The Vauxhall Crossland initially appeared on the market in 2017. Back then, it was known as the Vauxhall Crossland X. It sat below other ‘X’ SUV models like the Mokka X and Grandland X. The ‘X’ label was discarded during a mid-life modification in early 2021, while the Crossland also got some much-needed changes to give it a fighting chance against a powerful group of competitors, including the Peugeot 2008, Nissan Juke, Ford Puma, Renault Captur, and Skoda Kamiq. See what’s new in our 2022 Vauxhall Crossland review.
The most visible of these changes is the new look of the Vauxhall Crossland. Vauxhall calls it the ‘Vizor’ front-end modification, and it comes standard with a gap-less grille and LED headlights across the board. We can’t dispute that it looks good, but it won’t turn as many heads as trendy options like the Nissan Juke or Ford Puma.
Whether you purchase a pre- or post-facelift Vauxhall Crossland, the interior lacks competitors ‘wow factor. The remarkable interiors of the Peugeot and Nissan may fool you into thinking you’re on the flight deck of some extraterrestrial vehicle. If it doesn’t appeal to you, the Vauxhall Crossland will. It features a straightforward design with analogue instruments and lots of standard buttons.
Even Vauxhall can’t resist installing a contemporary infotainment screen, but the Crossland’s 7- or 8-inch system is simple to use, with logical menus and a colourful, dynamic display. Although not all models provide navigation, they include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, allowing you to utilize Google Maps from your smartphone instead. We believe it works better than the built-in navigation.
If you want a sat-nav, seek out a model with the word ‘nav’ in the name (Vauxhall Crossland SRi Nav, Elite Nav, and so on). These have a larger display and a European mapping system with over-the-air updates.
Regarding practicality, the Vauxhall Crossland X leaves nothing to be desired. The Crossland may be a little SUV, but it can comfortably seat four tall people, and the boot is spacious enough to swallow a pair of suitcases.
The boxy design of the Vauxhall Crossland is excellent for practicality but not so good for handling. Its top-heavy structure causes it to roll in bends, and the weak steering lacks confidence. When the Crossland X was redesigned in 2021, Vauxhall adjusted the suspension and handling, but it still feels a lot baggier to drive than a Ford Puma or SEAT Arona. The manual transmission is disappointing, and the six-speed automatic transmission is slightly better.
The Vauxhall Crossland seems out of place on the highway, with a startling amount of wind and road noise infiltrating the cabin. It’s better throughout town if you don’t mind a bumpy ride. The light controls make it simple to manoeuvre, and the included rear parking sensors allow you to slide into tight places without fear of harming the back of the vehicle. Front sensors and a reversing camera are available.
There are three gasoline engines and two diesel engines to select from. No Crossland is especially quiet, but the 83PS petrol model is the worst, with its five-speed manual transmission forcing it to work hard on the highway.
Because it comes standard with a six-speed manual transmission, the 110 PS turbocharged petrol is a better pick for the Vauxhall Crossland, providing greater overtaking power and quieter cruising. It’s not much more expensive to operate than the 1.5-litre diesel variants.
Choose your Crossland intelligently, and you’ll get a tiny, inexpensive SUV, quick and roomy for a little vehicle. Sure, it’s not the most thrilling vehicle on the market, but if you do not want to make a statement, the Vauxhall’s understated styling will appeal.
Is the Vauxhall Crossland 2022 perfect for you?
If you want a small SUV that doesn’t have the fashionable look-at-me style of other small SUVs like the Nissan Juke and Peugeot 2008, the Vauxhall Crossland is the vehicle for you.
The Vauxhall Crossland seems spacious on the interior, especially if you’re upgrading from a small family vehicle, with room for people in the rear and a trunk that’s simple to load and can fit a few pieces of luggage.
Choose the 110 PS gasoline engine for quick acceleration and low operating expenses. Sure, the Vauxhall Crossland won’t have you beaming from ear to ear in corners, and it’s not the quietest highway cruiser, but its light controls make it simple to drive about town.
So, if you want a vehicle that does its job quietly, the Vauxhall Crossland meets the criteria, as long as you avoid the basic petrol engine.
Which Vauxhall Crossland model or engine should I get?
The 110 PS petrol engine is the one to choose. Unlike the standard 83 PS petrol, the 110 PS is turbocharged, providing a good bump in performance, a sixth gear for quieter highway travel, and improved fuel efficiency. Because the 110 PS model is so inexpensive to operate, opting for diesel is meaningless.
All variants are well-equipped, but we’d avoid the cheapest Vauxhall Crossland SE unless you’re on a tight budget. Models with higher trim levels have desired amenities such as parking sensors, bigger alloy wheels, and a sliding back seat.
What other vehicles are comparable to the Vauxhall Crossland?
Suppose you’re looking for a compact SUV. In that case, there are many options, and one of the best is the new Peugeot 2008, which boasts a stunning exterior design and an interior that looks and feels more fashionable than you would expect from a vehicle in this price range.
The Nissan Juke is another attractive option to the Vauxhall Crossland, albeit it isn’t as big inside as the Vauxhall, while the SEAT Arona is just as large as the Crossland but feels better made and is more pleasant to drive. There’s also the highly capacious Skoda Kamiq, which offers excellent value for money, and the Ford Puma, the compact SUV for experienced drivers.
Finally, if you’re looking for a little vehicle with a terrific warranty, consider the Kia Stonic, which has a seven-year, 100,000-mile guarantee that makes the Vauxhall’s three-year, 60,000-mile warranty appear stingy.
Vauxhall Crossland interior comfort and design
The Vauxhall Crossland features a straightforward design that makes it simple to use. Instead of a digital instrument binnacle with gorgeous graphics and snappy animations, you get white-on-black analogue dials and traditional buttons for the ventilation system and audio, so you don’t have to rummage around the infotainment screen.
It’s a sound system with a logical structure, a responsive screen, and excellent images. It doesn’t protrude from the console as in other vehicles, so it’s not as simple to view while driving, but you may enjoy how it’s nicely blended into the dashboard.
What you don’t get is any sense of fashion. The dashboard of the Vauxhall Crossland is bland, making it seem unduly plasticky, and lacks the eye-catching, sculpted blend of elements present in the Peugeot 2008. Even the slick plastic trimmings on the Vauxhall Crossland are beginning to seem old-fashioned compared to the carbon-effect finish and colourful flashes on the Peugeot 2008.
At the very least, the driving posture is favourable. The Crossland comes standard with a height-adjustable driver’s seat and a leather-trimmed steering wheel that adjusts for reach and height, allowing you to get comfy behind the wheel. It’s also worth mentioning that floor mats are included as standard, but other manufacturers demand an additional fee. The only anomaly is the handbrake, which protrudes from the centre console like a hooded cobra.
Finishing and quality
Quality and finish are two more areas where the Vauxhall Crossland excels at being ordinary.
Yes, some soft-touch plastics are on the doors and dashboard, but the quality drops as you go deeper into the interior. A lot of hard and brittle plastic surrounds your seat, and the buttons on the centre console are flimsy; it simply doesn’t feel as solidly constructed as the Peugeot 2008.
Higher-spec Colorful dash covers and door inserts liven up the interior of Vauxhall Crossland models. The Ultimate Nav has Alcantara seat coverings with leather-effect side bolsters and a more sophisticated leather-covered steering wheel. Although it has improved, Crossland is still not a premium product.
The Vauxhall Crossland has a touchscreen, USB, navigation, and a stereo.
Even the most basic Vauxhall Crossland models come standard with a seven-inch entertainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Although satellite navigation isn’t standard, connecting your phone and utilising third-party applications like Google Maps or Waze is simple. The SRi Nav and Ultimate Nav versions include a slightly larger eight-inch display and navigation with European maps.
Both systems are user-friendly, with quick reactions to inputs and logical menu layouts. There’s not much to hate about Crossland’s infotainment system; it performs well. Some drivers may prefer designs that aren’t dependent on the touchscreen, such as the Mazda CX-3, which includes a rotary controller that is less distracting to operate while driving.
boot space
The Vauxhall Crossland driver’s seat is simply adjustable, so you’ll be able to get comfy quickly. If you want a height-adjustable passenger seat, choose the optional ergonomic front seats, which are 16-way adjustable and have electronic tilt and lumbar support. A 12V plug behind the front seats and a covered storage box in the centre console is also included with this option.
There are also noteworthy enhancements for the rear seat. The Versatility Pack (standard on SRi Nav and Elite Nav models) includes back seats that slide forward and back on runners and adjustable backrests, so your passengers can stretch out a little on a long trip. It’s functional but not required since the seat is roomy, with ample head and knee space for tall people as long as no one tall is seated up front.
However, getting a child’s seat into position is difficult. The rear doors of the Vauxhall Crossland are narrow and do not open 90 degrees to provide free access to the back seat, and the ISOFIX hooks are not suitably disguised beneath plastic covers.
Better news on the internal storage of the Vauxhall Crossland Large door pockets, a phone tray, closable cubbies on the centre console, and a pair of cupholders are available upfront. However, the glove box and rear door pockets are also modest.
The Vauxhall Crossland’s 410-litre trunk is spacious, more significant than competitors such as the Renault Captur, and it can be increased to 520 litres with the Versatility Pack, which allows you to push the rear seats forward. Loading is simple since the boot lid opens wide, although there is a load lip that you must pull heavy bags over.
The rear seats fold 60:40 (or 40:20:40 with the Versatility Pack installed), giving you a maximum trunk area of 1,255 litres, or enough to store an adult’s bicycle without removing the wheels.
If you need to fit your Vauxhall Crossland into a garage, you’ll be relieved to hear that it’s just slightly larger than the Corsa hatchback. It is 4212mm long, 1765mm wide (including door mirrors), and 1605mm tall (including roof rails).
Handling and riding comfort:
The Vauxhall Crossland is a simple car to drive around town.” Its high bodywork provides an excellent perspective of the road ahead and eliminates the need to worry about damaging the car while driving over speed humps. Another feature is the light controls, which make low-speed manoeuvring as easy as possible, and come Most versions with a six-speed automatic transmission.
The Vauxhall Crossland’s small proportions make it easy to park, and the Elite and Business versions come with rear parking sensors, which makes sliding into tight spots easier. The optional Plus Rear View Camera Package, which includes front and rear parking sensors and a rear camera, is available on all Nav models.
The car’s rocking ride isn’t great around town, and it doesn’t get better when you reach higher speeds on the highway; The way Crossland pogos make it from bump to bump feels a bit unsteady.
Surprisingly, it doesn’t get much better when you’re on a country road, where you’ll suffer from poor understeer. It makes the Vauxhall challenging to the corner and discerns when the grip is approaching. With a significant body lean and loose manual transmission, it’s safe to say this isn’t a car that will have you cruising around for fun.
Nor is it a vehicle that can be used as an authentic SUV. Available only with front-wheel drive, the Vauxhall lacks the intelligent grip-finding traction control technology found in the 2008 Peugeot. Meanwhile, its maximum towing weight is 870 kg less than the standard SEAT Arona’s, which is 1,100 kg.
What engines and transmissions are available in the Vauxhall Crossland?
Vauxhall Crossland is available with three petrol and two diesel engines. All three petrol engines are 1.2-litre three-cylinders. We’ve moved away from the base 83PS model, which lacks a turbo and feels sluggish.
The 110 PS turbocharged variant is your best pick because it provides helpful performance at low speeds and is relatively smooth when working hard. It accelerates from 0 to 62 mph in 10.2 seconds, more than two seconds faster than the 82-horsepower version.
The 130hp petrol engine cuts a second from 0-62mph and gives the Vauxhall Crossland much more overtaking power, although it’s louder than the 110PS variant.
We were also going over two gallons of fuel. It is powered by a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine with either 110 or 120 horsepower, although both are pretty loud and don’t save much energy over petrol cars.
noise levels and refinement
Eschew the base fuel 83 PS Vauxhall Crossland, and you’ll receive a six-speed manual transmission with a high top gear that helps keep the car quiet on the highway. That’s the concept, but you’ll hear gallons of diesel rattling even if you’re driving around town.
The petrol variants are quiet and smooth because they only have three cylinders. As you accelerate, it looks sporty but fades into the background as you drive on the highway.
However, Crossland is no quiet cruiser on the highway. It has a lot of wind noise, especially around the pillars on the windshield and side mirrors. Road noise is also audible, especially on versions equipped with 17-inch alloy wheels (most of them).
Vauxhall Crossland has cruise control, which allows you to maintain a stable cruising speed without keeping your foot on the gas pedal.
What kind of safety features does the Vauxhall Crossland have?
Included as standard is a lane-departure warning system that can detect lane departure at speeds of up to 37 mph through a camera positioned in the windshield and alert the driver with an audible alarm.
Another use of this camera is the Vauxhall Crossland’s traffic sign recognition system, which scans roadside markers for data (such as the posted speed limit) and displays it on the infotainment screen between the gauges in the dashboard. Furthermore, it’s crucial to be aware that the LED headlights that come standard on all models are significantly brighter and more potent than conventional filament bulbs.
Given this, the lack of standard automated emergency braking makes the SEAT Arona seem like a bargain. You can get them as an upgrade on every model except the SE, and they’ll be able to see pedestrians and other cars, sound the horn if a collision is near, and slam on the brakes if you don’t react in time.
When you choose the AEB, you also receive a system that monitors your driving for signs of tiredness and sounds an alarm to remind you to rest.
