Read Caroline’s Opel Grandland Electric review for everything you need to know about buying Opel’s new compact SUV in Ireland – from pricing and range, to design and practicality.
The Opel Grandland returns with striking new styling, a fresh platform and a fully electric powertrain that brings it right up to speed with growing demand for EVs, along with mild hybrid petrol and plug-in hybrid versions.
New Opel Grandland Electric starts from a competitive €39,065 (SC trim), undercutting even the mild hybrid petrol version, which starts from €40,995.
Following on from the launch late last year in Russelheim, Germany, I’ve had a chance to spend longer with the Opel Grandland Electric on Irish roads to test its range, efficiency, comfort and practicality in daily life.
Let’s take a closer look.
Design
The second-generation Grandland has grown in size and presence. It’s now longer, wider, and taller than before, giving it a more commanding stance on the road. Opel’s new design language, already familiar from the latest Astra and Mokka, gives the Grandland a sharp, modern edge. It has a clean, cohesive look with premium touches like hidden door seals and a distinctive bonnet crease that can be seen from the driver’s seat.
A range of colours is available, including the eye-catching Impact Copper. But even more subdued tones like my black test car look elegant. 19-inch alloy wheels come as standard, with GS models receiving a more attractive design. Lighting is a standout feature — the new ‘3D Vizor’ design integrates the LED headlights beautifully. For the first time ever, Opel’s illuminated blitz logo appears on top-spec GS models.
Around the back, the design remains sharp with a neat ‘compass’ layout linking the horizontal taillights with a vertically placed third brake light. The Grandland has grown up in all the right ways and has a much stronger design identity than it did before.
Opel Grandland Interior
There’s been quite a transformation inside the Grandland too. The black and grey theme gives a lightness to the feel and there are plenty of soft fabrics including very comfortable seats.
All versions come with a new 10-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while GS models upgrade to a larger 16-inch screen. Storage is well thought out, especially in the GS, which features a special ‘pixel box’ — a clever compartment to tuck away your phone while it charges wirelessly.
Features like a reversing camera, heated front seats and heated steering wheel are available as you go up the trim levels.
What size boot does the Opel Grandland have?
The Opel Grandland Electric offers a generous 550-litre boot, placing it among the best in class – similar to a Volkswagen ID.4, yet bigger than a Nissan Qashqai. Even better, this boot capacity is consistent across all versions — electric, petrol or plug-in hybrid.
There’s a false floor to create a flat loading area, which makes packing larger items that bit easier and charging cables can be tucked away underneath. For a powered tailgate, the Elegance version currently includes this as standard. However, the boot lid is not too heavy so don’t let the absence of one on other trims put you off.
Practicality
Passengers will find plenty of legroom in the back thanks to the longer wheelbase compared to the previous Grandland. There are Isofix points on the two outer seats. GS trim adds a third Isofix mount to the front passenger seat. Only GS versions get a centre armrest, as well as handy map and smartphone pockets in the back of the front seats.
The rear seats split 40:20:40, offering flexibility for through-loading.
What is the range of the Opel Grandland Electric?
The Opel Grandland Electric uses a 73kWh lithium-ion battery (usable capacity), offering a WLTP range of up to 523 kilometres. Energy consumption is rated at 16.9 to 17.3 kWh/100km. During my summer test, I averaged 17.6kWh per 100 kilometres, which translates to real world range of about 415 kilometres, though that’s likely to be less in a cold winter. There’s no heat pump to improve the heating of the cabin in cold weather, however it is possible to pre-heat the cabin while you are still parked up and charging before you leave on a cold morning.
A larger battery version is expected at some point with close to 700 kilometres of WLTP range.
Driving it
The Grandland Electric is built on parent company Stellantis Group’s new STLA Medium platform, shared with the latest Peugeot 3008. It’s powered by a 210hp motor driving the front wheels, delivering 345Nm of torque and a 0–100 km/h time of around 9 seconds. You can choose between Normal, Sport, and Eco drive modes. There’s also a ‘B mode’ with paddles behind the steering wheel for enhanced regenerative braking, handy for town driving.
The new Grandland feels reassuringly solid and composed on the road. It’s particularly quiet on the move, helped by an acoustic windscreen and the natural silence of the electric powertrain. Steering is light — great for parking and town driving — and it corners with accuracy too.
Opel has given the electric Grandland a more sophisticated multi-link rear suspension setup compared to the petrol version’s torsion beam. There’s also Frequency Selective Damping, allowing the suspension to adapt to road conditions for a better balance between comfort and agility.
The Grandland Electric’s extra weight and slightly firmer ride is noticeable however when bumps or imperfections in the road surface are encountered. But it never gets too noisy or unbearable.
Charging
The Opel Grandland Electric comes equipped with an 11kW onboard AC charger. For faster top-ups on the go, DC fast charging up to 160kW is supported. At a 100kW fast charger, Opel says you can expect a 20-80% charge in about 30 minutes.
Opel Grandland Electric Price
The Grandland Electric currently undercuts the petrol mild hybrid on price, and there’s no confirmed pricing yet for the plug-in hybrid. Grandland Electric starts from €39,065 in SC trim, from €40,936 for the Elegance and from €43,763 for the GS, so does represent good value for money.
Verdict
The new Opel Grandland is handsome and well put together, but it’s the generous boot and rear passenger space that really makes it a practical choice. Albeit you need to go up the trim levels to get the better equipped versions, but Opel’s keen pricing to launch this new model, particularly for the Grandland Electric, still makes it a hard one to ignore.
Speaking of which, the Grandland Electric doesn’t particularly shine for efficiency or rapid charging, but provided you’re not pounding up and down motorways all day requiring frequent battery top-ups on the go, that’s not such an issue and the powertrain does bring a lot of refinement.
Opel has been refreshing its line-up in the last few years to great effect with the new Astra and Mokka really leading the charge when it comes to sharp contemporary design backed up by new electrified powertrains. A new Frontera is due shortly too, which will add something interesting to the mix. The new Grandland looks and feels now like a larger Mokka, but with even more luxury and refinement inside. So if you’re fan of the Mokka, you might really like this one too.
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Written by Caroline Kidd
Founder and Editor of Changing Lanes, Juror for Irish Car of the Year
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