Vauxhall Grandland Electric long-term test

The car Vauxhall Grandland Electric Ultimate  Run by Chris Haining, sub-editor

Why it’s here To find out what Vauxhall's electric family SUV has to offer in what is a highly competitive class  

Needs to be comfy and relaxing on a long motorway commute; economical to run; offer the practicality an action-packed life demands

Mileage 14,026 List price £39,995 Best Price £33,495 Price as tested £40,645 Dealer price now £25,950 Private price now £25,020 Official range 234 miles Test range 240 miles Running costs (excluding depreciation) £1208 (Electricity)

23 February 2026 – It's not me... it's you

Sometimes I look deep into my soul, take stock of my long list of personality traits, and say to myself: “What on Earth does my wife see in me?” Then I try to quickly think of something else in case panic sets in. But, happily, my mind usually drifts towards cars, and the last time such dark thoughts entered my head, it was my Vauxhall Grandland Electric that I found myself refocusing on.

I started pondering my relationship with this car. We’ve been together for almost a year, the Grandland and I, and we’ve had some great times together, visiting some amazing places, and sharing literally dozens of refreshment stops en route (food and the bathroom for me, electricity for it). 

I still find the Grandland attractive. It’s nicely proportioned, with a shapely physique, and I’m a sucker for that Impact Copper outfit. People say it’s what’s inside that counts, though, and there’s pleasure to be found here, too. The Grandland’s angular interior design catches my eye, helped by the contrasting fabrics and plastics on display – although some bits of it aren’t as appealing to the touch as they are easy on the eye, including the strip of buttons for the front and rear heated windscreens.

The Grandland’s biggest failing, though, is the way it rides. Involuntarily, and purely through the seat of my pants, I’ve built up a high-resolution 3D scan of my local roads' every undulation, so faithfully does the Grandland’s suspension describe them.

The Mini Countryman Electric I ran a while ago made much less of a fuss over lateral ridges that bring the full bucking bronco experience in the Grandland. And while small bumps aren’t such an issue, the suspension still doesn’t seem able to react to them quickly enough, so I’m jostled in my seat. The commotion subsides to mere restlessness at motorway speeds, but the Grandland – despite being admirably quiet – is never truly relaxing to travel in.

Thing is, it seems a wholly unnecessary compromise. If you take the Grandland by the scruff of the neck and lead it through a string of corners with pace, you’ll be surprised by the relatively even keel it remains on, and I’d gladly sacrifice some of that composure if it meant the suspension could be a bit more supple. I mean, as tidily as it handles, numb steering nixes the potential for excitement, and spirited cornering is hardly what big family SUVs are all about, anyway.

Perhaps the Grandland could take a lesson from the latest Jeep Compass. The two cars, both from brands that live under the Stellantis umbrella, are closely related, but the latter’s suspension has been tuned to better suit the rough roads and testing terrain that Jeeps are famous for tackling. And guess what? The Compass is much comfier, at any speed, than the Grandland. It leans a bit more in bends, but not to an unruly extent.

I also wish the Grandland didn’t have such an appetite for electricity. Who knows; if I’d made more short, slow journeys, its 323-mile official range might have been achievable. Life on the motorway, though, taxes it rather more, and I had to trundle home from work seriously sedately – particularly during the colder months – to complete my 234-mile home-to-work-and-back round trip without having to stop and take on electrons en route. The on-board computer confirms this; energy consumption has averaged 3.2kWh, giving the Grandland a realistic... er... 234-mile total range, based on its 73kWh usable battery capacity.

Elsewhere, there’s a lot to like about the Grandland. In Ultimate spec, it’s heaving with equipment, including a panoramic glass sunroof that floods the interior with light, without detracting too much from rear-seat head room as is often the case with such things. Other highlights are the Focal sound system, which excavates details from recordings with fidelity that shames many a home stereo set-up, and my thumbs go up for the superbly clear head-up display.

As it is, though, the Grandland’s behaviour had me tempted to cheat on it and drive other cars behind its back. Our separation was inevitable, and it's sure to find another suitor soon enough; if it flaunts those looks and an alluring price tag (at a year old, with 14k on the clock, it’ll be marketed for about £10k less than it cost brand new), my old Grandland is bound to turn somebody’s head.

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