Motor reviews | On the road

Vauxhall Grandland X

By Bill McCarthy

IT seems the market for SUV/crossers will never be satisfied. Virtually all manufacturer produce them and such is their popularity, Vauxhall have three in their line up: the mini Mokka; the mid-range Crossland and the SUV Grandland X.

The Grandland X is a handsome, versatile car, packed with equipment, and has the look of and off-roader, if that’s what you want at the school gates

At 4.48 metres long, it is the largest SUV in Vauxhall’s range.

It has a muscular and rugged look that is offset by alloy-effect door sill covers, 18-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels, black roof and door mirror, bright front and rear skid plates and neat light clusters.

The interior feels well put together with a logical instrumentation and controls set up.

Soft touch plastics give a touch of class, while dash and the multi-function steering wheel are trimmed with bright finish.

An eight-inch touchscreen dominates the dash and houses the IntelliLink system which features integrated European sat nav system, together with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity.

It also features digital radio, Bluetooth connectivity, voice control and USB ports.

Vauxhall’s OnStar service is also standard, giving drivers connectivity when on the move, while also providing a personal assistant service, stolen vehicle assistance and automatic crash response.

Unsurprisingly since Vauxhall’s takeover by PSA, it shares many features from the Peugeot 3008 and the engine range while the optional IntelliGirp adaptive traction control, is not a million miles from Peugeot’s Grip Control technology.

Engines include the excellent 1.2 litre three cylinder petrol and two diesels, a two litre and the 1.5 litre on this model. A hybrid is planned later.

Mated to a six speed manual gearbox, the 128bhp diesel is refined has plenty of pull and is a fine motorway cruiser. It is nippy enough, hitting 60mph in a smudge over 10 seconds. Quick enough for most.

Standard across the range equipment includes LED daytime running lights, camera-based lane departure warning, road sign recognition, intelligent cruise control, and air conditioning with particulate and odour filter.

This model adds goodies like dual-zone electronic climate control, adaptive cruise control, anti-dazzle rear-view mirror, and ambient lighting

Also fitted to this model auto lighting/windscreen wipers, electrically adjustable/heated door mirrors, electrically foldable door mirrors with puddle lights and front and rear parking sensor.

Naturally an SUV must be practical and folding 60/40 rear seats are standard with a one-touch action, which means they tumble and fold instantly offering a wide range loading options.

Stowage space is good with 514 litres available with the seats up, increasing to 1,652 litres with the seats folded, plenty big enough for most requirements.

For extra practicality, the Versatility Pack adds centre rear seat armrest with ski pass-through, illuminated luggage area and a flex floor with under-floor divider. In addition there are other storage spaces throughout.

On the road the car is built for comfort and practicality rather than driver interaction with a softish suspension setup set up which means it does lean a bit into corners. But this is hardly the kind of car to be raced around.

Economy is good with a claimed average figure of just over 50mpg, while emissions are just 113g/km.

For those looking to occasionally tackle tougher terrain, but don’t want the extra expense of all-wheel drive, the driver can choose IntelliGrip, which offers five drive modes via a centre dial.

This delivers torque to the front wheels according to the selected mode, allowing slip when necessary and changing the accelerator pedal control map. The modes are: Normal/On-road, snow, mud and sand, while ESP Off an option.

The modes are pretty self explanatory.

It is packed with safety kit, including and six airbags, plus the Vauxhall Safety Pack, which includes switchable electronic stability programme, anti-lock braking system, driver drowsiness system, forward collision alert, automatic emergency braking, lane assist, blind spot alert, lane departure warning and speed sign recognition.

At just short of £23k for this model, you get plenty for your outlay, while low insurance, tax and fuel economy make it relatively cheap to run. Another fine option in the SUV/crossover market.

Factfile

Vauxhall Grandland X Sport Nav

Price: £22,735

Mechanical: 130PS, 1,399cc, 4cyl turbo diesel engine driving front wheels via six-speed manual gearbox

Max speed: 119mph

0-62mph: 10.2 seconds

Combined mpg: 48-53mpg

Insurance group: 15

CO2 emissions: 113g/km

Warranty: 3yrs/60,000

Mazda3 2.0 122ps Sport Lux

By Bill McCarthy

In a packed field of competitors, to stand out from the crowd takes a bit of doing. Step forward Mazda. The new Mazda3, is without doubt one of the lookers in the compact family car market.

Sleek, svelte, feline, particularly this exclusive model in pretty unimaginatively named Polymer grey livery, (I prefer gun metal grey), matched with privacy glass, dark alloy wheels.

It offers a huge range of standard equipment across the range, as well as high-end pieces of kit normally associated with executive/luxury brands.

The front features a sloping low nose with large front grille with lowered air scoop, flanked by slim light clusters which feature LED lighting.

The light are incorporated into the high boot line with twin exhaust.

There are five trim levels: SE-L, SE-L Lux, Sport Lux, GT Sport and GT Sport Tech..

All models feature head-up display with Traffic Sign Recognition,Radar Cruise Control, plus sat nav and smartphone connectivity via Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and an impressive eight-speaker audio system.

This model also included a reversing camera, multi-function steering wheel, smart keyless entry, heated front seats and frameless rear view mirror .

The interior is the best yet with the model featuring black leather seats with powered adjustment, and heated steering wheel.

The cabin has an executive feel, with soft touch plastics throughout and although the leather and trim makes the interior dark, it is nicely offset with chrome detailing throughout.

The firm says it takes a minimalist approach with every aspect of the cockpit laid out in perfect horizontal symmetry with the driver to deliver both ergonomic simplicity. If that means comfortable, then it is.

All models feature a seven-inch colour TFT driver instrument display, and the brain of the car is the 8.8-inch central display, controlling sat nav, infotainment and connectivity via central control dial.

It exudes comfort and luxury although leg and headroom is slightly restricted for rear passengers.

This model features a two litre 122PS petrol engine which delivers plenty of grunt. Mated to a slick-shifting six-speed gearbox, it feels like a real driver’s car with plenty of shifts for maximum performance. Refined and free revving, acceleration is brisk, if not startling, hitting 60mph in around 10 seconds.

Brisk performance is accompanied by excellent handling, sharp steering and a firm ride.

Mazda says its SkyActiv-Vehicle Architecture is intended to optimise ride, refinement and handling and it certainly feels the case as the car turns in sweetly to corners, always feeling well balanced with the driver in control.

The only slight setback is the firm ride, which can be unsettling over rougher roads. As a hatchback the car needs to be practical with good stowage and storage space.

The Mazda3 is a family car and meets its role with plenty of oddments room in the front and back together with a decent sized easy to use boot which dramatically increases capacity as the offset split rear seats are folded.