Should you buy a Vauxhall Crossland X?

Not really, unless it’s at a big discount – and that’s saying something as it’s cheap already. This Vauxhall scores well in terms of standard equipment for the money and outright practicality, yet it’s not sold as well as the Mokka X or the newer Grandland X, and there’s clearly good reason for this to be the case. That’s not to say it’s not without merit – but with so many talented rivals, such as the Ford Puma and second-generation Renault Captur – it’s hard to recommend this oh-so average-feeling car.

If you’re looking to buy one, we recommend going used for financial reasons. And in terms of the model to go for, we’d say the Crossland X is best with a petrol engine. It’s only company car drivers (which accounts for around 35% of sales) that will be interested in the diesels for tax reasons (and it is very good on that score), but even these are drying up in the current climate.

The best version to drive is the 1.2 130hp Turbo petrol engine with its six-speed manual gearbox, but this is only available on higher-spec trims, so we’d settle for the slightly less punchy 1.2 110hp in SE Nav specification – we don’t believe you need any other kit, unless you’re interested in personalising your new car further than normal. For those who do big motorway miles and value high fuel economy, the 1.5-litre diesel engine is one of the most economical on the market.

‘The Crossland X is practical, cheap-to-run and well-equipped. However, when rivals are so talented and numerous, the Crossland X ultimately fails to stand out.’

– James Dennison

Buyers may also want to consider the sheer breadth of Vauxhall’s dealer in the UK. With only a few exceptions, you shouldn’t have to travel far to find new and used Crossland X examples. This means you can afford to be picky about what car you buy and who you buy from, so don’t feel rushed into parting with your money – there will be plenty of examples for sale at any given time.

Meanwhile, servicing costs should be relatively cheap and parts are plentiful given the Crossland X shares components with a number of cars across the PSA range, including the previous-generation Peugeot 2008 it’s based upon.

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Further reading

• The Parkers guide to SUVs
• Should you buy a Mokka X instead? Here’s the review
• What are the best small SUVs? FInd out here

>> Our Parkers star ratings explained