Vauxhall Grandland Hatchback

1.6 Plug-in Hybrid [225] Design 5dr e-DCS7

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Vauxhall is best known for its smaller family cars, such as the Astra and Corsa or, in more recent years, the Insignia, which was discontinued not that long ago.

But over the years, it's also quietly forged a reputation for making good larger vehicles, including the surprisingly impressive Zafira Tourer MPV, the smaller Meriva, the Mokka crossover SUV and, of course, the larger Grandland X.

And it’s the Grandland that we’re focusing on today – specifically, the new version of it.

The ‘X’ has been dropped from its name nowadays, but that’s not all that’s missing from the Grandland we’re testing: the engine is also gone.

A hybrid version is still offered, but in the model we're testing, the combustion engine is replaced entirely with an electric motor. Vauxhall hopes this will widen its appeal to those who want an SUV without the eco-unfriendly stigma attached.

Disappointingly for those with larger families, though, unlike the Zafira it originally replaced, which offered seven seats, the Grandland is only a five-seater.

Vauxhall will say the demand for seven-seaters is covered by the Combo Life and Vivaro Life, which are passenger versions of its vans. The smaller, newly revived Frontera SUV is also available with a third row of seats.

The rival Peugeot e-5008 offers seven seats, too. It is based on the same STLA Medium platform as the Grandland, given that the same parent company, Stellantis, nowadays owns Peugeot and Vauxhall.

Regardless, the new Grandland Electric marks a considerable milestone for Vauxhall: it now offers an electric version of every single vehicle in its range, making it one of the first manufacturers to achieve the feat.

Vauxhall’s latest generation line-up has brought some of the best cars the automaker has ever produced.

Does the Grandland do the same? Let’s find out.