Vauxhall plays the value card with this Grandland Plug-in Hybrid mid-sized family SUV. Jonathan Crouch takes a look.

Background

So, if you're looking for a new mainstream brand mid-sized affordably priced family SUV and you've done your homework, you'll be choosing between Hybrid, Plug-in Hybrid and EV drivetrains. If the car in question must also function over longer distances, we wouldn't blame you for ignoring the EV option. In which case ideally you might like a Plug-in Hybrid; but that's an expensive option isn't it? Vauxhall though, wants to assure you that it isn't. With this model, the Grandland Plug-in Hybrid. The headline here is that in Plug-in Hybrid form, the Grandland costs exactly the same as the non-pluggable 48V hybrid version. Which maybe makes this PHEV Grandland the clever choice in this model line-up. Let's take a closer look.

Driving Experience

Quite a bit has changed with the drivetrain of this MK2 Grandland PHEV model compared to the first generation version of this Vauxhall Plug-in Hybrid SUV. The 1.6-litre four cylinder petrol turbo engine is much the same as it was with that old car. But it's now mated to a seven-speed auto (rather than eight speeds) and a much bigger battery - 21kWh (rather than just 13.2kWh as before). That of course means a much longer EV drive range - up to 51 miles (compared to 34 miles before). The rechargeable Hybrid technology combines two energy sources: a 152PS turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine and a 127PS electric motor that powers the front wheels. Depending on driving conditions and selected modes, the engine and motor operate independently or together. In Electric mode, the vehicle runs exclusively on electric power, making it ideal for city driving and low-emission zones. In Hybrid mode, the system intelligently switches between electric and petrol power or uses both based on performance needs. When operating together, the petrol engine and electric motor generate a peak power output of 225PS with 350Nm of torque. 0-62mph takes 7.8s en route to 137mph. As for ride quality, well as with other Stellantis models in this segment riding on the conglomerate's current STLA Medium platform, that's rather clunky and you'll feel potholes and speed humps more keenly than you should. The 'Progressive Hydraulic Cushion' suspension system of this car's close cousin, the Citroen C5 Aircross Plug-in Hybrid, copes rather better with poor surfaces. Don't expect cutting-edge handling dynamics, but potential family customers aren't likely to be looking for those. And having slightly less weight than the full-electric version certainly helps at speed through tight turns. Likely customers though, will probably be more interested in technology, like the Intelli-Lux Matrix LED HD headlights of the top variants, which feature 51,200 elements and cut out oncoming vehicles with really sharp definition to help avoiding dazzling oncoming road users.

Design and Build

There are no visual clues at all to this Grandland's PHEV status, unless you closely examine the badgework. You can see at a glance that this second generation model is a very different kind of Grandland. For a start, it's a lot bigger, 173mm longer thanks to the new 'STLA Medium' architecture. And there's the new era of Vauxhall design language that was previewed by the brand's 'Experimental' concept of 2022, intended to position the car as 'electric first visually'. At the front, this sees a three-dimensional version of the company's usual 'Vizor' nose, with a transparent structure housing lighting elements and an illuminated Griffin badge. There's a similar effect at the rear, where three-dimensional tail lamps in a clear acrylic casing sit within a full-width lighting element that includes illuminated Vauxhall script. In profile, you notice sleek aerodynamic optimisation, the lack of chrome, the flush-fitting glass and the big wheels (19 or 20-inch rims). Vauxhall design has moved on inside too, where there's a slim 10-inch instrument display and a separated wide-aspect-ratio 16-inch centre dash touchscreen equipped with ChatGPT Artificial Intelligence. What that central monitor doesn't have (fortunately) is climate controls - those separated out into physical buttons. If you're overwhelmed by data from the two screens, there's a 'Pure' mode that pairs it back to just the essentials. Another nice touch lies with the fabric-covered central bin's wireless 'phone charger; there's a clever transparent wall facing the driver that hides the 'phone when it's not in use but illuminates it when you come to a stop, so you don't forget to take your handset with you when you leave the car; neat. That 'Pixel Box' is part of 35-litres of cabin storage space. Interior quality has taken a big step up, with lots of contrasting textures and finishes; and there's an unusually-styled steering wheel that's smarter and oblong in shape. You'd hope that compared to the first generation model, the extended 4,650mm body length would allow for extra second row legroom - and so it proves; there's 20mm more of it. The extra 31mm of body height aids headroom too. There's also more space out back, the 550-litre boot (impressively unaffected by the PHEV installation) being 36-litres larger than before. And Vauxhall has added in more flexible 40:20:40 seatback split and an extra bit of under-floor storage. When everything is flattened, there's up to 1,645-litres available.

Market and Model

Pricing for this Grandland Plug-in Hybrid model starts at around £36,500. That's for base 'Design' trim. You'll need a couple of thousand more for mid-level 'GS' spec; and just under £40,000 for top 'Ultimate' trim. The big news here is that these prices are identical to those you'd pay for the non-pluggable Grandland Hybrid 48V. For reference, the full-EV Grandland Electric would save you around £1,200 over this PHEV once you take the available government Electric car Grant into account. You'll get plenty of equipment for the sums being asked. As well as the two dashboard screens, there are all-round parking sensors, plus a rearview camera with a washing function and 360-degree views. Media connectivity includes wireless 'Apple CarPlay' and wired 'Android Auto' smartphone-mirroring. Top models get an upgrade from 19 to 20-inch wheels; and Intelli-Lux Matrix LED HD headlights with 51,200 elements. There's also a vast level of standard passive and active safety equipment, which includes an active cruise control system with a 'stop & go' function, plus intelligent speed adaption, traffic sign recognition and automatic autonomous braking. If you want to go further, you can fit Vauxhall's updated Intelli-Drive 2.0 system, which includes steering assist and a semi-autonomous lane change assist system. It'll also actively prompt you to change the set speed when a speed limit change is oncoming.

Cost of Ownership

We gave you the EV range figure in our driving section - up to 51 miles. That's significantly less than a rival Volkswagen Tiguan eHybrid, but then you're also paying a lot less too. Emitting just 55g/km of CO2, this Vauxhall's fuel consumption is WLTP-rated at up to 117.7mpg but as usual with a PHEV, what you'll actually get (if you keep the car fully charged) is closer to what you'd have got in a diesel version of the previous generation model.  Across the three trims, a 3.7kW single-phase on-board charger and a Mode 2 charging cable for domestic charging are included as standard, whilst a 7.4kW single-phase on-board charger and a Mode 3 charging cable are available as options at £500 each. Drivers can charge the Grandland Plug-in Hybrid at home using a standard 10A socket (2.3kW AC), achieving a 20-80% charge in 9 hours and 5 minutes. When connected to a 7.4kW AC charging station, charging times are reduced to 5 hours and 30 minutes with the 3.7 kW on-board charger, or 2 hours and 55 minutes with the 7.4 kW on-board charger. All versions of this model will be covered by the brand's usual unremarkable three year/60,000 mile warranty.

Summary

The Grandland line-up really needed a unique selling point and the unusual price parity between Hybrid and PHEV variants provides it. It's a pity that the Stellantis Plug-in Hybrid drivetrain isn't quite as long-ranging as some rivals. But with this plug-in combustion Grandland, you're still getting a family SUV that could be used much like an EV for most of its suburban life. But one with the flexibility to visit granny in the country without worrying where the nearest charging station might be. Vauxhall's been forced into this kind of aggressive value marketing by the Chinese invasion. And here, family buyers might reap the benefit.