SUV | 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

Audi e-tron

By Bill McCarthy

Driving electric cars from time to time do come with problems. Well, one really, where do you charge it? That was certainly the case 10 years ago when driving the first Nissan Leaf.

Things have taken a massive, if not quantum leap forward. With charging points becoming more and more common on roads, car parks and service stations, and offering fast charging in around 30 minutes, it has reduced the stress almost completely. Battery technology has also moved on at a pace.

Luckily, a charging point was installed in front of the office a couple of months before it I took delivery of the e-tron.

Just as well because a car like the Audi with all the electric bells, whistles and hi-tech gizmos, uses a lot of power. Recharging at either of the two charging points to 80 per cent capacity from a fast charger, takes around 90 minutes. Use a home charge kits and you will get a full charge in under six hours. It can, in an emergency be plugged into a normal socket, but charging takes over a day. It also has the facility, where available, for an 80 per cent chare to take around 20 minutes.

Out and about, the road charging point used contactless payment, all pretty painless.

At first glance you could be forgiven for thinking the e-tron was a Q5 or Q7, at a smidge under five metres long it sits between both, with only subtle flashes and badges indicating this is an all electric, four wheel drive, with a motor on each axle, adaptive air suspension and all the bells and whistles executive motor.

The two electric motors operate as an electric all-wheel drive system, powered by a 95kWh lithiu ion battery, driving the SUV free of emissions, and almost silently.

This gives it a 2.5 tonne beast brilliant acceleration, via the CV transmission, hitting 60mph in under six seconds with the so called engine overboost, a kind of electric kick down and, for those fretting about range, at least 248 miles in the WLTP cycle

Add to this a recuperation system that recharges via braking and deceleration which can be controlled via the steering wheel paddles

It is a smart looking car with an imposing presence yet sleek design, sitting on 20-inch alloy wheels and features LED headlights with LED rear lights, dynamic front and rear indicators and the now familiar light strip across its rear end

The interior is a plush and comfortable place to be with electrically-operated heated leather seats, thick carpets and high quality soft touch plastics throughout. Typical Audi quality.

The so-called ‘virtual cockpit’ dominates. This consists of two touch screens which can be customised to individual taste. It houses the latest MMI or multi-media interface brain of the car, which controls major functions like navigation, infotainment and connectivity for smartphones and a high-end sound system

The range of kit is comprehensive with driver aids such as head up display, parking camera and a whole host of safety kit.

On the road the car is well balanced and handles sharply for such a weighty beast. The steering is responsive while the air suspension soaks up the worst our roads can offer. When conditions get tricky, the four wheel drive kicks in, switching drive from mainly front wheel to sending traction to both axles.

It fairly whispers along, obviously engine noise is absent, while the cabin is well insulated from road noise from those large wheels.

Luxurious it may be but it is also like all SUVs is practical with both 660 litre boot space and with the seats folded, 1725 litres is available plus there is a large central storage bin.

There’s more, the and the lack of an engine means there’s extra space in the engine compartment..

In normal set up it will hit 60 in 6.5 seconds, but floor it and you get the equivalent of kick down, where the so-called overboost pushes up the power from 355 to 402bhp and it hits 60 in 5.7 seconds.

It’s just the start of Audi’s electric revolution. It’s a hell of a good one.

FAST FACTS

Audi e-tron quattro 55

Price: £70,805

Mechanical: 405bhp (max). electric motors driving both axles via auto transmission

Max speed: 124mph

0-62mph: 5.9 seconds

Range: 239 miles

Insurance group: 50E

CO2 emissions: 0g/km

BiK rating: 0%

Warranty: 3yrs/60,000 miles