If the weights and performance figures for the Crossland X look remarkably like those for the Citroën C3 Aircross, that’s no surprise as the cars are closely related under the skin. However, the Vauxhall has fewer redeeming features than the Citroën.
Interior quality is a weakness, and the Crossland X doesn’t have the distinctive style of the C3 Aircross. It’s also more expensive to buy.
The high-biting clutch doesn’t make smooth driving easy, whether you are towing or driving solo, and there’s noticeable vibration through the pedals.
Ride comfort is poor, and that’s not compensated by an entertaining drive on twisty roads.
Although reasonably stable at speed, the car took some time to recover from sharp steering inputs.
The 30-60mph time of 15.6 seconds looks reasonable on paper, but can only be achieved by wringing the engine’s neck.
Boot space is 410 litres with the rear seats fully back and 520 litres with them fully forward. That’s not bad for a crossover of this size, but our practicality testers could only find space for less than half their holiday luggage.
Running costs shouldn’t be excessive as the car sits in insurance group 18E and has an official combined figure of 55.4mpg. However, that’s not enough to compensate for a lacklustre drive.
