Vauxhall is to add another crossover to its line-up in early 2017 – the Crossland X.
The car will be the first of five new model launches next year, the others being a new C segment crossover and three versions of the latest Insignia.
Currently the brand is giving little away about the Crosswland X, though industry sources expect it to be a replacement for the current Meriva. The head of Vauxhall’s European sister brand Opel, Karl-Thomas Neumann was quoted at the Paris Motor Show in September as saying the newcomer would be a ‘B-CUV’ – a mix of MPV and SUV, and would be part of a joint project with Peugeot–Citroën parent PSA Group, using shared platforms.
Comments by Vauxhall chairman and managing director Rory Harvey suggest that the Crossland X will be similar in size to the current Mokka X, but with a different look, in similar fashion to the way Suzuki markets the similarly-sized S-Cross and Vitara models.
“The Crossland X will sit next to the Mokka X in our range, but their identities will be well-defined, and we anticipate that each will have its own following,” says Harvey.
Vauxhall’s release adds that the Crossland X “will appeal to buyers with families who demand agility and convenience in urban driving, but with enough comfort and performance to cover long distances at the drop of a hat.”
Harvey says more information on the car will be revealed at the start of next year; “We’re excited about the way Vauxhall’s crossover and SUV family is shaping up – and there’s more to come.”
The larger C segment crossover, described by Vauxhall as similar in size to the Astra and Zafira Sports Tourer but with ‘an especially sporty design’, is again expected to be built in conjunction with PSA.
The Insignia Grand Sport will replace the current Insignia as the Vauxhall flagship model and is described as ‘a large and practical five-door hatchback’, with ‘a coupe-like silhouette, huge driver appeal and a class-leading all-wheel-drive system.’
It will spawn an estate version, the Insignia Sports Tourer, which is said to take many of its design cues from the Monza Concept of 2013, and offer greatly increase interior space.
The new Insignia range will be completed by the Country Tourer, an Audi Allroad, Volvo Cross Country style vehicle with all-wheel-drive as standard and off-road styling.
Harvey describes 2017 as a landmark year for Vauxhall. “Our portfolio will grow, for sure, but it’s the quality and innovation which underpins our new products that will surprise customers,” he claims.
“The Insignia Grand Sport will force buyers to reassess how they perceive our brand, and later in the year our two crossover offerings will bring Vauxhall to, in many cases, completely new sets of buyers,” Harvey adds.
