Opel And Vauxhall Launch FWD Grandland X Plug-In Hybrid With 221 HP

The Opel / Vauxhall Grandland X SUV now offers two plug-in hybrid variants, as the PSA-owned automakers have released a front-wheel drive model.

The new PHEV badged Grandland X Hybrid joins the existing Hybrid4 all-wheel-drive version that was launched at the Frankfurt Motor Show earlier this year. While the latter delivers a combined output of 300 PS (296 HP), the FWD version is rated at 224 PS (221 HP) and up to 360 Nm (265 lb-ft) of torque.

The new model combines a 180 PS (178 HP) 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline unit with a single 110 PS (109 HP) electric motor (the AWD version uses two motors) coupled to an electrified eight-speed automatic transmission, and a 13.2 kWh lithium-ion battery.

Related: New Opel Grandland X Hybrid4 Has 300 Horses, Can Cover 52km In Battery Mode

The way this setup works is the combustion engine mostly engages at medium to high vehicle speeds, while the electric motor covers lower to medium speed driving. The all-electric driving range is rated at up to 57 km (35 miles) in the WLTP cycle (65 km/40 miles NEDC). This means the Opel/Vauxhall Grandland FWD plug-in hybrid has a 5-km (3-mile) longer pure-electric driving range than the AWD version, probably due to its weight.

According to Opel, the Grandland X Hybrid could potentially drive with zero emissions all of the time, given that most daily journeys in Germany cover a distance of under 50 km (31 miles). Charging the battery takes less than two hours with the optional 7.4 kW on-board charger.

The powertrain, which is shared with the Citroën C5 Aircross Hybrid, offers three driving modes: Electric, Hybrid and Sport. The Electric mode is self-explanatory, Hybrid allows the car to automatically select its most efficient method of propulsion, and Sport combines the power of both the combustion engine and electric motor.

In Sport mode, the Grandland X Hybrid can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 8.9 seconds and reach a top speed of 225 km/h (140 mph). Prices for the new plug-in hybrid model start at £32,390 in the UK (OTR) and €43,440 in Germany (including VAT).