Opel’s new Crossland X is a soft-roader designed to tackle the urban jungle

By Ronan Glon Published September 25, 2020

General Motors‘ Germany-based Opel division has introduced the 2017 Crossland X, a compact crossover designed to replace the Meriva.

While the Meriva was essentially a Euro-flavored minivan, the 165-inch long Crossland X adopts a more rugged design with a little bit more ground clearance as well as plastic cladding over the wheel arches and the rocker panels. Up front, it receives Opel’s shield-shaped grille and sharp-looking headlights that encompass L-shaped LED daytime running lights. The side view is characterized by a strip of chrome trim above the doors that creates the illusion of a floating roof. The upright back end gets Bolt-like horizontal tail lamps that stretch into the quarter panels.

Recommended Videos

The front passengers are treated to ergonomic seats and an eight-inch touchscreen that runs Opel’s newest infotainment system. The software is compatible with both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and the Crossland X can be ordered with OnStar and a built-in Wi-Fi hot spot at an extra cost.

Full technical details haven’t been released yet. Opel simply stated the Crossland X will be offered with a wide range of gasoline-, diesel-, and LPG-powered engines, and both manual and automatic transmissions. However, it sounds like front-wheel drive will be the only configuration offered. Dealers will direct buyers who need all-wheel drive to the Mokka X, which is just three inches longer than the Crossland.

The Geneva Auto Show is only a few weeks away, but an Opel spokesperson told Digital Trends that the Crossland X will not be on display in Switzerland. The model is scheduled to go on sale across Europe this summer. Like virtually every member of the Opel lineup, the Crossland X will be sold with a Vauxhall emblem on the grille in the United Kingdom. However, it’s too early to tell whether it will spawn a Buick-badged model in the United States.

Opel’s product offensive calls for the launch of seven new models in 2017. While details are few and far between, Opel has confirmed it will launch a bigger crossover aptly named Grandland X before the end of the year.

Former Contributor

Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…

Topics

Tech News

Cars

This tiny sensor could help self-driving cars and robots see better in the dark

Penn State researchers have developed a light-adaptive photomemristor modeled on the human eye that achieves over 95% visual accuracy in shifting light conditions.

Waymo Jaguar I-PACE sensors close up

Penn State researchers have developed a light-adaptive sensor component that could make autonomous vehicle cameras and robots far more reliable in shifting lighting conditions. The work, published Monday in Nature Communications, takes direct cues from how the human eye adjusts between bright and dark environments.

Biology as a blueprint

Cars

Rivian R2 first drive: A mid-sized EV game-changer punching above its budget

Smart engineering meets real-world performance in a surprisingly premium $50K electric SUV

Rivian R2 First Drive Impressions

Rivian has officially launched the R2, a smaller, more affordable two-row electric SUV. Despite the lower price point, the company does not seem to have cut any corners on the new vehicle. Instead, many of the savings seem to have been achieved through more efficient engineering.

Examples of that efficiency can be seen in things like the vehicle’s wiring, which has ditched around two miles of cable when compared to the R1. A lot of the vehicle’s systems and chipsets have been compacted and condensed too.

Cars

Rivian R2 SUV deliveries have begun, just not for the version most buyers may want

The budget-friendly R2 is not here yet

Rivian R2 in Catalina Blue.

As promised, Rivian has started deliveries of its R2 electric SUV. The first version reaching buyers is the R2 Performance with Launch Package, which starts at $57,990 before fees.

That model gives early R2 customers the most powerful version in the confirmed lineup. It comes with dual-motor all-wheel drive, 656 horsepower, 609 lb-ft of torque, and an EPA-estimated range of up to 330 miles. Rivian claims it can go from 0 to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds.