Opel Grandland X 1.6T Enjoy: Interesting things happen when opposites attract... sometimes.

By Martin Pretorius

I must admit to some conflicting emotions when the news broke that Peugeot Citroën (PSA) bought Opel from General Motors. After years in the wilderness of GM’s post-bankruptcy chaos, the German brand was finally starting to find its way back – and to then have another direction change forced upon them could really have upset Opel’s precarious position. So it was with considerable curiosity that I invited the striking-looking Grandland X into my life for an extended-period road test.

 

What is it?

The Grandland X is a mid-sized SUV-Crossover which, along with its smaller sibling, the Crossland X, was in fact almost ready for release at the time of Opel’s sale to PSA. Opel and Peugeot had entered into a joint-venture agreement to co-develop these vehicles long before GM even considered getting rid of their German subsidiary. As a result, the genuine Opel touches are evident all over the Grandland X, such as the distinctive Opel front-end styling, the Opel-styled interior, and even the seats.

Underneath the skin, there’s very little genuine Opel, however, as the Grandland X is derived from the same platform that underpins the Peugeot 3008, 5008, and 308. It’s pretty advanced in concept and execution, and is responsible for significant weight savings in the all the Peugeot products which uses this component set. The engine is likewise all Peugeot, and shouldn’t be confused with the 1.6-litre turbo petrol doing duty in the Astra. The same applies to the transmission, where Peugeot’s 6-speed autobox sends power to the front wheels, with no option of all-wheel drive.

Grandland X Styling

Up front, there’s the recognizable Opel grille and headlights with distinctive LED DRLs, styled to echo the mid-range Mokka X and even mimic the Astra. It’s a handsome visage, even if some onlookers may deem it somewhat conservative. In profile, there’s a new interpretation of Opel’s scalloped flanks and fin-like detail on the rearmost roof pillar, while the rear view proudly displays the “double check mark” LED lighting signature which is familiar from other Opels.

While it looks rather conservative, it does carry enough Opel styling hallmarks to convincingly pull off a genuine Opel appearance. That conservatism may however be both a downside and a drawcard, as extroverted types might prefer the avant-garde styling of its 3008 cousin, while traditionalists will appreciate being presented with a more rational, subdued appearance than the 3008 can offer. It’s a matter of covering all the bases from one platform, really.

The Drive

Interestingly, the driving experience largely mirrors the exterior’s dignified but subdued appearance. The individual component parts are neither excellent nor sub-par, but the way in which they work together gives the impression of safety, security and a slight listlessness.

It starts with the engine, which, unusually for a modern turbo mill, needs plenty of revs before coming alive. And then, when it’s on the boil, the motivation is on the relaxed side instead of being exuberant. The Grandland X isn’t a particularly heavy vehicle, with a kerb weight of 1 382 kg, but it never really feels as though there’s 121 kW and 240 Nm on tap. Think gentlemanly, rather than enthusiastic progress.

The gearbox mirrors this laid-back attitude. Initial take-off is smooth, as are the gear changes, but it never fires off rapid-fire shifts when pushed. Instead, sudden throttle inputs are greeted with relaxed indifference from the gearbox, as it carefully selects the appropriate gear, sends a message to the engine to request some power, before finally settling into a genteel kind of acceleration.

This is actually a bit of a pity, as the Grandland X is blessed with a chassis which can easily handle a much more-enthusiastic drivetrain. There might not be a fancy multi-link independent rear suspension (a torsion-beam axle does duty instead), but the Grandland X feels planted, secure, and even somewhat sporty through the corners. It even rides well enough for such a firmly-damped setup, and doesn’t mind sudden direction changes. This isn’t a car you’d want to take to a track day, mind you, but for normal use on real-world roads, the ride/handling compromise is well-judged.

Inside the Grandland X

Opel’s famed orthopedic seats are fitted in front, which is something some occupants will love and others will loathe. My elongated anatomy wasn’t too happy with the excessive lumbar support and hard seat squab, but I could ascribe that at least in part to my back being thoroughly messed-up after years of abuse and the occasional car wreck. Nonetheless, there’s ample room all round for five large adults, and the sightlines to the outside is clear enough to prevent claustrophobia even for back-seat passengers.

The cabin is trimmed in good-quality plastics, with soft-touch materials on the dash top and the door cards, and it’s all very well screwed together. Opel’s IntelliLink infotainment takes centre stage in the dashboard, and is thankfully nicely integrated into (rather than glued onto) the centre console. This colour touchscreen also provides cell phone mirroring through Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, and it was really user-friendly in operation.

Even in mid-level “Enjoy” trim, there’s a good amount of driver aids on offer as well, including lane departure warning and a rear-view camera with parking sensors all round, but strangely losing out on blind-spot monitoring. Six airbags, Xenon headlights, road sign monitoring, stability control and hill-holding assistance helps take care of safety considerations.

The practical stuff

Being primarily a family-oriented vehicle, the Grandland X also has fairly flexible loading options, including a through-loading hatch, 60/40 split folding rear seats with boot-mounted release lever duplicates, and a false boot floor which allows for storage of valuables between the spare wheel and the actual luggage compartment.

Luggage space is quite sufficient, with utility space varying between 514 and 1 652 litres, depending on the rear seat configuration. Oddments stowage is somewhat limited, however, as the glove box is very oddly-shaped and the centre console binnacle is quite small. The door pockets are also rather narrow, which makes retrieving cell phones and wallets a bit of a tricky affair. In mitigation, there’s a handy lidded compartment ahead of the gear lever, and the cup holders can handle quite large bottles.

Conclusion

After two weeks with the Grandland X, my mixed emotions still haven’t quite settled down. On the one hand is the fact that the Grandland X is a perfectly competent vehicle, which ticks all the practical boxes anyone could demand of a family-biased crossover. But on the other hand, I saw very little sign of the spark of joy which so thrilled me when I drove the Astra and the Corsa. It’s almost as if the superficial strong suits of each of its constituent brands has been scientifically extracted to create a car which appeals on all the intellectual points, yet manages to miss all the emotional appeal of each of its parents. No French joie de vivre, no clinically German focus on performance and dynamics.

In the end, the Grandland X is a vehicle which does just about everything well, but it does so without showing obvious pride in its work. Maybe a more-enthusiastic engine may change my mind, or perhaps a manual gearbox (or a more-responsive automatic) could put back some spark. But in the meantime, the Grandland X runs a real risk of becoming yet another handsome, quiet member of its class. And that’s strange, because Dijon mustard is supposed to compliment Eisbein quite nicely. Maybe it needs some apple sauce?

 

Opel Grandland X Specifications:

Engine and gearbox : 1.6-litre turbo-petrol, 6-speed torque converter automatic

Outputs                      : 121 kW @ 6 000 r/min, 240 Nm @ 1 400 r/min

Fuel consumption   : 7.0 litres/100 km claimed, 8.1 litres/100 km on test

Price                           : R 465 000