Vauxhall Grandland Plug-in Hybrid-E Review

Performance

With 222bhp, the Grandland Hybrid-e gets to 62mph in a very respectable 8.9 seconds. Of far more importance is the way it accelerates, with smooth performance and, rather surprisingly, the 1.6 petrol engine never sounds too stressed. 

If that is a bit too restrained, coming later in 2022 will be a 300bhp Grandland Hybrid-e featuring an electric motor on the back axle to give four-wheel-drive.

Drive

It’s safe to say the Grandland has never been the most exciting car in the world, and no injection of performance or power would really change that. The steering lacks feel but is direct enough, but the brakes can be sharp and take some getting used to – possibly because they have regeneration included which sends some braking energy back to the battery. 

The entry-level front-wheel drive model gets an 'e-Save' to allow you to save the battery power to use in town. The forthcoming four-wheel drive version should get selectable driving modes to vary the amount of power you have available.

But there are things to like about the Grandland too. The eight-speed gearbox is smooth while, when working on its own, the petrol engine doesn’t encroach into the cabin or sound too strained.