First Drive: Vauxhall Crossland

Vauxhall has tweaked its popular crossover, but is it for the better? Ted Welford finds out.

What is it? The Crossland X is the most affordable high-riding Vauxhall crossover model, but despite the impressive sales, a poor driving experience and low-quality cabin let the side down. Can this facelift improve it? What’s new? It’s now just called the Crossland and most notable is the updated design, with the front end getting Vauxhall’s new ‘Vizor’ design that wraps the badge and headlights behind one main panel. Steering and damping changes aim to improve the way the Crossland drives. What’s under the bonnet? The engine choice remains the same as before, with an option of naturally-aspirated and turbocharged petrol engines, plus a turbo diesel. Our test car uses a turbocharged three-cylinder 1.2-litre petrol engine that produces 128bhp and 230Nm of torque. Front wheel drive via a six-speed manual gearbox gives a 0-60mph time of 9.5 seconds and a top speed of 125mph. This model still offers decent efficiency – Vauxhall claims almost 50mpg, with CO2 emissions of 132g/km. What’s it like to drive? The driving experience over the previous Crossland X is improved, with a more comfortable ride and more refined driving manners at speed, while around town it has good visibility and light steering. This turbocharged petrol engine delivers decent acceleration. However, despite some improvements, the Crossland’s steering is lifeless and handling is poor. How does it look? The appealing Vizor gives a more bold, modern design, and new LED headlights and a silver-effect front bumper give a more rugged look. At the rear, the ‘Crossland’ name across the boot and gloss-black panel around the badge and lights gives a more stylish look. What’s it like inside? Inside, Vauxhall has added extra flair with new trim; however, nothing else has really changed, with the same familiar layout and displays as before. Ultimately it continues to lag behind rivals. The Crossland is practical - adults can sit comfortably in the rear and the rear seat slides. The boot measures up to 520 litres. What’s the spec like? All Crosslands have decent equipment levels – entry-level SE models have a seven-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, cruise control and 16-inch alloy wheels, while the mid-spec SRi Nav adds a larger eight-inch touchscreen with satellite navigation, rear parking sensors and dual-zone climate control, along with styling changes. There are notable safety omissions, with even autonomous emergency braking being optional across the range. The Crossland starts from £19,355, or £21,705 for the SRi Nav. However, avoid the lethargic 83bhp engine – our test car being available from £24,040. Verdict - This Crossland looks better and is improved behind the wheel. A relatively low starting price and plenty of cabin space will appeal, especially to families. But despite these changes, it still doesn’t excel in any real area and remains a middle-of-theroad choice, with far better options out there – the Ford Puma and Skoda Kamiq being two far more accomplished choices.