Hot on the heels of the teaser images of the new Astra hatchback, Opel Ireland has given us rather more in the way of hard detail on the updated Crossland (note that the old 'X' suffix has now been excised).
More modern feel
Opel's competitor for the Nissan Qashqai and Hyundai Tucson has been given a thorough going over, with new styling and a new interior. The Grandland is a bit of an odd car - it shares a platform with fellow Stellantis Group models such as the Peugeot 3008 and Citroen C5 Aircross, but was actually originally designed when Opel was still part of General Motors. This update brings it rather more into line with the likes of the Crossland and the Corsa and gives it a much more modern feel.
Up front, there's the new Opel 'Vizor' grille and lights, with those distinctive eyebrow LED running lights that looked so gorgeous on the Manta Elektromod concept. Optionally, those new headlamps can be equipped with 'IntelliLux' LED lights, which have 168 LED elements - 84 per headlamp, and which are fully adaptive, with automatic anti-dazzle and dipping.
Other new high-tech equipment, pinched from the recently-updated Opel Insignia saloon, is night vision - yes, the Grandland now has a forward-looking infra-red camera (a FLIR to any aviation enthusiasts out there...) which detects people and animals up to 100 metres ahead of the Grandland in the direction of travel, based on their temperature difference from the surroundings. It shows what it can see in the 12-inch digital instrument panel.
Digital cockpit
12-inch digital instrument panel? Oh yes, one of the biggest upgrades for the Grandland is that it gets Opel's new all-digital cockpit. Called the Opel Pure Panel, this uses two big screens - one in front of the driver as an instrument panel, and one in the centre of the dash, which is the infotainment screen. Thankfully, although Opel says that the new screen setup - shared with the smaller Mokka crossover - "makes a multitude of buttons superfluous" it has retained proper, physical heating and ventilation controls on the centre console. Phew.
There's more high tech in the safety systems list, with the addition of an upgraded radar-controlled cruise control system, which can now take over the driving of the car in low-speed heavy traffic, assuming you've ticked the box for the automatic transmission option.
Live traffic info
As before, the Grandland gets Opel's super-comfy seats, approved by the German Aktion Gesunder Rücken e.V. (campaign for healthy backs), and the big screen, as before, features connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. On top of that, there's a new Multimedia Navi Pro system which comes with real-time traffic information, online map updates and predictive navigation, and there's a wireless phone charger too.
So far, Opel hasn't mentioned anything about changes to the engine lineup, so we're going to assume for the moment that the 1.2-litre turbo petrol, 1.5 and 2.0 turbo diesels, and the two plug-in hybrid options (225hp front-drive, and 300hp four-wheel drive) will be carried over.
Order books for the updated Grandland open for Irish customers in a few weeks' time and first deliveries will begin in the Autumn.