Vauxhall Grandland X Hybrid 4 review

The Grandland X Hybrid4 enters an increasingly packed segment

Think fast, powerful Vauxhalls and what comes to mind?

VXR and GSI badges? Maybe the legendary Lotus Carlton? What about the V8 Monaro of the early 2000s? How about a mid-sized SUV with a 1.6-litre engine?

Nope? Well believe it or not when it comes to fast and powerful, the new Grandland X Hybrid4 is the top of the Vauxhall tree at the moment.

Equipped with a petrol engine and two electric motors, this plug-in Grandland packs an impressive 300bhp and will crack 60mph in just 5.9 seconds. But Vauxhall also says it’s a sensible wallet-friendly option for the company car customer.

The Grandland X isn't likely to win any design awards

Rivals

As car makers scramble to meet the latest demands on fleet emissions while feeding the public’s insatiable appetite for C-segment SUVs, the Grandland is diving into a segment once owned by the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV but that is now becoming increasingly busy.

Vauxhall’s PSA group partners Peugeot and DS have the 3008 PHEV and DS7 Crossback e-Tense (based on the same platform as the Grandland), Ford’s new Kuga comes with a PHEV option and Kia is lining up a plug-in hybrid Sportage. Plus premium brands like Volvo, BMW, Audi and Mercedes already have or are introducing PHEV variants of their SUVs.

Vauxhall claims that even among all these rivals, the Grandland will cost you less to run thanks to its hybrid system which, according to official testing, emits just 34g/km and returns 204mpg while being capable of 35 miles under pure electric propulsion. Combined, those figures make for best-in-class benefit in kind rates and potential savings of thousands of pounds over a four-year contract.