• Bigger boot than old Grandland
• 35 litres of storage space in the interior
• Dedicated phone storage

How much space is there?

Interior space is a crucial factor in the family SUV class, and the Vauxhall Grandland scores valianty even if it doesn’t dominate the field. Because the new Grandland is 173mm longer than the old model, it’s roomier on the inside. Vauxhall says it has liberated an extra 20mm of legroom for those in the back, and having lined-up a six footer in the rear behind a similarly-sized front-seat passenger at the international launch, we can confirm it’s roomier.

These gains come about not only because of the increase in length, but because the new SUV is also 19mm taller and 64mm wider than before, so head and shoulder room is noticeably improved. The Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson are even more spacious, though.

Boot space and storage

With the rear seats in place the Grandland gets a serviceable 550 litres of boot space, up a from 514 litres in the previous model. This is also 30 litres more than the Peugeot 3008 can manage but falls short of the class leading boots offered by the Kia Sportage (591 litres) and simply huge Hyundai Tucson and its 620 litres of boot space.

The boot is a good usable shape and features a shallow loading lip, even with the adjustable boot set as low as possible. The downside is the boot opening is higher than we’d like, which can make loading heavier items a faff. Two baggage hooks and an elasticated strap will help secure items in place without any rattling.

23

Every Grandland includes 40/20/40 split folding rear seats which adds extra versatility. With the rear seats all folded down the Grandland gets 1641 litres of storage, a small decrease from the old Grandland but still a good size for the occasional flat pack furniture run.

Vauxhall state there are 35 litres worth of cubby storage in the cabin, all of which will prove useful additions in day-to-day life. The centre console alone offers two adjustable cupholders, a centrally mounted storage bin and a small integrated shelf that’s the perfect size for a notebook.

23

The standout interior storage is equipped on GS and Ultimate models and is called the Pixel Box. It’s designed specifically for smartphones and includes a wireless charger, USB-C ports and a smoked screen to check if your phone is on charge without being distracted by any notifications while driving. In practice, it was a nice touch but would lead our tester to forget his phone when he got out after a drive.

Is it easy to park?

While the exterior dimensions have grown, the Grandland is still easy to place on the road with slab-sides and good visibility out the front. Rear visibility is hampered by a narrow rear window and the door mirrors are a tad too small for our liking.

All Grandlands get a reversing camera and front and rear parking sensors as standard, while Ultimate spec cars get a 360 degree camera system to help with parking. It’s a nice-enough system, but the camera quality isn’t the sharpest.

Safety

Euro NCAP is yet to test the Vauxhall Grandland or the Peugeot 3008 of which it shares a platform, but the new Grandland will have big shoes to fill – the previous Vauxhall Grandland received a five star rating when Euro NCAP tested it back in 2017.

There is plenty of technology on hand to keep you safe behind the wheel. All Grandlands get automatic emergency braking, lane assist and adaptive cruise control.

GS and Ultimate models get Vauxhall’s Intelli-Lux Matrix LED lights. The pair of lamps feature 51,200 LED elements between them, which the brand says can better cut vehicles out of their beam pattern to avoid dazzling oncoming road users.