All generations and engines together · 68,977 MOT tests in the 2025 data · typical mileage at age 7: 59k
Worse than most small SUVs for its age, and about average per mile driven. Watch suspension and lights & electrics. A used buy worth some caution. Check the MOT history for repeating suspension advisories before you go.
Split by first-registration year. Cars registered in a changeover year can belong to either generation.
Owner folklore from forums and the motoring press, with how well each report stands up. Most of it never shows up in an MOT, which is why this section exists at all.
On 1.5 and 2.0 BlueHDi diesels, the urea (AdBlue) injector can block, which the car flags as a NOx emissions fault, an AdBlue warning, or reduced power until it's sorted. Vauxhall issued an official recall in October 2020 covering over 3,000 UK Grandland X cars, fixed with an ECU software update, though owners still report repeat AdBlue/DPF warnings after the fix. Persistent cases can mean replacing the injector or SCR components, not just a reflash.
A steady stream of owners across several generations report a knock or clunk from the front, worst at low speed over bumps, on turning into junctions, or pulling away in EV mode on the hybrid. Garages often can't pin it down first visit; ball joints, drop links, anti-roll bar bushes and strut top mounts all get blamed at different times. The measured MOT data for this class shows suspension as the standout failure area, so the underlying wear is real, though the forums can't agree on which single part is the culprit, and it's rarely diagnosed right first time.
The central touchscreen can freeze, go black, or reboot itself, sometimes right after a software update, sometimes for no obvious reason. A hold-down reset usually brings it back but it's a recurring annoyance rather than a one-off, and some owners needed more than one dealer visit to get it to stick. What Car's reliability survey also flags spurious warning lights and general electrical gremlins on this model, which points the same way: the electronics are the weak point, not the mechanicals.
Several owners have had the stop-start system stop working within weeks of buying the car new, or a battery that won't hold charge, particularly on cars doing mostly short trips. The standard EFB battery is on the small side for the job it's doing on low-mileage use, and dealers have sometimes needed more than one visit to sort it. Fitting a bigger AGM battery fixes it for some owners but Vauxhall has warned this can affect warranty cover, so it's not a straightforward DIY swap.
On the 8-speed automatic, owners describe the box hunting for the right gear on gentle inclines, a jerky or delayed pull-away, and the odd thud on downshift, most commonly reported on 2018-2019 cars. It's usually a software or fluid problem rather than a full rebuild, and dealer software updates have resolved it for some, but a small number of owners have needed the mechatronic or valve body looked at out of warranty. Doesn't apply to manual-gearbox cars.
Vauxhall/Opel recalled Grandland X Hybrid and Hybrid4 plug-in models built mid-2019 to mid-2021 over a high-voltage battery fault that in rare cases could cause overheating and a fire risk, remedied by battery inspection or replacement at no cost. It only affects the plug-in hybrid, not the petrol or diesel Grandland. Any PHEV outside that build window, or one where the recall work isn't logged, is worth double-checking before buying.
Ranked from this model’s own MOT record, then from what owners report.
Saveable checklistThe physical checks its own defect data says are worth your time, most telling first.
These judge the seller’s upkeep rather than the model, and they are where the haggling money is.
The physical checks its own defect data says are worth your time, most telling first.
These judge the seller’s upkeep rather than the model, and they are where the haggling money is.
Drawn from the reports above rather than the MOT data. These are the model-specific ones.
Computed from DVSA MOT results, all of Great Britain, 2025. Nothing here is opinion.
Share of tests where each item was recorded. The dark tick is the class average across all tracked models; bars are scaled within each group.
The rows that judge the model rather than its keeper. 24,869 tests in this band.
Tyres, pads and stone chips say more about how the car was driven and maintained than about how it was built.
Same segment (Small SUVs), best MOT record first. Compare before you shortlist.