seats, and heated rear seats. The cabin is very spacious, and in terms of practicality, there are plenty of cup-holders and decently-sized door bins. It also has a decently-sized boot, coming in at 514 liters, which is roughly the size you should expect from the family SUV class. Dropping the rear seats reveals a large 1,652-liter space thanks to a 60/40 split of the rear seats. Overall, the Opel Grandland’s cabin gets our seal of approval.

Power and Drive

Powering the Grandland is a turbocharged 1.6-liter petrol engine that produces 121 kW/240 Nm and delivers its power to the front wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission. The 1.6L turbocharged engine feels great, and the car is a pleasure to drive, but the transmission tends to hold gears at low speeds, which can be frustrating at times. However, during highway driving, you don’t have that issue as the transmission and engine work great at highway speeds. Opel claims a fuel consumption of 7 l/100km, and during our test, we managed a reasonable 8 l/100km.

Verdict

The Grandland is quite a neat offering from Opel, and in Ultimate guise, it comes with all the bells and whistles. If the asking price of R720,900 is a bit too much, the mid-spec GS Line model offers decent specs and will save you R41,000. The Opel Grandland comes with a five-year/100,000km warranty with roadside assistance as standard.