by Seán Creedon
In recent years Opel has started to add an ‘X’ to their crossovers and SUVs. Last year the German manufacturer introduced the Crossland X and the Grandland X.
The Grandland X is the biggest SUV in the Opel stable, larger than either the Crossland X or the Mokka X, which are similar.
The Crossland is geared towards urban drivers, while the Mokka is aimed at drivers who want a four-wheel drive SUV.
But the Grandland is bigger than either of those two and is Opel’s most appealing design that carries an X in its title.
All this talk of ‘X’ reminds me the old ‘spot the ball’ competitions which many newspapers used to publish years ago. You put an X where you thought the ball was, but when you would see the result the following week, you might wonder how the ball got to be in that corner of the page!
The Grandland X shares the same platform and engines as the Peugeot 3008, which was voted Continental Irish Car of the Year for 2018.
It was developed in conjunction with Peugeot, but in advance of the announcement that the PSA (Peugeot/Citroen) group was being taken over by Opel.
I drove the 3008 twice; it’s gorgeous and was a well deserved winner of the Car of the Year award. Last week I was tempted to drive into a Peugeot garage, park the Grandland X alongside a 3008 and make notes.
Both are excellent cars and it’s a bit like arguing as to who is the better soccer player, Messi or Ronaldo. But this is an even tougher decision as the cars are similar in looks and design, unlike the two famous footballers.
Good view
Last year I drove a Ruby Red-coloured version of the Grandland X with a black roof and it looked very attractive. The driving position is set high and naturally you get a good view over the hedgerows.
This time round I drove the ‘Ultimate’ version of the Grandland X and it came in a Quartz Grey colour.
Opel has now given the ‘Ultimate’ treatment to a few of their models. With ‘Ultimate’ you got a plethora of goodies as standard, like Navi 5.0 Intellink system, Bluetooth, 360 degree panoramic camera, sunroof and 19-inch alloys.
My test car came with a 2.0-litre diesel automatic engine which had an impressive 177 brake horse power. It’s also available 1.2-litre petrol and 1.5-litre diesel.
Inside the infotainment screen on the dash dominates in what is a predominantly black interior. However, the panoramic sunroof allowed plenty of light in. There is plenty of head and leg room in the back seat for three adults.
The boot is massive, but no spare wheel, only the dreaded repair kit. However, there is a huge ‘well’ in the boot which is the ideal place for a spare wheel.
So once again the advice is to haggle with your dealer for a spare if buying new. Meanwhile that boot can be opened by simply waving your foot under the back of the car.
The basic price is €28,395, but the price of my top of the range ‘Ultimate’ version with lots of goodies is €41,995. Road tax is €270.
I enjoyed my time in the Grandland X and so did all the family. Just thought the grey colour was a bit dull or maybe it was the weather we had the week that I drove the car.
Meanwhile Opel Ireland say they are very excited about the arrival of the sixth-generation Opel Corsa, which due here in November.
You may have seen pictures of a heavily camouflaged Corsa being tested in Swedish Lapland, around 40 kilometres south of the Arctic Circle.
The new version will be much lighter than previous models which should mean lower fuel consumption. Opel will also offer an electric version of the Corsa at the same time the sixth-generation arrives on our shores.
