Bucket Seat: Opel Grandland

Opel has been around for years but still remains one of those forgotten German brands, they hardly are on the first ten manufacturers people think of when considering to buy a new car and one is always greeted with an "oh ya" if mentioned. Why though? At one stage Opel was dominating the market with their budget hatch back, the Corsa lite and even though the adverts were a killer,  the car was every university students dream car in its time. Many forgot they made other cars such as the Astra. While the Corsa still remains an important product for the company, they really are putting emphasis on their MPV range and late last year I got to drive the new Grandland, the previous generation of the model wasn't bad but it just felt like it was lacking in all departments, built on the same chassis as the Peugeot 3008, the Grandland just seemed bland so with these new one, I was hoping to see vast improvements and I was not left disappointed! 

DESIGN

The Opel Grandland takes a confident step forward in the midsize SUV segment with a design that feels both modern and premium. Up front, Opel’s bold 3D Vizor grille paired with the illuminated Griffin badge immediately sets it apart, giving the SUV a strong European identity. The sharp LED headlights and sculpted bonnet add presence, while the two-tone floating roof and contrast detailing lend it a sporty edge. In typical Opel fashion, the design is clean rather than flashy, but it works well. The Grandland looks mature and well-proportioned, with enough road presence to feel substantial without being bulky  something that suits both city driving and long-distance cruising on South African highways. At the rear, the slim LED light bar stretches across the tailgate, rounding off a design that feels current and well thought out.

PERFORMANCE

Under the bonnet, the Grandland is powered by a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine paired to a smooth six-speed automatic gearbox. Power delivery is linear and predictable, making it easy to live with in traffic while still offering enough punch for confident overtakes on the open road. It’s not trying to be a performance SUV, but it feels well matched to its size and purpose. The suspension is tuned with comfort in mind, soaking up most of the imperfections found on South African roads. On smoother surfaces the ride is composed and stable, though sharper bumps can still be felt at lower speeds. Steering is light and easy, ideal for urban driving, while highway stability inspires confidence at cruising speeds. Fuel consumption is reasonable for the segment, especially if driven sensibly, though enthusiastic driving will push consumption higher. This is a vehicle built more for refinement and ease than outright sportiness  and it succeeds at that.

COMFORT

Comfort is one of the Grandland’s strongest attributes. Opel has placed real emphasis on ergonomics, with AGR-certified seats that offer excellent support for long drives. Higher-spec models add features like seat heating, ventilation and massage functions, which genuinely make a difference on extended road trips. Cabin space is generous, with ample legroom and headroom for rear passengers, making it a solid option for families. Boot space is practical and well shaped, easily accommodating luggage for weekends away or school runs, and expands nicely with the rear seats folded down. The interior materials feel premium, with soft-touch surfaces, clean lines and subtle detailing creating a calm, well-finished cabin. Road and wind noise are kept largely in check, though some tyre noise does creep in at highway speeds. Overall, the Grandland is a comfortable place to spend time, whether commuting daily or tackling long-distance travel.

TECHNOLOGY

The Grandland comes well equipped on the technology front. A large central infotainment screen dominates the dashboard and supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, keeping connectivity simple and familiar. The system is intuitive once you get used to it, although wired smartphone integration feels slightly dated in today’s market. Digital driver displays are clear and customisable, and Opel’s decision to retain physical buttons for climate control and key functions is a welcome one. It makes everyday operation easier and less distracting compared to fully touch-based systems. Safety tech is comprehensive, with features such as adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assistance, autonomous emergency braking and traffic sign recognition available across much of the range. Parking assistance systems and 360-degree cameras make manoeuvring in tight urban spaces far less stressful, although the camera resolution could be sharper.

VERDICT

The Opel Grandland is a compelling option in South Africa’s highly competitive midsize SUV market. It offers a refined driving experience, excellent comfort levels and a strong suite of safety and technology features, all wrapped in a distinctly European design. While it may not be the most exciting SUV in terms of outright performance, it more than makes up for that with everyday usability, long-distance comfort and a premium feel that stands out against more mainstream rivals. Buyers looking for something a little different from the usual Japanese and Korean offerings will find a lot to like here.

SPECIFICATION

Engine	16 Turbo
Gear Box	Automatic
Power	134kW
Torque	300Nm
Average Fuel Consumption	8.2L per 100km (as tested)
Price	R739,900

 

Bucket Seat: Opel Corsa GS 1.2

South Africans have a strange affiliation with the Opel Corsa, the German brand's entry level hatchback caught the love and attention of many with it's dynamic nature when first introduced to the market in the late 90's, the fan fair continued with the launch of the Corsa bakkie which took the market by storm proving to be healthy competition to the market leader, Nissan Champ half tonne bakkie. Then with the introduction of the Corsa Lite, it made for the person student car and with the hilarious TVC campaign it became a cult classic in the country. Fast forward to modern day and the Corsa has lost its charm over the years, it grew up and kinda got mixed in the mundaness of Germany motoring but having spent some time with the face-lift Corsa GS, I think they might be sparking some of that magic again. 

DESIGN

The new Opel Corsa GS boasts a sleek and sporty design, with sharp lines and a distinctive front grille that gives it a dynamic look. The car's compact dimensions make it ideal for urban driving, while the bold color options and stylish alloy wheels enhance its visual appeal. The front is striking, featuring a solid front face with no grille which makes many think it's an EV and don't ask me how, but that engine is pretty silent so at times I even got away with telling people it is an electric car. The new LED headlights follow that swooping edges to create a very modern looking front end, that really makes the car look futuristic and progressive. The rest of the cars design remains mostly the same, with the back lights featuring a slight tint to complete that sporty nature of the car. 16-inch diamond cut bi-clour rims in a 4-spoke design give a distinct look. Overall, very attractive looking package from Opel.

PERFORMANCE

Under the hood, the Corsa GS is powered by a 3-cylinder, 1.2-liter turbocharged petrol engine producing 96kW and 230Nm. The engine delivers a balanced performance, with enough power for city and highway driving. The GS being automatic transmission, provides smooth and efficient gear shifts, contributing to an overall relaxed and enjoyable driving experience. The Corsa GS handles well, with precise steering and a stable ride quality. It feels agile around corners, making it fun to drive in urban environments. The suspension setup effectively absorbs road imperfections, ensuring a comfortable ride for passengers. One of the standout features of the Opel Corsa GS is its impressive fuel efficiency. The combination of the small engine and automatic transmission helps achieve good fuel economy figures, making it an economical choice for daily commuting and long-distance trips.

COMFORT

Inside, the Corsa GS offers a well-appointed cabin with a focus on comfort and technology. The seats are supportive and ergonomically designed, providing good comfort for both short and long journeys. The quality of materials used in the interior feels premium for this segment, with soft-touch surfaces and a modern dashboard layout. The Opel Corsa GS comes equipped with a range of modern technology features, including a user-friendly infotainment system with a touchscreen display. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration allow seamless connectivity with smartphones. The car also features a digital instrument cluster, adding a high-tech feel to the driving experience.Safety is a priority in the Corsa GS, with a comprehensive suite of safety features included as standard. These features include lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking, and traffic sign recognition. The car's solid build quality and array of airbags provide additional peace of mind for drivers and passengers.

VERDICT

The Opel Corsa GS is a well-rounded hatchback that offers a stylish design, modern technology, and a comfortable driving experience. Its compact size and efficient engine make it an ideal choice for city dwellers and those looking for a practical and economical car. With its competitive pricing and extensive list of features, the Corsa GS stands out as a strong contender in the small hatchback segment and in my personal opinion, it's a better overall package than its locally manufactured German competitor. It's a bold statement I know, but get in the new Corsa GS and see what it has to offer and you tell me if I'm lying. Down side though its the resale value of the car, but many who buy these type of cars are not looking to offload them after 2-3 years so I don't see the resale value being a major issue. My one grip would be the screens in the car, the digital instrument cluster seems like it could be bigger and display more info than it currently does and the infotainment screen seems to be bullied by the climate control display, making the casting of the mobile apps seem small on such a big display. Other than that, I'm pretty chuffed with the Corsa, I wouldn't mind having one in my garage as a daily run around. 

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine	3 cylinder, 1.2 Turbo Petrol
Gear Box	6-speed automatic
Torque	230Nm
Power	96kW
Fuel Economy	6.3L per 100km
Price	R459,900

Bucket Seat: Opel Grandland

At one point Opel South Africa was quite a prominent brand in the market, it's Corsa Lite not only developed cult status due to the popularity of their TV adverts but also being an affordable starter car for your new driver. Since then, sales declined and the models didn't appeal many, their choice to can the OPC badge locally didn't help their course either with many not giving them much notice. Then for a short period of time they disappeared altogether thanks to the GM fiasco. Truth be told, not many noticed this but their re-introduction to the market, like Citroen might be slow and steady but people are starting to notice them again, last year with the introduction of the new Corsa, boasting a new design language and updated interior, the launch of their latest Mokka small SUV really got peoples attention, with a stunning exterior and an interior similar to that of the Corsa, boasting good quality materials and an attractive price point, it certainly started getting the Open name to make waves in the market again. I recently got to spend time with their latest offering, the Grandland, weird name I know, and another model that flew under the radar in its previous generation, purely because it wasn't that exciting, the new one however follows the same bloodline as the Mokka and is much more eye catching, here  I my thoughts on it. 

DESIGN

As mentioned, Opel's new design language is a lot more edgy and modern which adds a different dynamic to what we're used to seeing on the roads. With Opel falling under the Stellantis umbrella, you bound to find similarities in their cars with the likes of Citroen, Peugeot and others but that is nothing new with the motoring world as many other manufacturers share platforms for cars. The Grandland shares the same chassis as the Peugeot 3008 but you wouldn't tell that by the exterior design as both are very different in body shape and details, while the 3008 has more flair, in true typical German fashion the Opel is more subdue but in saying that has its own unique character with straight edged lines and sleek silhouette. While subtle the car does stand out from the crowd in its own right. The solid grille in front has people mistaken it for an EV but its not, full matching colour body paint with not an overly amount of brushed aluminium and chrome elements give the Grandland some dimension to its stature.  On the profile the the large 18=-inch diamond cut rims are the standard out visual aspect of it the car with the swooping roofline being the other. The rear of the car doesn't make it look like a typical crossover/ SUV has it follows a more hatch back style with the protruding boot followed by the rear lights that swoop around the side. The large Opel emblem is prominent in the back with the name badge spreader across the back. It's all very neat and pleasing to look at. 

PERFORMANCE

Like the Peugoet 3008, the Grandland also comes powered with the 1.6L Turbo petrol motor mated with the 6-speed automatic gearbox. It's a pretty frugal engine for this size car with it producing 121kW with its technologically enhanced powertrain, it makes the driving dynamics of the car much more responsive. The car handles extremely well, in any condition, from urban cruising to highway driving, the sporty range of low-friction, high-efficiency turbo engine gives you a silky transition through the 6-gears while driving. Minimal turbo lag adds to the great driving feel to the car. There is a manual option should you get tired of the car doing all the work for you, with paddle shifts located on the steering wheel. There are driving modes to choose form as well to vary the engine performance, while the brochure claims an average fuel consumption of around 6L per 100km, I managed to get about 7.5L which isn't too bad considering I only had a week with it. 

COMFORT

The Grandland's interior is very similar to the Mokka with the front being very driver focused, the dash like the exterior is minimalistic, as it features a pure panel display. It's very streamlined display for the instrument cluster that is fully digital and in my opinion a bit too simple. Opel say the reason for this is to simplify the data and serve as a digital detox While it displays all the relevant information I would have liked to have more options to view other stats on the display. The same goes for the 10-inch infotainment screen, its a large display but the black borders on either side that displays just the climate control temperatures, this could have been integrated into the main screen and then have the display large than what it is. The car comes with dual zone climate control air-conditioning with vents provided in the rear for the back seat occupants. The driver and front passenger have heated seats as standard, even a heated steering wheel for those frosty winter mornings. The front seats have been certified by the campaign for healthier backs (AGR), something that I didn't know existed. This assists by offering superior seating for extended journeys as they offer a more relaxed seating position, with a 16 way adjustable seat. There are tonnes of storage space with clever design for the phone storage with wireless charging, there is also mobile apps preloaded to the cars infotainment. There is a host of safety features on the Grandland such as automatic emergency breaking, advanced park assist, a 360 degree camera for easier parking, lane keep assist and lane departure warning but by far my favourite is the LED pixel lighting system which is a different concept from what everyone else is doing, the Grandland has 84 segments that adapt to traffic conditions by automatically switching off individual units to avoid blinding the oncoming cars. The Grandland has an automatic hands-free tailgate that works extremely well, I even found myself using this feature while my hands were free.

 

VERDICT

While Opel might not be the first brand that comes to mind when the consumer goes to the market when looking for a car, but I like what they're offering. It's something different to the norm and if you like being different, but practical then this sort of car will appeal to you.The build quality is great,choice of materials used is premium and robust which is perfect for the typical usage for a car like this. The standard features rival most of the other European competitors which most offer as optional extras. This car, while different still serves its purpose and another great option for this ever growing segment, it brings about good competition and variety for the consumer. 

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine	1.6L Turbo-Petrol
Gear Box	6-Automatic with Paddle Shift
Torque	240Nm
Power	121kW
0-100km/h	8.9 seconds
Price	R720,900

Bucket Seat: Opel Mokka GS Line

Opel have always seemed to be the forgotten German brand, while they may not be punching high with their counterparts, their offerings are aimed more at the middle end market. Over the years in SA, the most popular model has to be the Corsa, apart from the quirky TV adverts, the car was the perfect fit for the lower income person, offering something that was not only affordable to the masses but looked great and was reasonable reliable. It was a hit with students and new earners, the model then expanded over into commercial types and then the introduction of the Corsa Bakkie just took the country by storm. Other models that were quite popular included the Astra and the much loved OPC models. The brand however remained under the radar for a while but in the past year with the introduction of some new models, the Opel name seems to be coming up again. While the newer Corsa might not be hitting the selling points as its original model, the cars offerings and designs are getting noticed. The latest model to arrive locally from the brand was the revised Mokka. A car that has garnered a lot of attention world over, thanks to its striking looks and great engine, I was quite keen to see what just had everyone out there speaking so highly about this car. 

DESIGN

One can't fault the Opel design team on this one, striking is a word that seems to be over used of recent but I can't come up with another superlative for this car. It has great European roots with a bit of modern American coming up with the chiseled front face. The colours just add that extra "perzaz" to the design and make the car pop more than it would when in the crowd. its definitely bold in appearance and while the design might be minimal, the little details add so much character to the shape. One thing that would get people scratching their head, is the flat grill which the headlamps fit on either ends of. There is no perforations, making it look like an electric car but sadly this one isn't as the vent is featured neatly below with the bigger grille slotted in the front diffuser at the lower end. The wheel arches are big and bold with black outlines, giving the car that bold crossover look. There are lots of black elements finished off in hardy type bumpable plastics that add to the rugged look of the Mokka. Side profile on the Mokka makes it look bigger than it actually is, also some elements of the new Corsa come through when looking at it from this perspective. Moving to the rear, more of that clean design comes through with the new signature Opel L shaped lights with the Mokka badge evenly spread apart on the tailgate. One thing that confused the hell out of me was finding the boot latch, but I later found out that it was hidden in the actual bumper of the car, rather than just using the key all the time to access the luggage compartment. 

PERFORMANCE

The Mokka is powered by a 1.2-litre, 3-cylinder Turbo engine, producing 96kW and 230Nm of torque, which at first didn't excite me too much but after driving around with it, it surprised me quite a lot. I guess that 8-speed gearbox has helped a lot in terms of delivering the right amount of power and torque to mitigate the lack of power by delivering the higher torque on the lower gears. You'll be surprised by the amount of power and speed you can get up to in a short distance with the Mokka, the motor puts out quite a punch from stand still, this will however impact your average fuel economy but its plenty of fun especially with a car this size. Handling on the Mokka is great, you don't actually feel the car being like an SUV but rather sporty hatch with a crossover type frame. The car handles great around bends and even out of corners with it being front wheel drive gets good acceleration when exiting. Overall, it seems like Opel have a good little engine on their hands, and even with me driving it most of the time on eco mode, I didn't really feel the need to switch the drive into sport mode.

COMFORT

Sports Coupe's are always impractical in one way or another and with the Mokka there is some gripes but nothing that is too concerning, we'll start with the good stuff. Seats, extremely comfortable for both driver and passenger. It has creature comforts such as dual climate control, seat heating and funny enough, massaging function for the driver which I found odd because the actual seat was manually adjustable but I wasn't complaining, after a game of golf, you will be surprised how much a lower back rub helps. The back seats however don't enjoy the same comforts and space is compromised as per normal with a sloped roof, there is just a single vent for the rear passengers and oddly enough the center front vent is one big which is located under the infotainment screen. The dash is designed very well with everything quite driver centric, with a large touchscreen infotainment and digital dash, my grip comes in with the interface for both. I feel that Opel have wasted a great opportunity by having big screens but not making good use of them. For example, the infotainment screen is squared out to show either the Opel OS or your mobile apps with big black borders either side displaying climate control settings. Then you get the dash, the animations shown are pretty bland and ordinary not making use of the entire display, so I think on their next upgrade they should focus on making these better. 

VERDICT

In the greater scheme of things, from what we're used to Opel, the new Mokka has taken massive strides into making the brand better and noticeable again. The amount of looks and comments I gotten while driving the Mokka, all of which was great feedback and I couldn't say anything bad about the car to them as well. So I hope the future models that roll off the production line from them yield similar interests as it will go a long way to help the brand get back up there competing with others. With a few tweaks this Mokka can be a great car for the market compared to its competitors, its a decent offering with good build quality and materials used on the inside, modern design and great little engine all at a competitive price. 

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine	1.2-litre Turbo
Gear Box	8-speed automatic
Torque	230Nm
Power	96kW
Fuel economy	6.1L/ 100km/h
Price	R527,900