Motor reviews | On the road

Vauxhall Grandland Plug-in Hybrid

Review by Bill McCarthy

Vauxhall is continuing its journey towards electrification with a hybrid technological tour de force.

The Grandland is the firm’s first four wheel drive plug-in hybrid SUV with electric performance in more ways than one.

Now part of the PSA group, it is part of the the French firm’s wider drive to electrification, with Vauxhall aiming to go fully electric by 2024.

In typical hybrid style there is more than one power unit, three in this case.

The combination comprises a 200hp, 1.6-litre turbocharged direct injection four-cylinder petrol engine with two electric motors delivering a combined 109hp and powered by long-life13.2kWh lithium-ion battery.

Added together, this delivers a stonking 300bhp and 520 Nm of torque or pulling power, indicating it would be an ideal towing vehicle with a 1.25 tonne capability.

It has a muscular yet stylish look with alloy-effect door sill covers, 19-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels, black roof and door mirror, bright front and rear skid plates and neat light clusters and foldable door mirrors with puddle lights.

The interior feels well put together with a logical instrumentation and controls set up and nice soft touch finish, which is just as well because the starting price is just under £37k, with this top spec model a shade over £48k.

For that you get a car with the full bells and whistles of creature comfort, connectivtiy and safety kit. It features alloy-effect sports pedals, leather seat facings and heated front seats with the driver eight-way electrically adjustable, 3D instrument cluster and alloy-effect door sill covers.

The eight-inch touch screen houses the infotainment system with premium audio system, Navi 5.0 IntelliLink system with voice control, and smartphone and Bluetooth® connectivity, wireless charging for mobile devices and Vauxhall Connect assistance.

In typical hybrid style there is more than one power unit, three in this case.

As an SUV it is naturally practical, but boot space is compromised slightly to accommodate the large battery to a maximum stowage area of 1,523 litres.

Vauxhall says the hybrid is mostly aimed at business users and PCP users who will account for around 75 per cent of sales. It is available in SRi Nav trim for just £399 per month on Personal Contract Hire. The customer pays an initial rental of £8,379.

The new power combination also delivers theoretical consumption with 204mpg, when all the planets are aligned, and just 34g/km CO2, which puts it into a 20 per cent Benefit in Kind bracket. The reality is, if you are constantly doing less than 30 miles per day, you can charge it up overnight and rarely see the inside of a petrol station.

Performance wise, acceleration is electrifying. It can hit 60mph in just 5.9 seconds which is in real hot-hatch territory, as quick nearly as a fully blinged up hot hatch I drove recently, if not quite having the handling capability. It literally races away from a standing start and on top a top speed of 146mph where permitted.

Having said that, it does feel assured, with the all-wheel traction kicking in on demand. Not a full fat off-roader, it should be more than capable on muddy tracks, fields and in tricky weather conditions.

A front electric motor is mated with an electrified eight-speed automatic transmission, while the second motor and differential are integrated into the electrically-powered rear axle, providing the all-wheel traction on demand.

There are four driving modes – electric, hybrid, AWD and Sport.

In pure electric mode, the car has a range of 35 miles. In hybrid it automatically selects the most efficient method of propulsion. Switch to sport and you have a real flying machine.

It comes with a 3.7kW on-board charger, with an optional 7.4kW version also available. The ‘e-Save’ section of the infotainment system allows the driver to determine how much battery needs to be saved for entering zero-emissions zone. The driver can choose to save six or 12 miles of range, or reserve all of the battery energy.

In addition, regenerative braking captures kinetic energy during deceleration allowing electrical energy to be returned to the battery and stored. Vauxhall will also offer devices for fast charging at public stations, as well as wallboxes at home. With a 7.0kW wallbox, customers can fully charge the battery in less than two hours.

Vauxhall has also introduced an exclusive charging offer where customers will receive a free six-month membership to the Polar charging network, providing an easy, convenient and reliable means to charge their vehicle away from home.

This vehicle is a clever piece of engineering with its three power units and gearbox setup that delivers blistering performance with major economy savings.

Meanwhile, the electric revolution continues apace with the imminent new Corsa-e and Vivaro van.

Skoda Kamiq SE

By Bill McCarthy

Skoda’s latest addition to its range of SUVs is yet another example of the VW parent group almost competing with itself.

There is the VW Up!, Skoda Citigo and SEAT Mii as an example of small city cars offering pretty much the same thing. Then there’s the VW T-Cross, SEAT Arona and now the Kamiq.

All similar, but different with prices to match various pockets and purses.

Sitting below the Kodiaq and Karoq, the Kamiq is the smallest of Skoda’s three SUVs. It certainly looks the part, and borrows a feature seen usually on more expensive cars with dynamic indicators, which have a sweep effect when activated and which double up as daytime LED running lights, which is a first for Skoda.

It does feel a bit Dr Who Tardis-like, – the apparently modest exterior hiding a much larger interior

Unusually, they sit above the main headlight clusters which flank the large and now familiar Skoda grille.

Neat alloys and standard integrated roof bars, sculpted bonnet and angular styling give the car a powerful presence.

The interior is also high quality and very spacious, if not exactly startling in style with dark colours only offset by bright trim to doors, steering wheel and dash.

The centrepiece is the eight inch display featuring the infotainment system with eight speakers; SmartLink, enabling users to view and control smartphone apps via Apple CarPlay, Android Auto or MirrorLink and navigation systems, which is complemented by the virtual cockpit, featuring a 10 inch screen and five display modes.

Even at entry level starting at just under £18k, there is plenty of standard kit on offer for the money. This SE model is just over £1k more expensive and offers a host of goodies.

Skoda says the model sets benchmarks in its segment for elbow, knee and headroom, with raised seat position for easy passenger access and road visibility. The finish is good quality with soft-touch materials on the dashboard and front door trims.

It does feel a bit Dr Who Tardis like, with the apparently modest exterior hiding a much larger interior.

It couldn’t be an SUV if it was not practical and it is. The Kamiq has a boot capacity of 400 litres with the rear seats in position. This can be extended to 1,395 litres with the 60:40 split backrests folded down, which creates a level surface when combined with the optional false boot floor.

Cup holders can be found in the centre console. There are also storage compartments under the front seats, as well as pockets on the backrests.

There is a choice of four different engines offering power outputs that range from 95PS to 150PS. There are three TSI petrol versions and one diesel, all with with brake energy recovery as well as stop/start technology.

This model was powered by the three cylinder 95PS TSI petrol unit. Like all three pot engines, it delivers a raspy note under acceleration to give the impression of a sporty drive, despite relatively pedestrian acceleration to 60mph in around 11 seconds.

It is however economical with lowish emissions and is lively enough around town.

The handling is also pretty nimble for an SUV. It is based on Volkswagen Group’s MQB-A0 platform and a new chassis combines the advantages of an SUV with the agile driving characteristics of a compact car, says the company blurb.

Like all Skodas, the firm’s Simply Clever customer friendly features are on offer, with door-edge protection which deploys automatically when opening the doors and concealed umbrella and torch in the boot.

There are three trim levels including the S, SE and the range topping SE L.

All offer alloy wheels, touchscreen and LED lights, but the SE model driven here adds electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors, light and rain sensors, eight speakers, privacy glass, 17 inch alloys, parking aids and cruise control

Safety kit is extensive with full complement of airbags, lane departure warning The Kamiq can be equipped with state-of-the-art assistance systems and already features Lane Assist as well as Front Assist including City Emergency Brake as standard.

It’s a fine effort and although late-ish to the SUV party, Skoda has plenty to offer.