Vauxhall Crossland X Review

We have all seen the new Vauxhall Crossland X advert, haven’t we?

With a tagline of “Raising a family and some eyebrows” the new Crossland X is family car and SUV crossover which combines space and style with a family friendly price-tag.

If you haven’t, take a look:

We were given the opportunity to put the Crossland X through its paces whilst on holiday in the Lake District.

I am used to driving a big 7-seater car, but with Kian learning to drive we are considering down-sizing. However, the three younger kids are all still in car seats and finding a car which can get three across the backseat is always a challenge.

Did the Crossland X pass the 3 car seat challenge

Yes and No!

Sebastian and Eliza’s car seats have wide, padded wings and poor Isaac would not have been able to squeeze in between them, even out of a car seat, however, we have narrower ones for Hubby’s car and we did manage to squeeze the three kids in the back.

Boot Space

Another issue we struggle with is boot space, however the Crossland X was more than up for the challenge and we almost fitted all our gear for our weeks holiday in the boot. The only exception was Sebby and Eliza’s Trunki suitcases which went in the rear footwells.

What is it like to drive?

I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised.

Inside, the Crossland X feels bright and airy. There’s loads of space up front thanks to the large windscreen that stretches out beyond the large dashboard, while in the rear there’s enough head and leg room for even the teen. It’s been designed with practicality in mind with large storage pockets in the doors for those important toys!

The car performed as well on motorways as it did on the narrow country roads of the Lake District and because it is a smaller car to what I am used to, it could squeeze through those little gaps that other cars leave you on single lane roads.

The dashboard was easy to read and I really liked the satnav feature that came up both on the central panel and on my dashboard.

We have had some weird weather over the summer and a feature I loved was the automatic windscreen wipers and lights, which really came into their own during a torrential thunderstorm.

The car also has a speed limiting feature, which is great if you worry about exceeding the speed limit, cruise control and lane control which beeps at you if you go out of a lane without indicating. It even tells you when to change gear!

OnStar

Hubby loves his in-car tech and was very impressed with the in-car infotainment system OnStar which is Apple and Android compatible. You can use it to play music from your phone, take phonecalls and even send a text message using Siri.

OnStar is Vauxhall’s latest development in vehicle technology which includes High-speed 4G LTE mobile Wi-Fi hotspot for up to 7 devices. This was a godsend on our 7 hour drive to the Lake District as it meant the kids could play their games and watch films on the iPad.

OnStar can also connect you to an advisor (for destination information, roadside assistance, including a flat tyre and running out of fuel), vehicle diagnostics and help with problems with the Wi-Fi, emergency response and notification and stolen vehicle recovery technology. If the air bag deploys then OnStar will automatically be alerted. They can detect the location, see what parts of the car have been impacted and send the emergency services to you with the key information. OnStar also has an automatic Car Response to check that you are okay.

Smartphone users are also able to connect their vehicle remotely with the OnStar app, called ‘MyVauxhall’. The app allows you to contact OnStar, view vehicle diagnostics, remotely lock and unlock the car, locate the car, honk the horn and flash the lights as well as downloading destinations to the in-car navigation system.

The Crossland X has climate control, which can be adjusted so you have different temperatures on the passenger and drivers side – perfect for Hubby and I as I prefer to be cool when driving and he likes to keep warm.

For those that like their added extra’s, it also comes with 16-inch alloy wheels, LED daytime running lights and a rear reversing camera so you can park easily.

Is the Crossland X the car for us?

If I am honest, no. Whilst we love all the features, in particularly the OnStar, it is not big enough for us as a family of five. I would say it is the perfect size car for 2 adults and up to two children or those that no longer need a car seat.

The Vauxhall Crossland X is on sale now, priced from £16,555.

Disclaimer: We were lent the Vauxhall Crossland X to review during a week in the Lake District. All opinions are our own.