Frankfurt show: Opel Grandland X previewed

OPEL has revealed more pictures and details of its Grandland X seven-seat medium SUV ahead of an official unveiling at the Frankfurt motor show in September this year.

Details of the new mid-sized SUV, which shares the new Peugeot 3008’s EMP2 platform, were aired early in 2017.

At 4477mm long, 1844mm wide and 1636mm high, it will be the largest SUV Opel has produced, and will come with driver aid technology including automatic emergency braking and adaptive cruise control with pedestrian detection.

However, the Grandland X is unlikely to make it to Australia with a Holden badge, thanks in part to the buyout of Opel by PSA earlier this year.

On the surface, the Grandland X – which appears in RHD Vauxhall guise in the official images – would appear to be a good fit for Holden’s renewed focus on SUVs the Grandland X would be a straight substitute for the ageing Captiva in terms of market positioning.

However, Holden is committed to replacing the seven-seat Captiva with the larger, US-sourced Acadia in 2018, while the Equinox – also sourced from the US – will take the place of the discontinued Captiva 5 mid-sizer later this year.

Holden was non-committal about the Grandland X’s future for Australia.

“The Opel Grandland X looks like a great car however, we have nothing to announce at this time,” said product communications manager Mark Flintoft.

“Holden will concentrate its SUV offering on the new Trax and Trailblazer, with the mid-sized Equinox and Acadia set to join them later in 2017 and 2018 respectively.”

The Grandland X will replace the second-gen Zafira people-mover in Opel’s European markets – the plusher Zafira Tourer should live on – and will go on sale in 2018, which could mean a wait of between one and two years before it could be considered for Australia.

Nothing in terms of vehicle supply has been confirmed for Holden from the former GM subsidiary after the current Astra and incoming Commodore complete their respective life cycles as GM-based products, which is expected to be between five and seven years.