Opel New Zealand prides itself on its clean cars. Remember, this is the brand that promotes itself as a “detox” with the likes of the Mokka-e and Corsa-e.
The Grandland SUV, which joined the range earlier this year, was launched in internal combustion engine (ICE) form only; it was a very thrifty machine, with a tiny 1.2-litre engine (5.4l/100km), but it was still odd that there was no electrified option.
That’s changed now with the arrival of the Grandland SRi Hybrid – a modest model name when it’s actually a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV). The petrol engine is substantially larger than the Grandland ICE to start with, then you add in the extra electric motor; all of that helps to explain the $26k jump from ICE to PHEV, despite the two coming in virtually identical SRi specification.
In fact that gap is a lot smaller until the end of November, with Opel offering an $8k “factory bonus” on top of the existing $4025 Clean Car Discount, meaning a real-world price of $65,965. Still a lot more than the SRi ICE, but a lot easier to swallow given the 69kW power boost and 67km claimed 3P-WLTP EV range offered by the Hybrid.
We’ve been here before, of course. The powertrain is pretty much the same as the Citroen C5 PHEV we reviewed at the start of the year, although the car itself is quite a bit smaller and has much sportier aspirations.
It looks pretty sharp in the panda-spec colour scheme of our test car, but worth noting that Grandland is still the oldest SUV in Opel NZ’s lineup, dating back to 2017 and due for replacement next year. A facelift version in 2021 brought the latest Visor frontal styling and twin-digital-screen dashboard layout. We covered the basic package in detail back in July; click here if you want a refresher on the essentials of the Grandland SRi package.
The hybrid powertrain certainly brings an extra element of modernity to the Grandland. The official claim of 67km seems a bit optimistic to us after more than a week of commuting and daily charges, but a real world 50-55km is still pretty useful.
It’s smooth enough in city running, as long as you’re smooth with the throttle. But it can be a bit abrupt if you’re aggressive with the go-pedal, including that transition to petrol-electric power if you want more power (or the battery is depleted).
This is still one of the more modestly powered Opel PHEV iterations available from Europe; the new Astra GSe offers way more grunt in the same FWD format and there’s an AWD version with an extra electric motor overseas, which we don’t get here. Although something very similar is offered by sister brand Peugeot in the 3008 Hybrid4.
So don’t expect a traffic-light sprinter even in Sport mode. It perks up quite a bit, but the gearbox is still quite lethargic: with 0-100km/h in 8.7sec it’s only slightly quicker than the much larger Citroen. Both are pretty portly: the Grandland Hybrid is a whopping 346kg heavier than the ICE.
Where the C5 is built for comfort, the Grandland Hybrid can handle quite a lot more speed in the corners. Prospective buyers might be somewhat surprised at the firmness of the suspension around town, but it certainly hangs on around fast open-road corners. You can really really keep the momentum up.
It’s one of the sportier medium SUVs around, but even though the Hybrid is 1.6sec faster to 100km/h, there’s some opportunity cost compared to the standard ICE. We’ve flagged the firm ride in the past, but the Hybrid is even stiffer than the ICE – presumably due to the need to control all that extra bulk. And while it’s really solid in the corners, it lacks the more nimble responses of the 1386kg ICE version.
Age does count against the Grandland SRi a little in terms of design, but it has a few standout features. Fancy lights are an Opel thing and both SRis get very impressive IntelliLux adaptive LED pixel headlights, for example.
Or consider the standard AGR-approved (it’s a German back-health authority) sports front seats, which initially feel like stone but are actually brilliantly supportive and comfortable once you’ve spent some time in them.
There is one big practical downside to the Hybrid and that’s smaller bootspace. The Grandland is on the compact side for a medium SUV anyway (less than 4.5m long, much shorter than a Mazda CX-5), but the packaging needs of the PHEV hardware mean the Hybrid loses 124l in cargo space.
That may not be a deal-breaker for potential buyers given occupant and luggage space is not necessarily a Grandland USP (take a look at the Citroen if that’s your thing). If PHEV tech suits, the Grandland Hybrid is certainly worth a close look at this price. Especially if you like your eco-SUV to be a bit sprightly around the corners.
If it appeals, get in now. In the face of an all-new Grandland (including a pure-electric version for the first time) appearing in late-2025 and the incoming Government’s pledge to axe the Clean Car Discount (currently a $4025 rebate for this car), the Grandland PHEV will likely be phased out in 2024 as current stock is exhausted. Must be the first time a model has been launched and gone immediately into runout…
How much is the Opel Grandland Hybrid?
At $77,990 it's expensive for a medium SUV, but then it is a PHEV. And there's that $8k factory bonus plus the current Clean Car Discount, meaning you can actually save $12k at the moment.
What are the key statistics for the Opel Grandland Hybrid's engine?
It's a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol (bigger than the standard Grandland ICE's 1.2) plus a 13kWh plug-in battery with an electric motor. So it can drive on petrol, petrol-electric or just as an EV.
Is the Opel Grandland Hybrid fuel efficient?
That's a tricky one to answer with PHEVs because it depends on how often you charge them. But the official figure is an impressive 1.0l/100km and we found you can get 50-55km pure-electric driving on a charge (6-7 hours to charge at home or just 2 if you have a wallbox).
Is the Opel Grandland Hybrid good to drive?
It's one of the sportier family SUVs for sure, although the Hybrid is a good deal heavier than the conventional petrol SRi, so it's not as nimble. Being sporty means the ride is quite firm around town as well.
Is the Opel Grandland Hybrid practical for a medium SUV?
It's on the small side for a medium SUV, but we found the Grandland SRi comfortable front and rear for adult occupants. The boot is on the small side for a family SUV, especially when you consider that the Hybrid's electric bits eat up space: it's just 390l, compared to the standard petrol model's 514l.
What do we like about the Opel Grandland Hybrid?
It looks really sharp, especially in the black-and-white colour scheme of our test car, and it's sharp on the road. It's got lots of high-tech equipment, including some fancy matrix-LED headlights and lots of electronic driver assists. The back health-approved AGR front seats are brilliant for longer trips - although they feel hard to start with.
What don't we like about the Opel Grandland Hybrid?
It's a pretty old model already and won't be around at the end of 2024. It's not as nice to drive on the open road as the standard petrol model and the ride is pretty firm around town. The hybrid battery eats up quite a bit of bootspace.
