One of the benefits of the merger of Opel and the PSA Citroën Peugeot group has been the arrival of the new Opel Grandland X, an SUV that’s rated in the higher-end of the small family car market. This relatively new and bigger SUV to the Opel range shares some of the under platform design features of the Peugeot 3008 SUV, while the styling and feel of the car has still very much an Opel touch.
The dash design of the Opel Grandland X is modern and clean to look at and use, with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatible IntelliLink systems included as standard.
The cabin layout is very Opel – clean, practical and easy to use. The seating layout is good, with easy adjustment, high driving position and overall good comfort levels.
Opel offers two turbo-diesel engine versions of the Grandland X, the new entry level 1.5l model which replaces the older 1.6l version, and the top of the range 2.0l option. Both are claimed to be thrifty in terms of fuel economy, while the options are more luxurious as you go up the four specification levels.
For the road test Opel asked the Irish Farmers Journal to experience the Grandland X with almost all of its features and so we had the Ultimate version with its 2.0l turbo-diesel engine, on the road. The entry price differences between the Ultimate version and the basic SC versions of the Grandland X are significant and so too is the specification offer.
This is the top-performing engine in the Opel Grandland X range, with its 2.0 litre turbo-diesel power delivering 177bhp and 400Nm of torque to put it top of the class in the performance sense.
This car had virtually everything that Opel could offer on the Grandland X other than the optional electronic IntelliGrip traction control system. This works a little like a four-wheel drive system in difficult driving conditions. This Ultimate version comes as standard with an eight-speed automatic transmission that’s smooth on the move and claimed to be economical.
The driving experience
Out on the road, the Grandland X is very comfortable and confident to drive with a solid road holding feel. This powerful 177bhp engine has plenty of torque to make the gear changes in the automatic transmission feel almost seamless. The acceleration pace is faster than some of the competition. This includes the Peugeot 3008, which is also available with a slightly lower power 2.0l turbo-diesel engine.
There is a solid feel to the Opel Grandland X doors, while there are some manufacturing issues that I might challenge in terms of build quality.
There are now plenty of SUVs in this size category, including Ireland’s best-seller, the Nissan Qashqai, the Hyundai Tucson, as well as Renault’s Koleos, Skoda’s Kodiaq, Toyota’s RAV4, and Volkswagen’s Tiguan to name the obvious ones. The Grandland X has to offer something special to stand out from these competitors. The features that impressed me included performance, driving comfort and styling.
Economy
While Opel claims a fuel economy rating of 20km/litre, my driving performance over a 1,028km mixed driving test run, was more than 30% off that figure. There was some comfort in the fact that the car achieved a driving range of over 860km from the modest 53-litre capacity fuel tank.
Despite its impressive engine performance, the Grandland X comes with a CO2 rating of 128g/km. That gives an annual road tax cost of just €270, which along with the relatively good economy should mean modest running costs.
For rural drivers, towing rating is important and the Grandland X comes with a 2t rating. That’s better than most of the competition and matched by Renault’s Koleos and Volkswagen’s Tiguan, both with a similar engine size.
The Ultimate versions of the Opel Grandland X come on 19in alloy wheels while the entry models are on more modest 17in alloys that will make the car seem lower and smaller.
The overall size and wheelbase of the Grandland X is a match for the Peugeot 3008. The Peugeot offering has slightly more boot space, and comes with a spare wheel. Opel leaves the spare wheel on the options list
This Opel SUV comes with a recent 2017 Euro NCAP five-star safety rating and it has plenty of built-in safety features included. These include the camera-based lane departure warning, forward collision alert, road sign recognition, hill start assist, emergency braking, radio with Bluetooth hands-free phone capability and automatic cruise control with speed limiter. There’s a good reversing camera system that makes parking so much easier.
Technology
Opel Grandland X drivers and passengers get new levels of connectivity with the latest generation of Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatible IntelliLink systems that are easy to set up and use. Other than the basic model, the rest of the cars also come with Opel OnStar which is a personal connectivity and service assistant and includes a Wi-Fi hotspot system.
The system allows you to remotely lock or unlock your car using a smart phone and can be used to locate your car in a larger car parking area. It now includes new services such as booking hotel rooms and searching for parking, anywhere in Europe.
Cost
Entry prices for the diesel versions of the Opel Grandland X range start at €29,995 or £24,805 in Northern Ireland, which is reasonably competitive.
The top-specification versions start from €41,595 (£34,280 in Northern Ireland) so there is a big price jump to this level irrespective of where you are shopping for the car. There is a similar price jump in the Peugeot 3008 range, so make that climb along the specification ladder with an element of caution.
Looks can be very subjective and I’m impressed with the overall design and feel of the Grandland X. Comfort, performance and price are different, they are more measurable and here the Grandland X scores well.
This is a car well worth shortlisting if you’re planning a 2019 car change. You can check what’s available from your local dealer on Opel’s useful website www.opel-stock.ie at any time.
Opel Grandland X Ultimate 2.0 TD – specifications
Engine 2.0 litre
Engine power 177hp
0 – 100km/hr 9.5 seconds
Economy 20km/litre (4.9/100km or 57mpg)
Fuel Tank Capacity 53 litres
CO2 emissions 128g/km
Road Tax Band B1 €270
Main Service 30,000km/12 months
Euro NCAP Rating 5 star (2017)
Towing rating 2000kgs
Warranty 3 years (100,000km)
Entry Price €29,995
N Ireland Price £24,805
FUSO unveils all-electric eCanter truck
The FUSO group, part of Mitsubishi has unveiled the world’s first all-electric light truck in Ireland, called the FUSO eCanter. The eCanter is the first full electric truck for the Irish market.
The chassis cab truck has a payload on the 7.5t eCanter of 4.3t which is class-leading, especially as a zero-emission vehicle with an electric range of 100km, according to Gerard Rice, managing director of FUSO Ireland. FUSO Ireland has a network of dealers in the Republic and Northern Ireland with a range of Canter 3.5T to 8.55T trucks, including the Canter EcoHybrid.
The new BMW X7
BMW has announced its new flagship SUV model in the shape of the new X7, for the Irish market. The X7 will be available in Ireland from April 2019 with the option of a six-cylinder petrol engine and two six-cylinder diesels.
The new X7 will be the largest model in the BMW X range and will come with three rows of seats, with claims that the third row has two full-size seats for adults.
The rear doors are longer than the front doors making it even easier to get in and out. Entry prices will be steep starting at €114,750.
Mid-term makeover for Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Mercedes-Benz has given the popular C-Class a comprehensive mid-term makeover that has seen improvements made in all departments, according to the German brand, with starting prices now from €37,710.
The car features a host of external design changes that give it a distinctly more sporty appearance. Also new is its electronic architecture, latest generation engines and an interior style boost reflected in even more luxurious upholstery and trim, an extensive multimedia and infotainment layout, and the latest online and ‘Mercedes-me’ app services.
German government diesel offer gives choice
The German government has agreed a deal with German car companies to cut diesel pollution in cities while avoiding unpopular driving bans. It is reported that German carmakers will offer attractive trade-in incentives or discounts for owners of Euro 4 and Euro 5 standard diesel vehicles to change to cleaner diesel cars.
There will be the option to retrofit with a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system which the German government expects the carmakers to pay for. The German government will provide an 80% grant towards the SCR retrofit to commercial vans. Volkswagen in Germany has agreed to cover €2,400 of the estimated €3,000 cost of hardware retrofits on its diesel cars.
Citroën launches new service website
Citroën Ireland has launched a new service website, www.citroenservice.ie to enable customers to book their service online with their local authorized Citroën dealership and receive a precise quote in advance of their service. The new website aims to provide Citroën owners with a convenient and fast way to book in their vehicle’s service.
One of the benefits of the merger of Opel and the PSA Citroën Peugeot group has been the arrival of the new Opel Grandland X, an SUV that’s rated in the higher-end of the small family car market. This relatively new and bigger SUV to the Opel range shares some of the under platform design features of the Peugeot 3008 SUV, while the styling and feel of the car has still very much an Opel touch.
The dash design of the Opel Grandland X is modern and clean to look at and use, with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatible IntelliLink systems included as standard.
The cabin layout is very Opel – clean, practical and easy to use. The seating layout is good, with easy adjustment, high driving position and overall good comfort levels.
Opel offers two turbo-diesel engine versions of the Grandland X, the new entry level 1.5l model which replaces the older 1.6l version, and the top of the range 2.0l option. Both are claimed to be thrifty in terms of fuel economy, while the options are more luxurious as you go up the four specification levels.
For the road test Opel asked the Irish Farmers Journal to experience the Grandland X with almost all of its features and so we had the Ultimate version with its 2.0l turbo-diesel engine, on the road. The entry price differences between the Ultimate version and the basic SC versions of the Grandland X are significant and so too is the specification offer.
This is the top-performing engine in the Opel Grandland X range, with its 2.0 litre turbo-diesel power delivering 177bhp and 400Nm of torque to put it top of the class in the performance sense.
This car had virtually everything that Opel could offer on the Grandland X other than the optional electronic IntelliGrip traction control system. This works a little like a four-wheel drive system in difficult driving conditions. This Ultimate version comes as standard with an eight-speed automatic transmission that’s smooth on the move and claimed to be economical.
The driving experience
Out on the road, the Grandland X is very comfortable and confident to drive with a solid road holding feel. This powerful 177bhp engine has plenty of torque to make the gear changes in the automatic transmission feel almost seamless. The acceleration pace is faster than some of the competition. This includes the Peugeot 3008, which is also available with a slightly lower power 2.0l turbo-diesel engine.
There is a solid feel to the Opel Grandland X doors, while there are some manufacturing issues that I might challenge in terms of build quality.
There are now plenty of SUVs in this size category, including Ireland’s best-seller, the Nissan Qashqai, the Hyundai Tucson, as well as Renault’s Koleos, Skoda’s Kodiaq, Toyota’s RAV4, and Volkswagen’s Tiguan to name the obvious ones. The Grandland X has to offer something special to stand out from these competitors. The features that impressed me included performance, driving comfort and styling.
Economy
While Opel claims a fuel economy rating of 20km/litre, my driving performance over a 1,028km mixed driving test run, was more than 30% off that figure. There was some comfort in the fact that the car achieved a driving range of over 860km from the modest 53-litre capacity fuel tank.
Despite its impressive engine performance, the Grandland X comes with a CO2 rating of 128g/km. That gives an annual road tax cost of just €270, which along with the relatively good economy should mean modest running costs.
For rural drivers, towing rating is important and the Grandland X comes with a 2t rating. That’s better than most of the competition and matched by Renault’s Koleos and Volkswagen’s Tiguan, both with a similar engine size.
The Ultimate versions of the Opel Grandland X come on 19in alloy wheels while the entry models are on more modest 17in alloys that will make the car seem lower and smaller.
The overall size and wheelbase of the Grandland X is a match for the Peugeot 3008. The Peugeot offering has slightly more boot space, and comes with a spare wheel. Opel leaves the spare wheel on the options list
This Opel SUV comes with a recent 2017 Euro NCAP five-star safety rating and it has plenty of built-in safety features included. These include the camera-based lane departure warning, forward collision alert, road sign recognition, hill start assist, emergency braking, radio with Bluetooth hands-free phone capability and automatic cruise control with speed limiter. There’s a good reversing camera system that makes parking so much easier.
Technology
Opel Grandland X drivers and passengers get new levels of connectivity with the latest generation of Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatible IntelliLink systems that are easy to set up and use. Other than the basic model, the rest of the cars also come with Opel OnStar which is a personal connectivity and service assistant and includes a Wi-Fi hotspot system.
The system allows you to remotely lock or unlock your car using a smart phone and can be used to locate your car in a larger car parking area. It now includes new services such as booking hotel rooms and searching for parking, anywhere in Europe.
Cost
Entry prices for the diesel versions of the Opel Grandland X range start at €29,995 or £24,805 in Northern Ireland, which is reasonably competitive.
The top-specification versions start from €41,595 (£34,280 in Northern Ireland) so there is a big price jump to this level irrespective of where you are shopping for the car. There is a similar price jump in the Peugeot 3008 range, so make that climb along the specification ladder with an element of caution.
Looks can be very subjective and I’m impressed with the overall design and feel of the Grandland X. Comfort, performance and price are different, they are more measurable and here the Grandland X scores well.
This is a car well worth shortlisting if you’re planning a 2019 car change. You can check what’s available from your local dealer on Opel’s useful website www.opel-stock.ie at any time.
Opel Grandland X Ultimate 2.0 TD – specifications
Engine 2.0 litre
Engine power 177hp
0 – 100km/hr 9.5 seconds
Economy 20km/litre (4.9/100km or 57mpg)
Fuel Tank Capacity 53 litres
CO2 emissions 128g/km
Road Tax Band B1 €270
Main Service 30,000km/12 months
Euro NCAP Rating 5 star (2017)
Towing rating 2000kgs
Warranty 3 years (100,000km)
Entry Price €29,995
N Ireland Price £24,805
FUSO unveils all-electric eCanter truck
The FUSO group, part of Mitsubishi has unveiled the world’s first all-electric light truck in Ireland, called the FUSO eCanter. The eCanter is the first full electric truck for the Irish market.
The chassis cab truck has a payload on the 7.5t eCanter of 4.3t which is class-leading, especially as a zero-emission vehicle with an electric range of 100km, according to Gerard Rice, managing director of FUSO Ireland. FUSO Ireland has a network of dealers in the Republic and Northern Ireland with a range of Canter 3.5T to 8.55T trucks, including the Canter EcoHybrid.
The new BMW X7
BMW has announced its new flagship SUV model in the shape of the new X7, for the Irish market. The X7 will be available in Ireland from April 2019 with the option of a six-cylinder petrol engine and two six-cylinder diesels.
The new X7 will be the largest model in the BMW X range and will come with three rows of seats, with claims that the third row has two full-size seats for adults.
The rear doors are longer than the front doors making it even easier to get in and out. Entry prices will be steep starting at €114,750.
Mid-term makeover for Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Mercedes-Benz has given the popular C-Class a comprehensive mid-term makeover that has seen improvements made in all departments, according to the German brand, with starting prices now from €37,710.
The car features a host of external design changes that give it a distinctly more sporty appearance. Also new is its electronic architecture, latest generation engines and an interior style boost reflected in even more luxurious upholstery and trim, an extensive multimedia and infotainment layout, and the latest online and ‘Mercedes-me’ app services.
German government diesel offer gives choice
The German government has agreed a deal with German car companies to cut diesel pollution in cities while avoiding unpopular driving bans. It is reported that German carmakers will offer attractive trade-in incentives or discounts for owners of Euro 4 and Euro 5 standard diesel vehicles to change to cleaner diesel cars.
There will be the option to retrofit with a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system which the German government expects the carmakers to pay for. The German government will provide an 80% grant towards the SCR retrofit to commercial vans. Volkswagen in Germany has agreed to cover €2,400 of the estimated €3,000 cost of hardware retrofits on its diesel cars.
Citroën launches new service website
Citroën Ireland has launched a new service website, www.citroenservice.ie to enable customers to book their service online with their local authorized Citroën dealership and receive a precise quote in advance of their service. The new website aims to provide Citroën owners with a convenient and fast way to book in their vehicle’s service.
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