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78<br />
First Drive: Vauxhall Crossland<br />
Vauxhall has tweaked its popular crossover, but is it for the better?<br />
What is it?<br />
Crossovers are big business for just about all car<br />
manufacturers these days – not least Vauxhall, with<br />
its high-riding Crossland X, Mokka X and Grandland X<br />
models all proving hugely popular and even stealing sales<br />
from traditional bestsellers like the Astra and Insignia.<br />
It’s the Crossland X that’s the most affordable Vauxhall<br />
model of this kind, taking a more practical stance than<br />
the similarly sized Mokka, which instead favours design.<br />
Yet despite the Crossland X’s impressive sales, it actually<br />
was one of the worst cars in its segment, with a poor<br />
driving experience and low-quality cabin letting the<br />
side down. Can Vauxhall improve it as part of this midlife<br />
facelift, though?<br />
What’s new?<br />
One of the first things to note here is that it’s now called<br />
the Crossland – the ‘X’ part of its name being dropped<br />
for simplicity, though there are various places where this<br />
letter still appears…<br />
But most notable is the updated design, especially the<br />
front end, which gets Vauxhall’s new ‘Vizor’ design – as<br />
seen on the new Mokka – that wraps the badge and<br />
headlights behind one main panel. Changes to the<br />
steering and damping also aim to improve the way the<br />
Crossland drives.<br />
What’s under the bonnet?<br />
The engine choice remains the same as before, with an<br />
option of naturally-aspirated and turbocharged petrol<br />
engines, as well as a turbo diesel – quite a rarity these<br />
days in the small crossover class.<br />
Our test car uses the Crossland’s most powerful engine –<br />
a turbocharged three-cylinder 1.2-litre petrol engine that<br />
produces 128bhp and 230Nm of torque. Power is sent<br />
to the front wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox. This<br />
allows for a 0-60mph time of 9.5 seconds and a top speed<br />
of 125mph.<br />
Though the diesel is the most efficient Crossland available,<br />
this model still offers decent efficiency – Vauxhall claim<br />
almost 50mpg, with CO2 emissions of 132g/km.<br />
What’s it like to drive?<br />
The previous Crossland X’s driving experience was really<br />
what let the side down before, and though changes here<br />
aren’t huge, they certainly improve things.<br />
It’s now a far more accomplished cruiser at higher speeds<br />
with a more comfortable ride and more refined driving<br />
manners, while around town – where these Crosslands are<br />
more likely to be found – good visibility and light steering<br />
will tick plenty of boxes for buyers. This turbocharged petrol<br />
engine is also a good match, and though it can sound quite<br />
coarse at times, it delivers a decent amount of shove that<br />
enables the Crossland to get up to speed quite quickly.<br />
Facts at a glance<br />
Model: Vauxhall Crossland<br />
Base price: £19,355<br />
Model as tested: Vauxhall<br />
Crossland SRi Nav 1.2<br />
Turbo 130PS Manual<br />
Price as tested: £24,040<br />
Engine: Turbocharged<br />
1.2-litre petrol<br />
Power: 128bhp<br />
Torque: 230Nm<br />
Max speed: 125mph<br />
0-60mph: 9.5 seconds<br />
MPG: 48.7-49.5mpg<br />
Emissions: 130-132g/km
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