Motoring with Joe Rayfus: Can the Grandland be Opel’s comeback kid?

I still remember when Opel was part of the Irish motoring furniture. Corsas buzzing around housing estates, Astras parked outside every GAA club, and in fact, the last time I played a game of Hurling I owned an Astra. Which, unfortunately, wasn’t yesterday.

Then, somewhere along the way, Opel became the lad who stopped turning up to the weekly five-a-side slot, not forgotten, just missing in action.

Now, though, Opel’s back with a new team behind it. After years of being shackled to General Motors, the brand was adopted into the Stellantis family – the same folks who own Peugeot, Citroën, Fiat, Jeep and a rake of others. Think of it like being transferred to a better-run club: you get the same training facilities as your teammates, but you’re free to play your own style.

The new Grandland Electric is one of the first real signs of this revival. Built on the same underpinnings as Peugeot’s latest E-3008, it’s not here to set Nürburgring records, it’s here to get Irish families from A to B in comfort, without a hint of drama; and when dressed in the carbon black paint work and privacy glass of the test car, it is very stylish.

From behind the wheel, the Grandland doesn’t pretend to be sporty. The steering is light, the ride is cushioned, and it floats over our battered regional roads unbothered and unhurried. It’s a car that feels most at home doing the school run, cruising the M50, or heading for Wexford with the boot full and the kids snacking in the back.

Performance? Let’s just say it’s “sufficient”. The single electric motor serves up 210bhp, which is fine for overtaking on an N road but not the sort of thing that will have you grinning in a layby. Zero to 100km/h in nine seconds isn’t going to worry Tesla owners, but for its intended audience, that’s just fine.

This is where Opel really benefits from being in the Stellantis fold. The cabin feels properly modern, good materials, a neat dash layout, and a widescreen infotainment setup that’s slightly easier to use than Peugeot’s equivalent. There’s plenty of space too, with a decent boot and underfloor storage to hide away charging cables. Rear legroom is competitive, meaning the back seats are actually usable for adults on longer journeys.

The interior is very smart. The minimalist dashboard will possibly divide opinion, but compared to Opel interiors of old, this is a huge leap forward both in terms of layout and build quality.

Opel claims 523km from the 73kWh battery. In the real world, expect closer to 440km, which is still solid for a mid-size electric crossover. The efficiency is decent, and if you can find a 150kW DC fast charger, a 10–80% top-up takes about 25 minutes, which is just enough time for a coffee and a scroll through your social media feeds.

A larger 93kWh battery is coming soon, with an official range nudging 700km. If it delivers anywhere near that in real-world conditions, it could be a game-changer for long-distance drivers.

Here’s where the Grandland makes its strongest argument: price. Starting at €39,065 after grants, and €43,763 for the high-spec GS we tested, it’s keenly positioned against rivals like the VW ID.4, Skoda Enyaq, Renault Scenic E-Tech, and Ford’s new Explorer EV. It’s a lot of car for the money – and not just metal-for-metal, but range, refinement, and practicality too.

The Grandland gives you EV refinement, family-size space, and a healthy range for not much more.

The Grandland Electric isn’t a show-off. It’s not the car you buy to impress the neighbours or set lap times. It’s the car you buy because it will quietly and competently do everything you need it to, while costing less than many flashier rivals.

Opel’s challenge is convincing people to come back into the showroom. Many Irish buyers have long since defected to brands that were simply more present during Opel’s wilderness years. But for those willing to take another look, the Grandland offers plenty of reasons to believe Opel’s best days might not be behind it after all.