09-07-2025
New Opel Grandland arrives in SA: pricing and specs
The new Opel Grandland has touched down in Mzansi. Built on the Stellantis STLA platform, this striking mid-size family crossover is 173mm longer, 64mm wider and 19mm taller than the model it replaces.
We think it's also better looking, adopting the carmaker's latest two-tone floating roof design, protective contrast side cladding and 3D 'Vizor' front grille fitted with an illuminated Opel Blitz logo in the centre. The latter is flanked by ultra-bright 'Intelli-Lux Pixel HD' headlamp clusters featuring more than 50,000 individual elements offering new welcome/goodbye animations with other graphical projections in front of the vehicle.
The Grandland's silhouette is characterised by 19" alloy wheels shod with 225/55 tyres, while its rear quarters stand out with distinctive tail lamps featuring Opel's new 'compass lighting' signatures. There's also an illuminated 'Opel' wordmark in the centre of the tailgate and full-width horizontal light bar that illuminates when the driver applies the brakes.
Inside, the redesigned cabin adopts a minimalist theme with fewer buttons and switches than the outgoing model. Fortunately though, Opel still has dedicated physical switchgear for controlling things such as the HVAC system. Tech levels are high and include a heated multifunction steering wheel, 10" digital instrument cluster, an electronic head-up display and a huge 16" touchscreen infotainment system canted towards the driver.
Image: Supplied
Customers can also look forward to a generous cache of standard niceties including leather upholstery, heated/ventilated/massaging front seats, heated rear seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, advanced cruise control with speed limiter, folding heated side mirrors, four USB ports, three 12V power outlets, rain-sensing wipers, wireless charging, a powered tailgate, interior ambient lighting, front/rear parking sensors and 360° camera.
Driver assistance systems include traffic sign recognition, ultrasonic side blind spot alert, hill start assist, ABS brakes with EBD, ESP and a full complement of airbags. Opel's Intelli-Drive 2.0 system offers semi-automatic lane-change assist and recommended speed adaptation.
The Grandland offers a load volume of up to 1,641l.
Image: Supplied
From launch the new Opel Grandland is offered solely in flagship GS Line specification and comes powered by a 1.6 l four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine making 134kW and 240Nm of torque. This is sent to the front wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission.
First drive impressions reveal a notable upgrade in driving refinement and easier and lighter inputs from the four-sided steering wheel. The ambience is jacked up by new material choices and better ergonomics while the engine feels punchy under urban conditions, though audible with a droning effect as it picks up speed. The transmission upshifts are smooth and intuitive, while bump absorption didn't feel top-tier, just average. The upgrade from old is evident.
