Opel Grandland BEV, family SUV in search of true autonomy

Stellantis, and therefore Opel, didn't choose the easiest path to develop efficient electric cars: that of models identical to petrol ones. At the expense of autonomy? Find out with this Grandland test.

The current philosophy at Stellantis is to always offer each model with an electric motor. This wasn’t necessarily pertinent at the beginning, especially with the difficulty of integrating a battery and adapting the platform for electrification. But the teams at the car manufacturing group didn’t give up. Opel thus presents us with the Grandland BEV, a family SUV with a declared range of over 500km. To see for myself, I took the wheel of this big car with the 213hp (157kW) electric motor and its 73kWh usable battery. A lithium-ion NMC (nickel-manganese-cobalt) battery showing a WLTP range of 520km. Here's what it gives in real life...

Gone is the X

If you're wondering: yes, the Grandland is the new iteration of the Grandland X having lost its X. For the rest, it's indeed an Opel version of the Peugeot 3008. The two cousins are mechanically very close. But the German brand with the Blitz has added its little touches. The most playful is a fish, or rather fishes. Because in the game of sharks (in all Opel models designed since 2004, there is a shark or sharks hidden in the interior), I found them. There are those well hidden at the level of the storage bin between the front seats. And yet, there are even better hidden ones! But I'll talk to you about this soon, in the upcoming test of a hybrid variant of the Grandland...

Summing up this "German" SUV as cheeky sea predators would be reductive. Because this Grandland wants to play the premium card with its illuminated grille, without air intake. Inside, it presents some curves, a central 16-inch screen (GS finish) and bi-colour contrasts to liven up the whole interior under the panoramic sunroof (with the Comfort Plus pack). The design of the front seats, heated, brings a sporty touch with the headrest extending from the seatback. They are ergonomic and certified AGR (German back health association Aktion Gesunde Rücken). Behind the steering wheel (heated), the paddles are used to adjust regeneration during braking.

Round trip

The first few kilometres are typical of an electric car: silence, low centre of gravity, and good acceleration. Although Stellantis's philosophy isn't to go overboard every time you start. The throttle is gentle, but the response is energetic. During the first few days of short urban trips and return journeys between Brussels and Walloon Brabant in Belgium, I covered 320km before recharging with still 23% battery capacity remaining. Upon recharging, the charging power exceeded 120kW, reaching close to the 160kW maximum. During the time it takes to enjoy a good cup of coffee, a chocolate éclair and read a newspaper, it was back to 78% before returning home. From these runs, I took away a certain sense of serenity on the road. Thanks to the specific selective frequency damping for the electric variant with an additional valve.

Off we go for a family Sunday 110km drive away from home, with 75%. Previously, this type of electric journey meant having to leave the table to plug in or take a charging break on the way back. That's over – or at least it's increasingly rare, even with this Opel Grandland. The total 220km of motorways ended with an 18% battery. Therefore, by the rule of three, with spring temperatures at 120km/h, it's possible to comfortably cover over 300km with a battery charged to at least 90%. On 20-inch wheels, but with the heat pump! If I had a home charger, all this energy could be replenished in a little more than 7 hours at 11kW. I had to go back to the fast charger the next day. And it's always over 100kW under mild temperatures.

Family Car

The Opel Grandland is a well-sized car. It measures 4.65m long, 1.93m wide (2.10m with mirrors) and 1.67m high. Yet, it's only a 5-seater, no third-row seating option. Again, as is too often the case, the centre rear seat is reserved for the smallest member of the family. Or the central armrest. Very well! But for the 4 comfortably seated occupants, they are indeed, well seated. There are a few storage pockets and a refrigerated central console. All this offers a rather generous total volume of 36 litres. As range is sufficient, excursions can be attempted. The boot has a volume of 550 litres under the luggage cover. Under the high-position floor, there's ample space to store the cable, triangle, tyre repair kit, and some small items. The rear bench folds in 3 parts, but you must go through the cabin. No pull-button accessible from the boot to reach the maximum volume of 1650 litres!

Real Buttons

Let's revisit the Premium ambition of our Grandland. Without being of great luxury, the Opel has good ideas to make life easier. Notably, there's the translucent cover above the smartphone's induction charging area. This allows you to check the charge (even if a small logo is also on the screen). Intelligent ergonomics are also found when it comes to playing with the adaptive cruise control. However, it's a pity that some information is only available on the central screen or the head-up display. On the other hand, there's a "Pure" mode for night driving, reducing the display on the cluster to better let the pupils open, which translate into a night ride made easier by Opel's very good lighting. Near the lever to operate the gearbox, a button allows you to surf between the Normal driving mode used during the motorway journey, the Eco mode calming the SUV's few hints of fervour and the Sport mode depleting the battery more quickly by offering 213hp permanently.

The horizontal screen in the middle of the console also has an area accessible to the passenger so they can handle the DJing or make a few adjustments. Except that it doesn’t work with Android Auto or Apple Car Play pairing. On that note, the volume can be adjusted on the steering wheel but also with an old-fashioned dial. So much more practical than a touch button. The same goes for the climate control split between buttons and a menu on the screen. There are also three buttons at the bottom of the screen to access basic menus. Well thought out. And, oh sublime surprise, the left USB-C connection is capable of reading music on a high-capacity USB stick. Which isn't something all Stellantis cars can do.

The Budget

Designed for families seeking comfort, the electric Opel Grandland is priced from €46,650 in Belgium. Our GS branded model with the heat pump, Comfort Plus pack and Techno pack with the head-up display, heated windscreen and the great range of driving aids, amounts to €52,740. In France, a similar specification model is offered at €51,340. In Switzerland, you should budget CHF 55,900.

(MH with Olivier Duquesne – Source: Opel – Pictures: © Olivier Duquesne)