Used Vauxhall Grandland for sale: everything you need to know

Grandland is the new, slightly shorter name for what was previously known as the Grandland X until 2022. Removing the X hasn’t transformed Vauxhall’s rival for cars like the Nissan Qashqai, but it does look a touch sharper and comes with a range of petrol, diesel, and plug-in hybrid powertrains to suit most buyers.

The Grandland majors on practicality, space, comfort, and equipment, which makes it a sensible purchase new and probably an even better one used. Some alternatives might look better or be more interesting to drive, but as a head-over-heart buy the Grandland should be on your list.

Vauxhall’s SUV shares its underpinnings with the Peugeot 3008, and the two drive similarly, but the Peugeot still looks and feels very different inside and out. The Volkswagen Tiguan, Skoda Karoq and SEAT Ateca trio is hard to ignore in this class, and so too is the strong-selling Nissan Qashqai.

Should you buy a Vauxhall Grandland?

If you want a car to thrill you on a back road, dazzle your neighbours, or wow you with technology, then the Vauxhall Grandland probably isn’t for you. But like the previous Grandland X, it’s a thoroughly sensible car that still drives well (and comfortably), has a straightforward and well-built interior, and offers pretty decent space - all of which are more of a priority than sports-car style handling.

It’s still slightly more appealing than its X-badged predecessor too, thanks to a subtle restyling that brings it in line with Vauxhall’s other models. It’s not striking, but it’s still fairly handsome, and that theme carries on inside, where the simple and logical design will be a breath of fresh air compared to some flashier rival designs.

The Grandland offers one petrol, one diesel, and a pair of plug-in hybrid options. The plug-ins are pretty quick and if you make use of their electric capabilities, incredibly frugal, but there’s still a lot to be said for the entry-level petrol. It offers enough performance and is well matched to a capable, vice-free driving experience. It rides well too, provided you steer clear of the largest alloy wheel options.

The Grandland includes more driver assistance features than its predecessor (such as adaptive cruise control and lane positioning assist), and should build on the X’s five-star safety rating. Vauxhall reliability has been mixed in the past but as the Grandland is still fairly new, you should be able to find a good one pretty easily.

This class isn’t short of alternatives, from the Peugeot 3008 on which the Grandland is based (more stylish, but not everyone will get on with its unusual cabin design), to the Nissan Qashqai that has frequently topped the sales charts. For all-round appeal the Volkswagen Tiguan, Skoda Karoq and SEAT Ateca are hard to beat, while reliability-wise you’re unlikely to go wrong with a Toyota RAV4 or Honda CR-V.

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What’s the best used Vauxhall Grandland model to buy?

While it’s tempting to point you in the direction of the impressively quick 300PS plug-in hybrid and sporty GSe trim, the reality is that a sensible family car like the Grandland is in its element - and certainly makes a lot more sense - a little further down the range. In fact, the 130PS turbocharged petrol engine is more than up to the job of family duties, and while it doesn’t have the hybrids’ headline economy figures or EV range, it’s significantly cheaper in like-for-like trim.

Talking of trim, GS is what we’d go for. Entry-level Design trim is actually pretty well equipped, but GS just adds a few extra features that you’ll likely appreciate in the long run, such as a rear parking camera and a larger touchscreen and driver information display.

Used Vauxhall Grandland economy and performance

• Vauxhall Grandland 1.2 Turbo: With a 1.2-litre, three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine the Grandland produces 130PS through a manual or automatic transmission. 0-62mph takes 10.4 seconds in the manual and 10.3 in the auto, with combined economy of 46.3mpg and 44.1mpg.
• Vauxhall Grandland 1.5 Turbo D: The 1.5-litre turbocharged diesel is only available as an automatic, and makes the same 130PS as the petrol model, albeit with more torque. Vauxhall claims 12.3 seconds to 62mph, and 52.3mpg combined.
• Vauxhall Grandland 1.6 Hybrid 225PS: The first of two hybrids develops 225PS from the combined efforts of a 1.6-litre petrol turbo engine and an electric motor. 0-62mph comes up in 8.9 seconds, and 41 miles of EV range contributes to 235.4mpg combined economy.
• Vauxhall Grandland 1.6 Hybrid 300PS: With the same layout but more power (now 300PS, courtesy of an extra motor at the rear axle for electric-assisted all-wheel drive), the top plug-in hybrid gets from 0-62mph in 6.1 seconds. It offers the same 41-mile EV range, and identical economy on paper to the 225PS car.

What used Vauxhall Grandland trim levels are available?

The Grandland is offered in four trim levels, with Design, GS, and Ultimate trim on the petrol and diesel variants and GS, Ultimate, and a range-topping GSe model for the plug-in hybrid range. Like many of Vauxhall’s models the range gets off to a pretty good start with plenty of equipment even in Design trim, but stepping further up the range grants you larger alloys, more expansive digital displays, parking cameras and more.

• The Vauxhall Grandland Design comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, automatic LED headlights, a 7-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and a 7-inch driver instrument cluster, six speakers, dual-zone climate control, auto wipers, and electric heated and folding door mirrors.
• The Vauxhall Grandland GS steps up to 18-inch alloys, and includes a 180-degree rear parking camera, advanced park assist, a 10-inch touchscreen and 12-inch driver display, sports front seats, privacy glass in the rear, a contrasting black roof, and black exterior detailing. Plug-in hybrid models also get lane position assist and adaptive cruise control.
• The Vauxhall Grandland Ultimate builds on GS trim with LED pixel headlights and LED fog lights, a 360-degree parking camera, lane positioning assist and adaptive cruise control, wireless mobile charging, 19-inch alloy wheels, sports pedals, heated seats, a foot-operated power tailgate, a heated steering wheel, Alcantara trim, keyless entry and start, and a partial heated windscreen.
• The Vauxhall Grandland GSe is plug-in hybrid only, and to GS trim adds 19-inch alloy wheels, GSe-specific bumpers and badges, a sports chassis setup with Koni dampers, new springs, and re-calibrated steering, plus all the equipment from the Grandland Ultimate above.

Used Vauxhall Grandland dimensions and boot size

The Vauxhall Grandland’s dimensions are:

• Length: 4477mm 
• Width: 1906mm (without mirrors), 2098mm (with mirrors)
• Height: 1609mm (including roof rails)

The Vauxhall Grandland’s boot size is:

• 514 litres (Plug-in Hybrid 390 litres)
• 1652 litres with the rear seats folded (to roof, Plug-in Hybrid 1528 litres)

Used Vauxhall Grandland road tax

While you’d expect the plug-in hybrid models to be cheapest to tax - usually £10 cheaper than the £180 it will currently cost you for the petrol or diesel - both the Ultimate and GSe models have a list price of over £40,000, which means both attract a surcharge, lifting annual VED in years two to six to a less palatable £560 per year. Only the 225PS hybrid in GS trim avoids the surcharge, and is therefore cheapest to tax.

How much is it to insure a Vauxhall Grandland?

Depending on engine and trim level, the Grandland spans insurance groups 15-35. A 1.2-litre Design is at the lower end of this range (with no change for the automatic gearbox) while the 300PS GSe is right at the top. For comparison, the similar Peugeot 3008 goes from groups 22 to 38, so the Vauxhall may be a little cheaper to insure.

Read our full Vauxhall Grandland review