Europe’s compact crossover market gets a big boost this year with the arrival of some fresh electrified metal. Ford has already previewed its Explorer and Peugeot has pulled the covers off its e-3008, both of which will start filtering through to showrooms during 2024. And arriving soon after the Peugeot, is the e-3008’s Opel (Vauxhall for UK buyers) cousin, the Grandland. The Grandland rides on the same Stellantis STLA Medium platform as the Pug, and it’ll get the same electric powertrain lineup, too. So while Opel hasn’t revealed specs yet, we already know that the e-3008 starts off with a single-motor, front-wheel drive model making 207 hp that can cover 525 km on a full charge of its 73 kWh battery.
A Long Range version uses a 98 kWh pack to
bump output to 227 hp and extend the driving range to 700
km, while a flagship dual-motor variant sends 316 hp to all four
wheels and matches the base car’s 326-mile range. Opel says it’s going
all-electric by 2028, but we suspect the Grandland will also be offered with
combustion power, at least initially. The STLA platform can handle both hybrid
and EV powertrains and Peugeot has confirmed that the plain 3008 that will sell
alongside the e-3008 will come with the firm’s new 1.2-liter mild-hybrid
engine, so expect Opel to offer it as well, unless it wants to miss out on tens
of thousands of sales. The little triple sends 134 hp to the front
wheels through a six-speed dual-clutch transmission, while a PHEV is probably
very likely to be on the menu, possibly wearing Opel’s sporty GSe badge and
trim.
The test team has equipped this latest
prototype with a new set of wheels, but unfortunately hasn’t stripped away any
layers of disguise since our spy photographers last snapped the Grandland in
November. That makes it hard to get a clear idea of what the finished car will
look like, though we can be sure it’ll feature the same chiseled design
language and ‘vizor’ face introduced on the Astra a couple of years ago.
