Overview

Although late to the party, the Vauxhall Grandland Electric finally brings the option of a fully electric family SUV to the brand’s range. Like the Grandland Hybrid and upcoming plug-in hybrid, it’s grown in all dimensions to give greater room for passengers and luggage, whilst also offering a more up-to-date look and the latest tech.

Under the skin, it’s all-new, sharing its underpinnings with the Peugeot E-3008. The new motors and batteries deliver more range and power than any previous model from the group, a good thing as the Corsa, Astra and Mokka’s are on the small side. A 73kWh battery and 213hp motor driving the front wheels kicks off the range, with longer range and four-wheel drive versions on the way.

To help inject character, Vauxhall has given the Grandland illuminated badges front and rear on popular GS trim and above. Flanking those upfront are the latest version of its Intelli-Lux headlights – the latest Matrix LED HDs have 51,200 elements between them, and are said to be the firm’s best. We’ve not tried them in the dark yet, but they do put on a decent light show when you lock and unlock it.

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Is that enough to put it ahead of impressive rivals such as the Skoda Enyaq, Renault Scenic E-Tech, Tesla Model Y or Ford Explorer? Read on to find out, and to see how we reached our verdict, following a drive on the international launch in Germany and the UK launch in East Anglia, be sure to head over to the Parkers how we test cars page.

What’s it like inside?

It’s a stylish interior, topped off by a new 16.0-inch infotainment touchscreen. It is thin, wide and mounted high up on the dashboard to help minimise driver distraction – and it’s been teamed with a new digital gauge cluster and head-up display. Older drivers – like me – could find the onscreen display a little small and cluttered compared with a Scenic, Tesla Model Y or Enyaq, even if the system undeniably looks good.

Thankfully, Vauxhall hasn’t fallen into the trap of shifting all the Grandland’s switchgear onto the touchscreen. Like the Astra, it retains a row of physical climate controls on the centre console. Plus, if you find all the data from the two screens rather overwhelming, Vauxhall has added a ‘Pure’ mode that pares back the info to just the essentials.

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The new Grandland is 173mm longer than before, which has helped to liberate an extra 20mm of legroom for those in the back. It’s also 19mm taller and 64mm wider, improving head and shoulder room. In practice, front space is generous with lots of adjustment to enable most shapes and sizes to get comfortable. Supportive seats help you stay that way.

There’s room for a six-foot three-inch person to sit behind someone an identical height with a few inches of room for their knees, and similar amounts of headroom. A bit more space under the front seats for feet would be welcome, and we suspect a Skoda Enyaq or Renault Scenic would offer more lounging room.

Vauxhall has also given the Grandland more storage space. Its seats-up boot capacity has grown from 514 litres to 550 litres (ahead of the e-3008) – and there are more than 35 litres of storage bins dotted around the car’s cabin, including smartphone pockets in the front seat backrests, a massive centre console and Vauxhall’s brand-new Pixel Box, a storage bin that’s been specially designed to hold a smartphone. It has a built-in wireless charger and a smoked glass lid so you can see your phone is there, but not be distracted by notifications.

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It’s also worth mentioning that, while the Grandland’s seats-up boot capacity has increased, its maximum boot capacity has fallen ever so slightly from 1652 to 1641 litres. Once again, the Enyaq is ahead here.

Electric motors and charging

The Grandland Electric is offered in a single flavour from launch, but more variety will follow. For now, it gets a 213hp motor and a decent 73kWh battery pack that offers a WLTP tested driving range of 325 miles – call that 260-280 in day-to-day driving. Performance claims are so-so, with a claimed 9.0 seconds for the 0-62mph time. That time should give you a clue to the Grandland’s overall heft.

On the road, it can feel disappointingly sluggish compared to the majority of electric SUV rivals. It’s slow off the mark, and lacking in any meaningful overtaking punch on A-roads. It’ll probably feel fine if you’re stepping from a typical petrol SUV or are happy to go with the flow of traffic, though.

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A Long-Range version with a 97kWh battery and an estimated range of up to 435 miles joins the range next year, which should hopefully dispel any lingering range anxiety fears that drivers may still have. A dual motor all-wheel drive version is also on the cards. Charging speeds are okay, if not groundbreaking, at 160kW but that’s fast enough a 20-80% recharge in around 26 minutes. Enough time to grab a coffee and be on your way at the motorway services.

What’s it like to drive?

To make sure the Grandland Electric doesn’t feel like a 2.1 tonne barge in the bends, Vauxhall has fitted suspension that’s relatively firm. It works to an extent, with a secure feel thanks to good body control and vice-free handling. The steering is precise and has reassuring weight, if little in the way of connection to the front tyres. Factor in noticeable body roll and you’ve got something that can cover ground reasonably quickly, but won’t ever encourage you to do so.

The downside to the planted feel is a ride that can be described as busy. It always feels like the suspension is struggling to smooth out surface imperfections, and bigger potholes and lumps cause it to thud noisily on scruffy UK roads. It is better than the related E-3008, and plenty of other electric SUVs behave in a similar manner, but the Scenic is still a comfier choice.

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There’s a commanding SUV-style driving position with a decent view forward, which makes it easy to place on the road. On the motorway, it’s very refined with low levels of wind noise, and an overall sense calm, that’s helped by the firm but very supportive seats. This is clearly a car designed for covering long distances.

What models and trims are available?

There are three models to choose from – Design, GS and Ultimate. Going for the entry-level Design means you get a skinny 10.0-inch touchscreen, which at least comes with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The good news is that they all come with adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist and traffic sign recognition.

GS trim adds the 3D Vizor with illuminated Griffin and Intelli-Lux HD headlamps. You also get larger 19-inch alloy wheels, as well as a gloss black finish for the roof, rear spoiler and front and rear bumpers. The infotainment screen grows to 16.0 inches, and satnav, that Pixel Box and ambient interior lighting join the fray. Despite this, it still remains under £40,000.

Finally, the Ultimate adds niceties, such as panoramic glass roof, a heated windscreen, a powered hands-free tailgate, and a head-up display. You also get rear cross traffic alert, lane change assist and a 360-degree surround view parking camera.

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What else should I know?

What of that ‘parity’ pricing between EV and hybrid models? Vauxhall hopes that its simplified ownership proposition will appeal, with clear pricing plans across the range, and potentially cheaper EV running costs if you are able to take up its offer of a free charger with the car. 

For this, Vauxhall should be lauded, even if the PCP deal is offered over a lengthy five years, against the hybrid’s four. Given that the upcoming Frontera is the same cash price in EV and ICE forms, the Grandland Electric’s pricing isn’t quite as appealing. That said, a hefty price cut taking all but Ultimate trim below £40,000 means the jump from Hybrid to Electric isn’t huge.

The Vauxhall Grandland Electric’s pricing is eyecatching, but is that enough to help it overcome some very talented rivals? Read on to see how we rate it in our verdict.