4 things we love about the Opel Crossland X
Over the last few days we’ve been driving Opel’s latest small SUV, the Crossland X. Opel introduced its newest member to its X-family towards the end of 2017 and while we got to sample it at its launch, we’ve now had a better chance to get to know it. Here’s what stood out…
5 things we love about the Opel Crossland X
We’ve been driving the 1,2-litre Cosmo version, which is powered by a 3-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine and mated to a five-speed manual gearbox.
- Small in size, big in personality
The Crossland X might be small in size, but it’s got quite a big personality on the road. With a variety of fun exterior contrasting colour options to choose from, and a quirky exterior and interior, the Crossland X has quite a lot of punch and quirk to it, not just from a visual point of view, but from the driver’s seat too. As an urban crossover, the Crossland was a pleasure to drive in and around Cape Town’s busy city centre. I love that it’s small enough to get in and out of tricky parking spots, but spacious enough to enjoy a mini-road trip up the West Coast, for example.
Also read: Car Review: Opel Crossland X
2. Well equipped
There are a number of useful features inside the Crossland X. Worth noting is the amount of storage compartment for things like keys, chargers and phones that can be neatly stored in the cabin.
Full climate control in the Cosmo version maintains the cabin’s temperature while rotary switches and buttons are easy-to-use and simply laid out for manual adjusting. A multifunction steering wheel offers the driver further control and convenience, but my favourite feature inside the Crossland X is its super clear and refined touch screen infotainment system (7 or 8 inch screens available). It’s sleek, easy-to-use and offers a really nice screen resolution without any glare.
3. Silky smooth
The 5-speed manual transmission gearbox in the Crossland X is smooth and you can make the most of extended acceleration when changing from gear to gear. The Crossland X’s third gear is where power really starts to impress and I found that accelerating uphill was just as impressive even in higher gears.
4. 20/20 Vision
A panoramic reverse camera is added to the Cosmo derivative and you really have to try it for yourself to see just how easy it is to get in and out of tricky parking spots, with a bird’s eye view of everything around you. No need for car guards!
With so many compact crossovers to compete with, what really makes the Crossland X stand out is that it’s a friendly, family-orientated and pleasantly comfortable car to drive. And if this isn’t quite what you’re looking for, Opel has a number of new models heading for South Africa in 2018, with four electric models by 2020.
The Crossland X is sold with a fully-comprehensive 5-year/120 000 km warranty and roadside assistance programme, a 5-year/unlimited mileage anti-corrosion warranty and a 3-year/60 000 km service plan. Service intervals are 15 000 km or twelve months for all derivatives.
Pricing starts at R265 000 for the 1,2 MT.