Summary
Where practicality and value for money are concerned, the Vauxhall Crossland X remains tough to beat, but is there more to this family SUV? Let’s take a look.
Pros
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Lots of room in the interior
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Generous amount of standard equipment
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Good media system
Cons
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Doesn’t corner as well as other cars in this class
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Interior quality could be be better
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More safety kit could be included as standard
Introduction
You only need to glance at the roads today to notice the rise of crossovers and SUVs, with these high-riding models proving a popular choice with families and those for looking something a bit roomier.
Vauxhall has made the most of this rise, with the firm offering 3 models in this segment – the Grandland X, the Mokka X and the Crossland X, which is the most affordable of the trio.
Latest model
Vauxhall introduced the Crossland X in 2017 as a similarly-sized model to its Mokka X, but with a greater emphasis on practicality and versatility. It boasts an impressive amount of equipment as standard, while top-end versions get luxuries like heated seats and a panoramic glass roof.
It was the first Vauxhall to use underpinnings from PSA Group, since the British firm was taken over, with the Crossland X having many similarities with the Peugeot 2008 and Citroen C3 Aircross.
Driving feel
Anyone looking at a compact SUV will likely value comfort and ease of driving, and those are two areas where the Crossland X appeals. All controls are light and easy to operate, while at higher speeds the ride settles down to make it a good cruiser. Large windows not only allow the cabin to feel light and airy, but also allow for great visibility – especially when parking.
It has an impressive safety rating, with the Crossland X being awarded the top five-star rating by Euro NCAP, and autonomous emergency braking is included across all versions. Though this Vauxhall is never much fun behind the wheel, it will prove to be an easy car to live with, and that's likely to be of more importance to many.
Looks and image
Though the Crossland X won’t be scooping any design awards, it’s still quite attractive. With neat LED headlights being included across the range, it has a modern look, while even the standard Griffin models feature touches like a black roof and tinted rear windows.
Inside, Vauxhall's favoured functionality over style, and that shows when it comes to some of the cheaper materials used in the interior. On the plus side, the dash is well laid out, with clear dials and instruments, while a 7-inch touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are both included as standard.
Space
With the Crossland X likely to appeal to small families, this Vauxhall certainly doesn’t disappoint in this area. For a car with relatively small dimensions, it has a Tardis-like feel to it. The boot measures 410 litres with the rear seats in position, or 1,255 litres with them folded.
Wide-opening rear doors give great access to the back seats – useful for fitting child seats, for example – while legroom and especially headroom are both generous throughout.
Engines and running costs
A choice of petrol and diesel options are available on the Crossland X, with an 82bhp naturally-aspirated petrol engine kicking off the range. While good around town, it struggles for pace, and is worth shunning for that reason.
Our pick of the range is a turbocharged 1.2-litre petrol, which is available with outputs of 108bhp or 128bhp – the former coming with a six-speed manual gearbox and the latter a choice of both and manual automatic transmissions.
Vauxhall also offers a turbocharged diesel 1.5-litre unit, which is available with either 108bhp or 118bhp.
Regardless of engine option, you should expect low running costs, though it’s the diesels that will be the cheapest to run – Vauxhall claiming they’ll return up to 58.9mpg, with low CO2 emissions of 120g/km.
Powertrains
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1.2-litre naturally-aspirated petrol (82bhp)
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1.2-litre turbocharged petrol (108bhp)
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1.2-litre turbocharged petrol (128bhp)
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1.5-litre turbo diesel (108bhp)
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1.5-litre turbo diesel (118bhp)
Rivals
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Citroen C3 Aircross
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Ford Ecosport
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Kia Stonic
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Renault Captur
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Skoda Kamiq
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Volkswagen T-Cross – from £333 per month
Trims explained
A choice of 5 trim levels are available on the Vauxhall Crossland X. Here are the highlights...
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7-inch touchscreen
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Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
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Bluetooth
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Air conditioning
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Cruise control
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Black roof
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Leather steering wheel
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LED headlights
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Autonomous emergency braking
SRi Nav (in addition to Griffin)
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8-inch touchscreen
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Satellite navigation
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Voice control
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Vauxhall Connect
Business Edition Nav (in addition/replacement to SRi Nav)
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Smaller 16-inch alloy wheels
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Dual-zone climate control
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Automatic lights and wipers
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Rear parking sensors
Elite (in addition to Business Edition Nav)
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17-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels
Elite Nav (in addition to Elite)
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8-inch touchscreen
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Satellite navigation
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Voice control
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Vauxhall Connect
The Vauxhall Crossland X is available in the Smart Lease range for a limited time. Find out more about leasing a Vauxhall Crossland X.