THE C-segment SUV is the biggest market slice of the overall car market in Ireland and it is fair to say that Opel haven’t been performing well in it.
BY BRIAN BYRNE
Fair, because they say so themselves. That may well be about to change with the arrival of the new generation Grandland as their top offering in the SUV space.
When it is joined shortly by an updated Mokka and a new Frontera, the brand will have the youngest line-out of crossover-SUVs in the market.
The new Grandland comes with the sharp lines that Opel have been developing as their family look, beginning with the current Astra.
It is longer, wider and taller than the version it replaces, and with that comes a longer wheelbase, promising more room inside for rear seat occupants, and an improved ride comfort which this gives, especially in a larger car.
Small details make the new car stand out both within the brand and from the competition, including a lit-up ‘blitz’ badge on the front and a red Opel name on the back.
Some interesting metal-sculpting along the door panels and around the rear pillar areas establish a profile that merits a second look.
Front and rear design treatments emphasise width, as does the flat bonnet with a central ridge drawing the eye forward.
The overall effect is standout without being in your face.
There’s an impression of strength, reinforced as soon as you open and close the door, feeling the weight and hearing the satisfying clunk of structural integrity.
Similar edged design elements are repeated with the interior styling, across the dashboard, doors and console.
The landscape screen is tidy, wide but not gigantic, and Opel have acknowledged long-time feedback from customers that screens should not replace proper switchgear for many functions.
The message is gradually getting through.
A smaller driving information screen is where it should be, in front of the driver, all very straightforward.
There’s plenty of storage — that old best in class cat has been trotted out again. Included is a refrigerated box under the armrest, which keeps your chocolate from slouching when you turn the heat up.
A 550L boot cargo volume is standard across all powertrain versions, so the hybrid or BEV batteries don’t steal capacity.
The extra width and height of this Grandland make a difference to how it feels inside.
And a rethinking of seat design has, the manufacturer claims, made them more comfortable for long-distance driving. Certainly, as my first drive experience was a 2-day run that included motorways and some stunningly scenic drives through the Mourne Mountains, assertions of comfort seemed to stand up.
The car I drove was powered by that hybrid system I’ve become very impressed with in other recent review Opels.
Classed as a mild-hybrid (MHEV) it nevertheless has the capability of significant in-town electric driving, enough to make it frugal with fuel, particularly given the car’s size.
The nuts and bolts are a 3-cylinder 1.2 petrol, with the electric motor and battery, totalling a 135hp output.
Being a hybrid, it’s automatic, in this instance a 6-speed dual-clutch transmission which seemed to all work very well under a variety of conditions on that introductory trip.
There’s also a full electric version (BEV), and with the grant and VRT rebate that is actually cheaper than the hybrid.
Last year Opel celebrated 125 years of automobile production.
Through those twelve and a half decades the company has provided both sensible workaday vehicles and cars conceived with passion.
Sometimes being both together.
The previous Grandland really never had the passion bit.
But now? Well, now it’s looking the part, which is a good start.
More when I get a full turn in it.
