Vauxhall Grandland Electric review

The Grandland Electric handles fairly respectably for a heavy family SUV, but you can feel the compromise inherent in the heavy battery setup. The multi-link suspension is an upgrade over the petrol version's torsion beam, and the ride is firmed up to keep the extra weight in check (the Electric weighs in at 2,700kg to the petrol car's 2,100).

Trick electronic dampers try their best to smooth things out, but don’t quite manage it – we found it fidgety and slightly turbulent. Dial it back (as you’ll want to in an electric car) and the Grandland settles down a bit. Ahh.

Is it fast? 

Not especially. It accelerates smoothly and calmly, but press the accelerator too hard and the front wheels dissolve into wheelspin. Zero to 62mph in 9.0 seconds (compared with 10.2s in the mild hybrid) and a Vmax of 106mph is a bit slow, but it's not like you're going to be setting any hot laps round Silverstone here.

As ever, you won't appreciate the irritating but legally mandated safety bongs, which reset at the start of every journey. Fortunately there is a shortcut button below the infotainment screen which takes you directly to the driver assist menu where you can turn them off.

What about efficiency?

Vauxhall claims up to 4.5mi/kWh and 325 miles of range from the 73kWh battery, but we got 3.4mi/kWh and an indicated 248 miles out of a full charge. Granted that was during a particularly chilly spell, but we've seen other manufacturers manage the winter drop-off better. Some do it worse, of course...

There are a few drive modes – Eco, Normal and Sport – which alter things like the steering, braking and pedal response. It defaults to Normal on startup and in all likelihood it’s the mode you’ll stick to, unless you’re really trying to conserve range. Put it in Sport at your peril.

Steering wheel paddles add a further level of involvement, with three levels of regen, the lowest being more suitable for motorway driving (though you can't turn it off completely for coasting, strangely), and the highest better for stop-start urban driving.

Talk charge times to me…

Fast charge capability of up to 160kW means it can charge from 20 to 80 per cent in under half an hour – 26 minutes, to be precise – if you can find a plug fast enough. It'll be longer at home obviously, but the 11kW onboard charger means a full top-up will be easily achievable overnight if you’ve had your electric beefed up at home.