The automotive industry may be heavy and slow-moving, but it never stops evolving. Most of the time, this evolution is driven by customer demand, and occasionally by a clever engineering or design breakthrough. Think back to the late 1990s, when minivans were everywhere, bought by people who wanted practicality, space and reasonable pricing, without particularly caring how the car looked or drove. Then, a few years later, along came the Nissan Qashqai, which cleverly repackaged those same virtues into a far more appealing SUV-like form. From that moment on, the shift began.
Over the last 10–15 years, this shift has reshaped entire model ranges, and today we see “SUV-inspired” cars even in the smallest segments. Opel currently offers three such models – Crossland X, Mokka X and Grandland X. Slightly awkward naming aside, all three are compact, modern and somewhat oddly positioned, given how close they are in size and price.
Still, the smallest of the trio is the Opel Crossland X. A car that pretends to be an SUV, but in my eyes is essentially a minivan in fashionable clothing. That’s not far from the truth either, as it replaces the Opel Meriva, and even Opel themselves describe it as having “SUV design”, not SUV capability.
Design
From my perspective, the Crossland X is a “muscular” minivan with slightly increased ground clearance and overall height. Its silhouette sits somewhere between an MPV and an SUV, which actually sets it apart from competitors that lean more heavily into SUV styling, such as the Peugeot 2008, Renault Captur and especially the Nissan Juke.
The detailing is familiar from Opel’s newer models and contributes to a modern and pleasant overall appearance, helped further by the LED headlights and rear lights. My favourite element is undoubtedly the roof design, first seen on the Opel Adam, with its distinctive metal trim and “floating” C-pillar. Combined with a contrasting roof colour, it gives the Crossland X a strong sense of identity, which is always welcome.
What I’m less keen on are the proportions at the rear. It feels a bit too short, and the wheels look slightly undersized relative to the body. Still, I find the Opel more appealing than its French rivals, although I have to admit that, design-wise, the “ugly duckling” Juke remains my personal favourite.
Interior
One of the strengths of Opel’s latest generation of models is the interior, and that’s evident here. The first impression is positive – the design is clean, elegant and well thought out, especially considering the price segment. The integration of the infotainment screen is excellent, and the physical buttons feel solid and well designed.
A nice touch is the contrasting orange stitching on the steering wheel. Details like this go a long way. The steering wheel itself feels well made, and the numerous buttons are logically placed and easy to use. There’s also heated steering, which is a genuinely useful feature, and it’s great to see it offered even in more affordable models like this.
The car also brings features that were once reserved for higher segments – a head-up display projecting speed, limits and navigation into your line of sight, smartphone integration that works noticeably better with Apple than with Android (though that may depend on the device), wireless charging and a panoramic roof with an electric blind. The latter doesn’t open, which makes it feel somewhat unnecessary.
All of this builds on the core strengths of the interior – plenty of storage spaces, very comfortable front seats (optionally with extended adjustment), and generous room both front and rear. Rear passengers benefit from excellent legroom, although the seating position is slightly low. None of this is surprising, as Opel has always been good at packaging interior space.
As for the downsides, they are relatively minor. Visibility is a mixed bag – the high seating position helps, but the thickness and positioning of the A-pillars create blind spots in corners. The same applies to the rear, although parking sensors and a rear camera largely solve the issue. Another oddity is the lack of a central armrest for the passenger. Why? And finally, the gear lever – perhaps my arms are too short, but shifting from fourth to fifth requires more reach than I’d like.
On the Road
The Crossland X is offered with 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engines producing 81 hp, 110 hp or 130 hp, as well as 1.6-litre diesel units with 99 hp or 120 hp. For a car that will spend most of its life in the city, the petrol option makes the most sense, and I was glad to be testing exactly that.
The test car featured the mid-level Innovation trim, supplemented with roughly €5,000 worth of extras, and the 110 hp petrol engine paired with a five-speed manual gearbox. The 0–100 km/h sprint takes a reasonable 10.6 seconds, while fuel consumption is officially rated between 4.2 and 5.8 l/100 km.
On a cold and rainy October day, I climbed into the Crossland X, started the engine via the keyless system and immediately switched on the heated seats and steering wheel. Heading out of Sofia towards Pernik and Bansko, the first impression was how easy the car is to drive. The engine delivers good low-end torque, and the gearbox is light and pleasant to operate. Yes, it only has five gears, which feels outdated, but for a city-focused car, it’s not a dealbreaker. The slightly long gear lever travel, however, does contribute to that awkward reach into fifth gear.
Crawling through traffic towards Tsar Boris III boulevard, I appreciated the pleasant cabin atmosphere, the good visibility from the elevated driving position and the compact footprint. Interestingly, the car feels larger than it actually is, thanks to the spacious interior and the overall design, which gives the impression of a car from a higher class.
Once I reached the Struma motorway and set the cruise control to 140 km/h, one of the weaknesses became apparent – noise. At that speed, wind and road noise are more noticeable than expected, although not unbearable, and it’s worth remembering that this is primarily a city car. Stability is good, and the steering is surprisingly precise, even if not particularly engaging. Fuel consumption at the end of the motorway stretch stood at 6.3 l/100 km, which is reasonable considering the car’s height and aerodynamics, as well as the fact that most electrical systems were running.
The more interesting part of the drive came later, as I left the main road and headed into the mountains towards Bansko, Gotse Delchev, Yagodina Cave and Dospat. The roads there were excellent – smooth asphalt, plenty of elevation changes and corners, and very little traffic. This gave me a good opportunity to explore the car’s behaviour more thoroughly.
Overall, the Crossland X is pleasant for relaxed driving, but clearly not designed for enthusiastic cornering. Not that anyone buying this car would expect that. It remains stable and predictable, even on summer tyres in low temperatures, although body roll is noticeable in corners. Push harder, and your rear passengers might not appreciate it. On the plus side, the brakes are progressive, the steering remains accurate (if slightly slow), and the overall balance is genuinely good, to the point where the car feels like something from a higher segment.
What else stood out? Equipment is certainly a highlight. At around €22,000, the test car isn’t cheap, but it offers nearly everything you might want. The engine is another positive – not particularly powerful, but perfectly adequate for normal driving, and with a surprisingly characterful sound when pushed. As for fuel consumption, my results varied. I managed 6.2 l/100 km in the city and 4.1 l/100 km extra-urban, but over nearly 600 km of mostly mountainous driving, the average exceeded 7 l/100 km. Given the terrain and driving style, that’s perfectly acceptable.
Conclusion
The Opel Crossland X is the logical successor to the discontinued Meriva – a modern interpretation of the small MPV, adapted to current market trends. It enters a highly competitive segment, but Opel has managed to create a well-balanced and capable small car. I’d be surprised if it doesn’t sell well, as it combines a likeable design, strong equipment levels and solid build quality.
This is a car for rational buyers, people who mainly drive in the city and want something practical, comfortable and reasonably priced. My recommendation would be the 1.2-litre petrol with 110 hp in Innovation trim, much like the test car, with a few carefully selected options. Configured properly, you can end up with an excellent Crossland X for around €19,500–€20,000.
Eng. Tsvetan Iliev
