Opel Grandland X Review (2019)

Caroline drives the Opel Grandland X Ultimate!

In 2018, Opel Ireland welcomed the new Grandland X to Ireland in the highly lucrative five door, family SUV segment. Available from €28,395 with a choice of 1.2-litre petrol, 1.5-litre diesel and 2.0-litre diesel, the Opel Grandland X occupies a peachy point for family buyers looking for a cool mid-size SUV.

I’ve already tested the Opel Grandland X 1.2-litre petrol and it was a car that I enjoyed for its straightforward practicality, stylish design and on point petrol engine. Now at the opposite end of the spectrum I’m testing the Opel Grandland X Ultimate. Under the bonnet there is a top of the range 2.0-litre diesel engine mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox. The car also has an impressive spec including a number of more luxurious features as standard. But you do pay dearly for it, with a list price for this model of €41,595.

What’s new?

The Grandland X’s neat frame is enhanced with 19” alloys, while the roof and door mirrors are finished in black on the Ultimate trim car. There are also silver coloured roof rails, premium ergonomic seats, heated leather seats and trim, adaptive AFL LED headlights, OnStar, touchscreen with Android Auto/Apple CarPlay, 360° camera, Advanced Park Assist and a Denon premium sound system.

Inside the Grandland X there is reasonable space for five however the middle rear passenger will get short changed on leg and shoulder room. The electric tailgate comes as standard on the Ultimate trim and opens to reveal 514 litres of space.

The dashboard design is simple and straightforward with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility on the 8” colour touchscreen. The quality is good and the design straightforward and easy to navigate, however it’s a little way off the showstopper you might expect of a car priced in the region of €40,000!

On the road in the Opel Grandland X Ultimate

The 2.0-litre engine is a powerhouse for the Grandland X with 177hp and 400Nm of torque giving it a trailer load of 2 tonnes. The Grandland X 2.0-litre makes brisk progress on the road and it doesn’t sound too coarse for a large diesel engine either, changing gear with reasonable efficiency too. Motor tax for this model is €270 per year and over a week of driving my fuel consumption was 6.3l/100km.

The Grandland X works well as a family car in that it’s easy to drive and get along with. It handles well though there is some lean in corners but generally it’s very composed and pleasant to drive. The ride comfort on the 19″ wheels of the test car was not as smooth and soft as I remembered from my test drive last year, but these are small nuances.

Should I buy it?

Opel Ireland is offering the Grandland X in five trim levels: SC, SRi, Elite, Ultimate and the new ‘120 Years’ edition to celebrate 120 years of Opel. The Grandland X is undoubtedly a very valuable vehicle for Opel that’s stylish and practical.

Certainly the Opel Grandland X Ulitmate is the Grandland X with all the bits thrown at it – top of the range diesel engine, effortless automatic gearbox and many luxury features.

In its most basic guise with a 1.2 litre petrol engine for example, the Grandland X certainly feels like a good alternative to the usual suspects in the family SUV class. For me this expensive top of the range model feels less convincing but for Opel fans looking for a powerhouse of an engine and plenty of luxury features, look no further than the Opel Grandland X Ultimate!

Caroline Kidd

Model tested: Opel Grandland X Ultimate 2.0
Price: €41,595 (Range from €28,395)
Engine: 2.0-litre turbo diesel
Power: 177hp
Torque: 400Nm
0-100km/h:  9.5 seconds
Top speed: 211km/h
Economy: 4.9/100km
CO2 emissions: 128g/km
Motor tax: €270 per year