First drive: Opel's new Grandland family SUV

The family SUV market is a crowded space - think of Nissan’s Qashqai, the Hyundai Tucson, the Kia Sportage and the Skoda Karoq - and it’s a space where manufacturers have to fight hard to attract car buyers.

Opel’s Grandland has never had a strong presence in this segment, so it seems ironic that the designers of the new Grandland didn’t seize the opportunity - or weren’t given the opportunity - to deliver something stand out rather than predictably conservative.

Yes, its lines and creases are impressive in part but it seems the principle emphasis is on space and comfort, rather than allowing the car to make a visual statement in a segment where such a move could have made a big impression, as is the case with the Grandland’s near SUV relatives from Peugeot, for example. Another benchmark could have been Kia’s Sportage.

The new Grandland is taller, wider and longer than the car it replaces, so it is a pretty decent family opion when it comes to the pratical side of things.

Our first encounter was driving the mild hybrid version, on which a small motor assists the 1.2 three cylinder turbo petrol engine. Like all three cylinder engines, frugality for city driving is the main ambition and, even though the Grandland may struggle a little with an engine this size powering a car of this weight, it does a pretty good job. And it’s not bad at cruising speeds either.

The cabin is big and spacious with the increased dimensions allowing for very decent head and leg room. although a middle seat passenger in the rear could feel a tad squeezed.

There are two 10" screens for instruments and infotainment for the entry level model and a 16" infotainment is added when you move up to the next two versions.

There is also plenty of welcome interior storage and the boot is a spacious 550 litres, increasing to 1,645 litres with the seats folded.

There are three specification levels: the entry level SC (€40,995), the Elegance (€42,995) and the GS (€44,995).

All versions get adaptive cruise control with stop and go, front and rear parking sensors, keyless entry and start, lane keep assist, extended traffic sign recognition, driver drowsiness alert, intelligent speed adaptation, 8 airbags, power folding door mirrors, electro-chrome rear view mirror, auto air conditioning with dual zone controls, USB connectivity, LED headlights, rain sensitive windscreen wipers, a new illuminated rear Opel nameplate on the tailgate, fabric seats, and 19" alloy wheels.

The Elegance also gets front and rear parking sensors with a rear view camera, a heated steering wheel, AGR-cerdriver and front passenger seats certified by AGR, a German organisation promoting better back health, heated front seats, rear wipers with camera cleaning and a power tailgate.

The most expensive GS version gets a 16" multimedia touchscreen with navigation, two rear USB connections, more powerful 50K pixel HD headlights, privacy glass, a two-tone black roof, a wireless phone charger and seven ambient light colour choices.

There is also an electric version of the Grandland and Opel plans to bring in a new Frontera model in a few months that will have a choice of either five or seven seats.