The Vauxhall Grandland X is decently practical, safe and good value for money. However, the mixed interior quality might put you off
Pros Comfy over bumps Spacious inside All models well equipped
Cons Sluggish infotainment Top-spec cars are expensive No four-wheel drive option
Everyone’s crossing over these days…In cars, that is, as the ‘crossover SUV’ continues to barge ahead in popularity. One of the latest is the Vauxhall Grandland X. This model is the second to come out of Vauxhall’s takeover by Peugeot and based on their 3008.
Pros Attractive interior Roomy and comfortable Overall good value
Cons It's a crowded market
Pros SUV completes line-up of three new X-branded family cars Promise of ample personalisation options and cutting-edge tech Well-equipped for the money, all offered with Vauxhall OnStar
CONS Limited range of engines from launch No four-wheel drive version for adventurous types Most powerful engine is a pricey upgrade
Not only is the MX-30 an all-new model for Mazda, it marks the first time the Japanese automaker has experimented with an all-electric powertrain. It's similarly sized to the current CX-3 and the upcoming CX-30 crossovers, but borrows the MX nomenclature of the MX-5 Miata, giving us hope that it will be a performance-oriented option in the electric-SUV marketplace.
Another day, another electric vehicle. This time around it's from Mazda, and it blends all the hallmarks of a sporty city SUV with a fully-electric heart. The MX-30 debuts Mazda's pure-electric e-SkyActiv platform, along with a number of new interior technologies likely to filter through the rest of the Japanese brand's line-up in due course. The all-electric MX-30 is part of Mazda's plan to offer an e-SkyActiv (hybrid, plug-in hybrid, or fully-electric) vehicle in each of its model lines by 2030. That includes everything from the Mazda 2 through to the dual-cab BT-50 replacement.
Mazda could have played it safe with this one but it didn't. Instead, it went bold. Rugged, in fact. All the more impressive is the fact that the all-new 2021 Mazda MX-30 is the Japanese automaker's first-ever all-electric vehicle. Going bold is something GM, for example, never would have done. Just look at the Chevrolet Bolt. The new MX-30, by contrast, has unique styling inside and out that may not be to everyone's liking. Mazda has been repositioning itself over the past few years as a more premium brand overall, and the MX-30's slightly more rugged look is not what everyone expected. But it also serves as the ideal gateway model for the brand as it takes its first step towards all-out electrification. The question is whether the MX-30 can successfully challenge the likes of the popular Hyundai Kona Electric, Kia Niro EV, and even the upcoming BMW iX3.
