Last week we attended Stellantis Media Connect, and Opel revealed the next-generation Grandland, another addition to the SUV Family segment.
The all-new Opel Grandland brings many design features first seen on the Opel Experimental concept car to life for the first time on a production model. These features include the 3D Vizor with illuminated Griffin logo proudly sitting at the centre and the permanently illuminated “OPEL” lettering at the rear. Further highlights include the Intelli-Lux Pixel HD lighting system with over 50,000 individual elements.
Mike Whitfield, Managing Director, Stellantis South Africa, believes that the Grandland will strengthen their position in the important family crossover segment.
Exterior Styling.
The Opel Grandland is now bigger at 173mm of additional length, 19mm of additional height and 64mm of additional width compared to its predecessor,and shod with 19-inch alloy wheels on 225/55 R19 tyres, this helps it sit boldly and comfortably at the top of Opel’s SUV portfolio. Further grandeur is added by the new execution of the characteristic Opel brand face: the new 3D Vizor. This element is combined with the illuminated Opel Griffin logo which is made even more prominent using Edge Light Technology.
The new illuminated logo is also accompanied by yet another lighting innovation from Opel – the industry-leading Intelli-Lux Pixel Matrix HD. The system offers over 50,000 elements (51,200 to be precise, with 25,600 on each side) for high-definition light distribution and makes its debut on the Grandland.
Based on the traffic situation, up- and oncoming objects are detected by a camera and the Intelli-Lux Pixel Matrix HD light cuts out these objects even more precisely than standard Matrix Light technologies. It also delivers a much brighter and homogeneous light pattern – all while ensuring that other road users are not dazzled and enhancing night-time driving comfort.
With its two-tone floating roof and contrast cladding, the Grandland is visually stretched for a sleek, elegant look The rear seats can be folded down 60:40, creating a load volume of up to 1,645 litres. With the seats up, the Grandland has a boot volume of 550 litres – an increase of 36 litres over the outgoing model.
At the rear, the distinctive compass lighting signature (including the very first integration of the illuminated ‘OPEL’ wordmark as part of the signature) also makes its production model debut. Braking illuminates the full-width horizontal light bar and vertical third brake light, first seen on the current Astra. And in line with Opel’s Greenovation approach to sustainability, the name of the car is no longer displayed by chrome lettering – instead ‘GRANDLAND’ is centrally embossed in the tailgate.
In the Cabin.
Roomy interior with 16-inch central display, AGR-approved seats and clever storage solutions
Behind the steering wheel, a discrete wide and fully digital cluster provides essential information, allowing the driver to focus on the pleasure of driving and, in combination with the Intelli-HUD head-up display, avoid the need to take their eyes off the road. Drivers also have the option of manually or automatically triggering the Pure Mode. This reduces the content on the driver information cluster, the head-up display and the central touchscreen, ensuring even less distraction when driving at night or in the rain. In typical Opel tradition, frequently used settings such as climate control can also be operated intuitively via physical buttons.
The interior also provides a particularly involving driving experience: Opel’s ergonomic AGR seats enjoy an award-winning reputation and the new Grandland continues this long-standing tradition. Certified by AGR (the German “Campaign for Healthier Backs”), they introduce a new proximity comfort feature: the powered bolsters. This function significantly improves lateral comfort adjustment thanks to two pneumatic pockets located in the backrest’s side bolsters. The seats also offer ventilation and a massage function for the driver
The highlight is the Pixel Box. With the illuminated translucid glass and the fabric wrapping, this element not only enhances the visual appeal of the console, it is also highly functional. The wireless smartphone charger is located behind the glass so that devices can be charged while being stored safely. The constant visibility of the smartphone also helps to ensure that it is not forgotten in the vehicle when leaving the Grandland..
The Drive.
We have not driven the vehicle much, just a short stint, but it promises much. It’ quiet and the engine is responsive.
The appealing offer proposed by Opel’s new top-of-the-range SUV is rounded off by an extensive array of driver assistance systems. Among the features included as standard are Automatic Cruise Control with Stop & Go function, Extended Traffic Sign Recognition, Intelligent Speed Adaptation and In Crash Braking, a system with the purpose of helping avoid a secondary collision in case of an accident. The Intelli-Drive 2.0 system, which integrates numerous electronic assistants and combines them with semi-automatic lane-change assist and Recommended Speed Adaption, is also standard. If the targeted lane is clear, the assistant steers the Grandland into the desired lane with small steering movements.
And Recommended Speed Adaptation ensures that – if confirmed by the driver – the vehicle’s speed is reduced accordingly when a new speed limit is reached or increased up to that limit. Parking and manoeuvring is also made easier by front and rear parking sensors, a rear-view camera with automatic cleaning function and the 360-degree Intelli-Vision camera.
Relevant local model line-up
The media drove the one model – The Grandland GS Line 1.6T features a 1,6-litre turbocharged petrol engine developing 134kW and 240Nm driving through an automatic transmission.
The frugal family car should return a claimed combined fuel cycle economy of 7.0 l/100km and as little as 5.3 l/100km when travelling on the open road towards those family holiday destinations. *
Colour coding, rear privacy windows, and two-tone roof and mirror caps provide sleek finishes to the exciting Grandland styling in addition to the host of safety and comfort features all available as standard.
Pricing .
The Opel Grandland is supported by a 5 years/100 000km warranty with Roadside Assistance and a 12 years/unlimited km anticorrosion warranty. Service intervals are every 12 months or 15 000km and covered for the first 5 years/90 000km courtesy of Opel’s service plan.
The Opel Grandland GS Line 1,6T AT will retail for R789,900.00 incl. VAT.
Summation.
Based on what we saw and the short drive, the Opel Grandland looks well made and superbly styled. It enters a crowded segment and the pricing will be important in whether it resonates with buyers, as there is a lot of choice.