VAUXHALL CROSSLAND HATCHBACK 1.2 Turbo GS 5dr

By Jonathan Crouch

Introduction

By 2020, Vauxhall had decided it needed not one but two small SUVs in its product portfolio, this little Crossland model sitting just below the second generation Mokka crossover in the company's crossover line-up. This Crossland was a facelift of the car we had first seen back in 2017 badged as the 'Crossland X'. In 2020, this model lost the 'X' in its name and received more engaging front-end styling that aimed to give it a more up-to-the-minute feel.

Models

5dr SUV (1.2 Turbo, 1.5 Turbo D)

History

Small SUVs are where the market's at these days - and by 2020 Vauxhall had two. The most affordable was their Crossland model, first launched in 2017 but usefully upgraded three years and 300,000 sales on to create the car we're going to look at here. Back in 2017 when Vauxhall small SUVs were 'X'-designated, the original version of this car, the Peugeot/Citroen-derived Crossland X, arrived to share showroom space - and much the same customer base - with the Griffin brand's older Korean-built Mokka X crossover. By the beginning of this century's third decade, both models had lost their 'X' designations and it was the other way around in Vauxhall dealerships. The Mokka (which by now also had Peugeot/Citroen engineering) was the newcomer and by 2020, the Crossland SUV was starting to show its age, hence a package of facelift updates which created the car we look at here. With sparkly new Mokka models in the showrooms, it was easy to wonder back in 2020 why Vauxhall really still needed this car. It did - and the brand was far from being alone in this period in offering a pair of very compact Crossover contenders in this segment. At this time, Fiat, Ford, Honda and Toyota were all also taking much the same approach - which worked fine providing the two products in question were fundamentally different, as was certainly the case here. The Crossland continued with the old PF1 platform used for older PSA Group small cars - unlike the Mokka which had got the conglomerate's newer CMP underpinnings. That was the reason why Crossland folk weren't offered any kind of engine electrification - or the kind of full-battery-powered option they could have in a comparable Corsa supermini. Still, continuing on with proven mechanicals allowed the brand to keep Crossland pricing tight, which was something that mattered much more to likely customers. The Crossland sold in this form until it was replaced by the Frontera in late-2024.

What You Get

Buyers in the smallest SUV segment tend to prioritise aesthetics more than those in larger Crossover categories, so with that in mind, it was important for Vauxhall to give this Crossland a more contemporary look and feel - which the brand was able to do here as part of the roll-out of its latest design language, showcased at the front. The nose got a so-called 'Vauxhall Vizor' front panel, a single module which runs across the face of the car containing LED headlights and the updated version of the marque's Griffin badge. In profile, the updates over the original Crossland are herder to spot - a chrome strip at the top of the lower door sill mouldings and a range of redesigned 16 and 17-inch wheels; that's about it. Move to the rear and the SUV design cues continue, clouding the reality that the Crossland doesn't actually sit much further off the ground than a typical family hatch. The high-mounted split rear lights, which smear round into the C-pillars to help with that floating roof illusion, gain dark tinting. Up front at the wheel, if you switch to a Crossland from, say, the kind of Corsa supermini model that flowed down the same Spanish Zaragoza production line, there's hardly any acclimatisation required at all: you don't even sit much higher. As for cabin updates made to this Crossland over the old Crossland X, well there aren't really any, though Vauxhall made a more supportive AGR-certified front seat more widely available and, as before, with sporty 'SRi' trim, you get stripy upholstery and brightly coloured door and fascia inserts to try and lift the ambiance a bit. Otherwise, this is an accurate snapshot of where the design of small SUVs was back in 2017, with a relatively small 7 or 8-inch centre-dash infotainment screen and an even more diminutive 3.5-inch one between the two clear but determinedly analogue instrument binnacle dials The rear is accessed through wide-opening doors. In its original form, the Crossland used to feel slightly bigger in the back than some of its key segment rivals - the old Nissan Juke for instance. It certainly felt more spacious than the old Mokka X. By 2020 though, both those cars had caught up, but the Crossland retained an advantage over both (and quite a few other small SUVs) with its provision of a sliding rear bench. We have to point out that the most affordable 'SE' spec Crossland variants didn't get this feature but if you can stretch to a spec level providing this item, you'll be able to prioritise either load or leg space by pushing the base either backwards or forwards over a range of up to 150-millimetres. Finally, let's consider the boot, which is accessed through a decently-sized rectangular aperture and is still one of the larger cargo bays in the class. On a model with the sliding rear seat, it's 410-litres in size with the bench pushed right back - or 520-litres with it pushed right forward. Push forward the backrest and up to 1,255-litres of fairly flat space is opened up.

What You Pay

Prices from this '20-plate-onwards Crossland start at around £9,425 for a typical 1.2-litre base-spec 'SE' variant on a '21-plate (around £11,500 retail). For the equivalent 'SE'-spec 1.5-litre diesel on an early '20-plate, you're looking at paying from around £10,100 (around £12,200 retail). With either engine, try and find some more for a better level of spec; mid-range 'SRi' trim values at around £1,000 more. One of the last late '24-plate models - say a petrol-powered 130hp 1.2-litre 'Design'-spec variant - values at around £15,700 (around £17,800 retail). All quoted values are sourced through industry experts cap hpi. Click here for a free valuation.

What to Look For

The Crossland seems to have a reasonable quality record, but we did come across complaints of cabin rattles in the interior. One owner found that the auto wipers didn't work properly - another experienced extreme wind noise in the cabin. Ensure that the car has been serviced on the button and that the mileage on the service record stamp tallies with what the odometer says. Favour cars that had the optional third middle rear head restraint fitted; there could be accident whiplash issues otherwise. The engines tend to be tough units with no serious problems to report. As usual, search for signs of interior child damage and scratched alloy wheels.

Replacement Parts

(approx based on a 2021 Crossland 1.2 petrol - Ex Vat) An air filter costs in the £10-£47 bracket. An oil filter costs in the £4-£39 bracket. A fuel filter costs in the £6-£30 bracket. Front brake pads sit in the £17-£108 bracket for a set; for a rear set, it's in the £15 to £136 bracket. Front brake discs sit in the £17-£59 bracket. Rear brake discs sit in the £37-£75 bracket. A radiator is around £60-£130. And a starter motor is in the £98-£157 bracket. A wiper blade is in the £7-£40 bracket. An alternator is in the £157-£392 bracket.

On the Road

As with the original Crossland X, this little urban SUV's target market is to suburban folk who'll use it for commuting or school run duties as a second car. And in that undemanding role, it is of course, very much in its element. This facelifted Crossland got tighter damping and uprated suspension (new springs and dampers) in an effort to reduce body roll and improve the ride a little, though that remained somewhat unsettled on poorer surfaces. There was a new steering column too, supposed to improve steering feel, though that remained somewhat vague. At least the old PF1 platform this car sat on remained relatively light by class standards. And the car retained the excellent 1.2-litre three cylinder Stellantis Group petrol engines it had had before - in slightly updated RDE2 and Euro6d-compliant forms. We'd council you to try and avoid the base normally aspirated 83PS version of this powerplant, which lacks pulling power and is saddled with an old-school 5-speed manual gearbox. Most Crossland folk rightly choose this engine in its turbocharged form, probably in its volume 110PS guise, where it's mated with a 6-speed stick shifter and gets proper mid-range pulling power for safer overtaking. The WLTP efficiency figures of this unit are very competitive too, with a combined cycle fuel figure of up to 48.7mpg and a CO2 reading of up to 131g/km. This engine also comes in an uprated 130PS form, in which guise it could also be had with a 6-speed auto gearbox. The auto option also applies to the alternative 1.5-litre diesel variant, which comes in 110PS form as a manual or 120PS guise as an auto.

Overall

Understated is also a word we might use to describe the visual updates made to this Vauxhall Crossland model in 2020. But the changes did give this little SUV a fresher look; the dynamic updates are difficult to feel but the extra efficiency and additional camera safety kit added as part of this update is welcome. Otherwise, this model is much as it was when it bore an X in its name. The AGR-certified driver's seat is a real selling point and there's a space-efficient cabin (with the sliding rear bench option you can't have in a Mokka from this period, a car which has a much smaller boot). Plus Crossland customers will like the trendy two-tone finishing and the range of efficient engines - including (unusually in a small SUV from this period) a choice of diesel units. The fact that the driving dynamics remain unremarkable will be of limited interest to likely customers. If you've decided on a Vauxhall-badged small SUV and don't want to pay extra for a Mokka, we see no reason why you'd be disappointed with this car. It's not a class leader, but it is class-typical and if that's enough for you and the price is right, go ahead and try one.

Body Glass

Heated rear window

Side window demist vents

Intermittent rear wash/wipe

2 speed wipers/wash wipe/intermittent wipe

Collapsible windscreen wipers

Dark tinted rear side windows + tailgate window

Rain sensitive windscreen wipers

Windscreen demist vents

Solar heat absorbing windscreen

Electrically operated front and rear windows with safety auto reverse and one touch up/down facility

Brakes

Anti-lock brake system

Electronic Stability Programme + traction control

Hill start assist

Hydraulic Brake Assist (HBA)

CSC - Cornering stability control

Engine drag torque control

EBD - Electronic brakeforce distribution

Automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection

Hydraulic brake boost

Carpets/Rugs

Fully carpeted luggage area

Chassis/Suspension

Front wheel drive

Communication

E-call

Vehicle microphone

Driver Aids

Speed sensitive power steering

Cruise control + speed limiter

Front camera system

Forward collision warning

Panoramic rear view camera

Front and rear parking distance sensors

Driver drowsiness alert system

Speed sign recognition

Lane departure warning with lane keep assist

Driver Convenience

Start/stop system

Driver Information

Service interval indicator

Outside temperature display with ice warning

Multi function trip computer

Audible lights on warning

Instrumentation - Speedometer, rev counter, low fuel gauge warning light + water temperature gauge warning light, shift up/down indicate light

Smartphone projection

Refridgerant low indicator

Digital clock with automatic RDS time adjustment

Multimedia sat nav pro with 8" colour touchscreen, AM/FM, Bluetooth streaming, Bluetooth mobile phone portal, apple CarPlay/Android Auto + 6 speakers

3.5" colour instrument display

Driving Mirrors

Electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors

Black door mirror caps

Automatic anti dazzle rear view mirror

Embellishment Trims

Cluster black with chrome rings

Black facia with dark grey trim inserts

Silver trim inserts on front doors

Entertainment

DAB Digital radio

Steering wheel mounted audio/phone/cruise controls

2 x USB connections

Exterior Body Features

Body colour door handles

Body colour front and rear bumpers

Upper and lower bumper design

Black upper window moulding

Flexible roof mounted aerial

Integrated tailgate spoiler

Rear side wing doors

Black griffin logo, vizor frame, rear lettering and skid plates

Exterior Lights

Reversing light

Manual headlamp level control

Automatic lighting control

Welcome lighting

LED daytime running lights

LED Headlights

LED front fog lights

Rear fog lights

LED side repeat indicators

Hazard warning lights

Headlamps for left side traffic

LED 3rd brake light

Automatic high beam control with cornering light

Heating/Cooling/Ventilation

Dual zone electronic climate control

Air recirculation facility

Four adjustable facia vents

Rear floor ventilation ducts

Cabin particulate filter - removes dust, airborne particles and pollen

Multi-speed fan with Illuminated control

Interior Features

Reach + rake adjustable steering column

3 spoke leather covered steering wheel

Glovebox with lid

Passenger assist handles

Luggage compartment cover

12v power outlet - front

Satin chrome effect bezel on steering wheel

Front door pockets with 1.5 litre bottle holder

Rear door pockets with 0.5 litre bottle holder

Chrome effect digital instrument cluster surround

Banda cloth upholstery

Centre console with two cup holders and open storage box

Front centre armrest for drivers seat

Interior Lights

Illuminated load area

Front map reading lights

Ambient lighting

Fade up/fade down on interior lighting

Front and rear central courtesy light

Rear dome lamp

Safety

Energy absorbing steering column

Reinforced passenger safety cell

Deformation zones front and rear

Side impact protection beams

Seatbelt load limiter

Passenger airbag deactivate switch

Rear seat belt pretensioners

Full size curtain airbags

Tyre pressure monitoring system

Child locks on rear doors

3x3 point rear seatbelts

Dual seatbelt pretensioners on front seats

Inertia reel lap and diagonal seatbelts for all seats

Driver and front passenger airbags

Front side impact airbag

Deactivate switch for side impact airbags

Smart seatbelt reminder for front and rear seats

Seats

Height adjustable front/rear head restraints

Isofix system on outer rear seats

3 seat bench in 2nd row

60/40 split folding rear seat backrest

Anti submarining ramps in front seats

Jet black fabric side bolsters

Single front passenger seat

4 way manual adjustable driver seats with height, reach and backrest

2 way adjustable front passenger seat with reach, backrest

Security

Engine immobiliser

Locking wheel bolts

Visible vehicle identification number

Remote control central locking

2 remote folding keys

Remote control security alarm system

Electronically protected audio equipment

Vanity Mirrors

Driver's vanity mirror with flip up cover

Passenger's illuminated vanity mirror with flip up cover

Wheels - Alloy

17" five twin spoke black alloy wheels

Emissions - ICE

Standard Euro Emissions: EURO 6

WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Comb - TEL: 131

WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Comb - TEH: 134

WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Comb: 133

WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Extra High: 144

WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - High: 115

WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Medium: 126

WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Low: 153

Particles: N

HC+NOx: N

Engine and Drive Train

Fuel Delivery: TURBO DIRECT INJECTION

Gears: 6 SPEED

Transmission: MANUAL

Engine Layout: FRONT TRANSVERSE

Catalytic Convertor: No

CC: 1199

Camshaft: DOHC

Number of Valves: 12

Cylinder Layout: IN-LINE

Cylinders: 3

Cylinders - Stroke (mm): 90

Cylinders - Bore (mm): 75

Fuel Consumption - ICE

WLTP - MPG - High: 55.4

WLTP - MPG - Comb - TEL: 48.7

WLTP - MPG - Comb: 47.9

WLTP - MPG - Extra High: 44.1

WLTP - MPG - Medium: 50.4

WLTP - MPG - Low: 41.5

WLTP - MPG - Comb - TEH: 47.9

WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Comb: 5.9

WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Extra High: 6.4

WLTP - FC (l/100km) - High: 5.1

WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Medium: 5.6

WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Low: 6.8

WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Comb - TEL: 5.8

WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Comb - TEH: 5.9

EC Directive 1999/100/EC Applies: 0

General

Special Edition: 0

Service Interval Frequency - Months: 12

NCAP Adult Occupant Protection %: N

Special Order: 0

Based On ID: N

Insurance Group 1 - 50 Effective January 07: 17E

Coin Description: Turbo

NCAP Child Occupant Protection %: N

Did at least one aspect of this vehicle's safety give cause for concern?: 0

NCAP Pedestrian Protection %: N

NCAP Safety Assist %: N

Service Interval Mileage: 12500

NCAP Overall Rating - Effective February 09: N

Badge Power: 110

Badge Engine CC: 1.2

Standard manufacturers warranty - Years: 3

Standard manufacturers warranty - Mileage: 60000

Manufacturers Corrosion Perforation Guarantee - Years: 6

Vehicle Homologation Class: M1

Coin Series: GS

Generation Mark: 1

Alternative Fuel Qualifying: 0

Performance

Top Speed: 116

0 to 62 mph (secs): 10.5

Engine Power - KW: 81

Engine Power - RPM: 5500

Engine Power - BHP: 110

Engine Torque - MKG: 20.9

Engine Power - PS: No

0 to 60 mph (secs): No

Engine Torque - LBS.FT: 151

Engine Torque - NM: 205

Engine Torque - RPM: 1750

Test Cycles

RDE Certification Level: RDE 2

Emissions Test Cycle: WLTP

Tyres

Alloys?: No

Tyre Size Rear: 215/50 R17

Tyre Size Spare: TYRE REPAIR KIT

Wheel Type: 17" ALLOY

Tyre Size Front: 215/50 R17

Wheel Style: 5 TWIN SPOKE

Space Saver?: 0

Vehicle Dimensions

Length: 4212

Height (including roof rails): 1605

Height: N

Width (including mirrors): 1976

Wheelbase: 2604

Width: 1765

Weight and Capacities

Turning Circle - Kerb to Kerb: 11.2

Luggage Capacity (Seats Down): 1255

Max. Roof Load: 70

No. of Seats: 5

Luggage Capacity (Seats Up): 410

Max. Loading Weight: 555

Max. Towing Weight - Unbraked: 600

Max. Towing Weight - Braked: 840

Fuel Tank Capacity (Litres): 45

Gross Vehicle Weight: 1770

Minimum Kerbweight: 1215

Exterior Body Features

Two coat metallic paint

Body colour roof

Paint - Metallic

Two coat metallic - Crystal silver

Two coat metallic - Carbon black

Two coat metallic - Contrast grey

Paint - Special

Brilliant Paint - Arctic white

Trim - Cloth

Banda cloth - Jet black/white

Wheels - Spare

Spare wheel provision