Opel Grandland X Cosmo…Blurring the line between hatchback and SUV

Styling is neat and tidy but as much hatchback as SUV

As I’ve stated countless times, any manufacturer that hasn’t climbed on the SUV bandwagon is in for lean times as the world has gone SUV-mad. I’m not sure that everyone who buys an SUV actually needs or wants such a configuration but just goes along with the herd. Older people I’ve spoken to talk about easier access and egress owing to the higher stance of an SUV but there again, “ancient” people find the step over the sill to be a step too far!

Maybe the Opel Grandland X would provide the answer to a problem that mostly doesn’t exist as it blurs the line between a loftier-than-normal hatch and a slightly lower than normal SUV which I guess is where the “Crossover” moniker applies. Let’s just say it’s less wagon-like, less-off-road looking than direct competitors such as the VW Tiguan, the Hyundai Tucson or the Nissan Qashqai. That doesn’t in any way suggest that it fails this subjective test– indeed it’s chunky, neatly-executed shape is attractive enough, but it can hardly be called eye-catching as it’s too mainstream to earn such an accolade.

The Grandland also hides another “secret” under that skin. Since the GM sell-out to Peugeot, the French company hasn’t wasted time in utilising its own hardware which means the Grandland sits on a French-sourced platform (as used by the 3008) and relies on a 1.6 Turbo motor that also powers various Pugs, not to mention a 6-speed auto with a strong French connection.

There’s nothing necessarily wrong with that but when you consider that so much effort was expended (in South Africa at least) in relatively recent times on promoting the German-ness of the Opel brand, consumers could be excused for being a tad confused about the “new” brand values projected in the wake of the Peugeot takeover.  The question to be answered is whether this freshly-wrought Opel has something to hang its hat on in perception terms.

South African buyers are offered three derivatives of Grandland, these being Essentia, Enjoy and   Cosmo, all of which are motivated by the same mechanicals. but which sport increasingly generous levels of kit that in part explains the six-figure price gap between the bottom and the top models.

Power is provided by a familiar Peugeot-sourced 1.6 turbo petrol mill that dishes up 121kW and a torque peak of 240Nm that’s delivered from just 1 400 rpm. This grunt is managed by a 6-speed auto that drives through the front wheels and does so with commendable smoothness for the most part. It resists slip very competently so there’s no impression of elastic bands trying to hold back progress, but every now and again, self-induced downshifts can be heralded with the mildest of jerks.

Overall, the powertrain works smoothly and with a pleasing level of refinement, especially out on the open road when the mid-range torque arising from the turbo installation means that high gearing can be utilised with all the low-rev benefits this confers. Lag is only just detectable when the throttle is mashed at very low revs, but once on the boil, the four cylinders provide perky performance when extra shove is demanded. And never forget that this alacrity will be unimpaired should you live at high altitude.

Heated leather seating and decent space in the rear

Unfortunately, Opel seems shy about revealing performance details, but I can reveal an on-test overall fuel consumption figure panning out at a parsimonious 8.4 l/100km.  The Grandland does best when it’s driven with a measure of decorum as the isolation of mechanical thrash and the good containment of wind and road-generated disturbances simply confirms this model as a better cruiser than speedster.

As you’d expect of a car that owes more to Peugeot than its styling might suggest, the ride on 225/55R18 rubber is mostly good but by no means as plush as most Frenchman would like. That means the chassis tuners have paid attention to control just ahead of pliancy such that on knobbly surfaces, there’s a modicum of restlessness but this is more than compensated by excellent rebound resistance when taking dips and crests at speed.

Body roll on cornering is good for a high-riding vehicle and the steering feel will meet most expectations even if it’s a little vague around the centre position. If there’s a let-down in the chassis set-up, it can be found in the higher-than-normal nose dive experienced on heavy braking but overall, the Grandland puts on a decent but not stand-out show when it comes to driving dynamics.

In terms of fit and finish, the external bits are all well put together and panel gaps are neat and even. I was a tad disappointed with the gloss level of the gold paintwork, notwithstanding that orange peel is mostly absent. Previous Opels from the Russelsheim plant stood out for glossy paintwork but the clear coat on this example seemed a touch opaque, but that’s just me being unduly fussy. Maybe this unit was not built in Russelsheim?

Opel face is clearly defined even if a Peugeot hides underneath

Inside, the ambience is smart and tidy albeit that the design execution of the dash in particular is not sufficiently stand-out to be a candidate for display at the Louvre. Having said that, there are plenty of soft-touch surfaces on view and the doors are very well padded and sport decent oddments receptacles. The leather-clad seats too are nicely tailored and electrically adjustable in all directions – the driver even has two memory positions – and it’s very easy to set up a comfy driving position behind the multi-adjustable wheel that’s festooned with a host of controls for sound, Bluetooth, cruise and more.

Interior space is generous and those in the back enjoy endless headroom and good foot space, but lateral space is a little tight as the cabin itself is not as wide as the stance of the car would suggest.  For the record, all seats are heated and cooled, and amazingly, the steering wheel rim too! Luggage space is more than competitive at 514l but more’s the pity that the sides of the primary load area should be decked out in hard plastic which was already showing a number of scars that carpet would shrug off.

Forward visibility is excellent and not bad to the rear, notwithstanding the presence of a shallow rear window and fairly hefty rear pillars that contain a partially hidden “quarter window.”  Regardless, parking sensors, a rear camera and wing mirror blindspot sensors all help greatly.

Other little touches attracted my attention, not least the fact that all the inner window frames are fully lined and that the door sills remain spotlessly clean thanks to the use of convex sealing strips fitted to the base of the doors. Given the ride height of this model, it’s very easy to soil trousers and dresses on entry and egress, but Opel has resolved this very neatly with the aforementioned seals.

Cabin is smartly-trimmed and packed with features

It should already be apparent that this Cosmo model is very well kitted-out. In fact, it’s unbelievably well specced. Aside from the niceties already mentioned, owners will enjoy air con, electric windows, “turning” driving lamps, LED main lights, lane departure warning, folding mirrors, sat nav, electric parking brake, central locking, electric tailgate with “foot assist,” hill hold, airbags everywhere, a huge sun roof, smart duo-tone alloys, extendable seat cushions, IntelliLink touch screen infotainment plus a variety of ports, and more. There are few cars at any price that match this spec in standard form.

So, what to make of the Opel Grandland X in its posh Cosmo trim level?  For sure, the aforementioned equipment levels are a major attraction and its driving dynamics are most acceptable along with the overall design elements. In practical terms too, this Opel does well with a comfy cabin and good luggage space. These are all things that really matter in terms of long-term ownership but as with most things in life, it’s sometimes the intangibles that become almost as important.

The truth is that the Grandland could be accused of being somewhat anonymous in terms of what it says about itself. It’s all a bit middle-of-the-road, if you get my drift, and the painful truth is that the Opel brand name in South Africa at least,  lost a lot of hard-earned gloss when GM played ping pong with their German-based division. There’s an awful lot of competition around at this level and I fear that buyer perceptions, notwithstanding that many such perceptions might be founded in hearsay, will count against it, which is a shame, but it could just make the Grandland one of the best used buys on the market.