Such a fine time, such a happy timeMadness (The Rise & Fall 1982)
“Well, there are worse things.” We are in the usual bar, at the usual table with the usual coffees. I have the Cortado, which is rather a coffee with a strong prominence of semi-skimmed milk, Antonio with the black coffee, which looks like a tiny black and oily lake in a sad and whitish crater. Antonio likes to blurt out those kinds of phrases. It is obvious that he does it to save time. I see in his eyes that he is thinking about what I have told him. That he hasn’t fully understood it and now he is processing it. He takes another sip of his coffee. I don’t know anyone who can last so many sips on a black coffee. But that is another of his techniques to buy time. «Probably Antonio» I tell him holding his hand «but right now… I can’t think of any». Antonio looks gravely at the ground. His cup is empty so he uses the last of his repertoire techniques. His face would be his. Frown and look down. But I’m sure he’s still thinking. It must be recognized that it is not easy to assimilate.
Behind the bar, Samuel snorts the coffee pot to reluctantly heat water for a pennyroyal. A guy I don’t know is at the bar seducing a glass of cognac, caressing it with his fingers. He is sitting gazing longingly at the slot machine with eyes that he has few bitches to feed. A woman with a shopping cart approaches the other side of the bar and supports a bag from which the stems of some leeks that have suffered in public transport protrude. She orders a gin and tonic. Samuel asks what brand do you want the gin. She only has two and on one of the bottles the label is peeled off. But it is imported. No one is surprised by the drink at 11 in the morning. They know that Luisa needs her. Menuda has set up at home. Grandpa Luis is sitting in the background. In the darkest part of the bar. He has been looking at the same Marca page for twenty minutes. From time to time Samuel comes over to clean the table. He moves the cane and the olives and checks that the grandfather is still breathing. «But then…» It seems that Antonio’s mind is finally processing what I have confessed to him. “From another planet you say?”
After conquering the market with SUVs, manufacturers are not going to easily give up a type of vehicle that is bringing them so much joy in the sales section. This is the case of the German manufacturer Opel, now under the broad umbrella of the Stellantis group, which offers in its own catalog its own range of vehicles with off-road airs that have known how to hit the key. In the case of Opel, the Crossland is one of its main bets as a medium-large SUV with all the technological support of the group, which translates into an interesting range of engines.
| Parsed model | Opel Grossland |
| Engine and finish | Ultimate 1.2 Turbo 130 CV |
| Power | 130 hp |
| Max speed | 198 km/h |
| Acceleration o-100 | 10.2s |
| Length/width/height | 4151/1791/1534mm |
| Maximum power RPM | 136 hp 6,000 rpm |
| Max torque Nm/RPM | 260Nm |
| Gearbox | automatic |
| Web | https://www.opel.es/ |
| Price | €38,100 |
The evolution of this model has led to its renewal and we have been able to test a unit to check the changes made to this new generation. We already had the opportunity to test a previous generation Crossland model, a spacious car with good aptitudes for the road. This new generation incorporates aesthetic changes and other improvements but also seeks to preserve the identity of the model it comes from.
A quiet SUV
The first thing that jumps out when looking at the Crossland is that its lines stand out from that search that we have found in other manufacturers to highlight a silhouette closer to those of a car, a somewhat sportier design. In fact, due to its appearance, the Crossland is related to minivans, so its design can favor the habitability and luminosity of the interior, two characteristics of this type of vehicle and the Meriva, the Opel model it has replaced for years.
On the front Opel has placed its new identity mark, a sheet of shiny black plastic material in the middle of the nose that joins the two headlights and that shows off the brand’s logo in the center. In addition, the headlights have a sharper design, so the appearance of the front is somewhat more aggressive and sporty than in the previous Crossland. The air intake between the headlights is lost, which is placed under the aforementioned black stripe and increases in size in addition to changing its design.
The holes for the auxiliary lights that we find on the sides of the bumper also change their appearance. A gray molding is added that surrounds the grille, it stands out in the center giving a more aggressive appearance to the front compared to the Crossland design of the previous generation. In general, the appearance of the front part is much more modern and updated, also in line with the design of the new models that the German house has presented, such as the new Mokka.
Few changes
Regarding the side, the design has changed less, only the modified silhouette of the front part and the rims that in the model we tested were of the 17-inch two-tone type, a new option available for this car. At the rear there are also tweaks such as the headlights that now have a gray background, again in line with the new designs of the latest models that Opel has launched. On the rear bumper, the shape of the gray molding in the center has also been changed to give it a more modern nod.
The interior of the Crossland is identical to that of the previous generation, with robust but somewhat spartan finishes and, above all, plenty of space. The front seats are spacious and have good visibility, thanks also to the large glass surfaces that rival those found in a minivan. Behind the wheel, the gauges are still somewhat spartan for the car category and behind what the competition offers (even within the same group) but perfectly legible and functional.
New seats
A novelty are the seats, which are of the AGR type and correspond to the design of a German association for postural and back health. A plus that is appreciated on long trips and that is noticeable when we are sitting for a long time. Also the touch is very good, since they are upholstered with a combination of synthetic leather and Alcantara. In addition to the seats, we will only find the imitation leather upholstery on the steering wheel (not the gear knob, for example).
As far as the infotainment system is concerned, it has been updated but is still in a very low position. They do not change either the screen or the layout of the buttons since, as we mentioned, in the part of the dashboard Opel has not made any changes in this new model with respect to the previous one. In the back we also find the same design and the same space as the previous model.
The panoramic roof is a very interesting aesthetic and luminosity detail, although it cannot be opened. The seats are comfortable for two occupants, although the legroom is not the largest, although it is in height. As usual in this type of car, a third party, on the other hand, will travel somewhat more uncomfortable. In addition, the upholstery of the central seat is made of a different material, smoother than the one that covers the side seats.
Good trunk
Regarding the trunk, the space is good with 410 liters of capacity with the possibility that its floor can be placed at two different heights, leaving a space under it to place small objects. It is a regular illuminated space with hooks for fixing objects. In addition, the armrest of the rear seats can be folded down to get an additional space to place long objects.
Before performing the dynamic test, as always, it is essential to look at the mechanical section. In this case, this Opel mounts a supercharged 1.2-liter gasoline engine that produces 130 horsepower, which is associated with a six-speed torque converter automatic gearbox. On paper it is a sufficient engine to move the mass of the Crossland, although something more fair if what we want is to make a more dynamic and sporty driving.
First impressions are good as the engine has an excellent torque figure for its displacement. The 230 Nm make the Crossland has no problem starting and recovering even with a loaded car. Some more problem when lengthening the accelerations where the combination of engine and gearbox are somewhat lazier so we will exceed ten seconds to reach 100 kilometers per hour from a standstill.
A family SUV
In this sense, it can be said that the soul of this car is more familiar than dynamic, since it is more comfortable on the highway and in the city than on highways if we want to drive at a high pace. On the other hand, the behavior in curves continues to seem very good to us with honest trajectories and few corrections, although it lacks some brio at the exit of the curves to maintain a good pace.
The suspensions also seem somewhat softer than those of its predecessor, although they maintain their good behavior in curves as we have already mentioned. This translates above all into better absorption of obstacles on the road and especially at low speeds in the city. The change is also comfort-oriented but that makes it somewhat lazy when we try to give the car’s behavior a little more brio.
In terms of acoustic comfort, the three-cylinder engine is not a good ally for a pleasant sound, but soundproofing has improved and ride comfort is good, especially with the engine at the right temperature. With regard to consumption, if we always stay in the lower part of the rev counter we can achieve good averages that are close to six and a half litres, but as soon as we want to step on the accelerator, consumption rises significantly, as is usual in engines. of gasoline so small.
Conclusions
The Opel Crossland is not a car that can be fooled. Although its appearance has been streamlined, the design makes it clear that what the German manufacturer offers is a family car, with wide doors, good interior space and without major experiments in equipment or motorization. In this section, the 130-horsepower gasoline engine that we were able to test moves the car with ease (more than the one we tested from the previous generation had) but in no case gives for sporting joys.
It can be said that in this case Opel has decided on a continuous line and has not provided too many novelties compared to the Crossland with that X that adorned the name of the previous generation model. Few risks in a car that with a few inconspicuous improvements can continue to give joy in the form of sales with a solid and comfortable proposal whose main objective is an audience that is looking for a more familiar vehicle.
Final evaluation
7.5
NOTE
WE LIKE
Good ride comfort
Comfortable seats
TO IMPROVE
It lacks some dynamism
Somewhat dated finishes
SUMMARY
The Crossland is still an SUV with a minivan vocation with good qualities of ride comfort and ability but lacking some dynamism
