Vauxhall has introduced its electronic IntelliGrip traction control system on the new Grandland X SUV, which was not available when the model was launched last year.
The system is exactly the same as available on various Peugeot SUVs, which is not surprising as the Grandland X is based on the Peugeot 3008. It uses the car’s stability control and engine management settings to optimise grip for four different surfaces (road, snow, mud and sand, plus you can disable it altogether). Only the front wheels are driven, as with any Grandland X model.
The idea is that the IntelliGrip system offers comparable traction and stability to a four-wheel drive system but with much less weight, and therefore better fuel economy and emissions.
The system has been broadly praised in reviews of different Peugeot models, although ultimately it is not a genuine off-road substitute for a full four-wheel drive system. For the light dusting of dirt or snow that your average faux-by-four will ever have to face, however, it’s likely to be perfectly satisfactory.
There are five modes available to the driver to select from:
Normal/On-road: Default setting for normal on-road driving. The electronic stability programme (ESP) and traction control are calibrated for normal road driving conditions.
Snow: Traction control minimises the slip of the front wheels, slows the spinning wheel down and transfers the torque to the other front wheel.
Mud: This mode allows more slip on muddy surfaces, enabling the wheel with the least traction to spin when the vehicle is launching to ensure that mud is removed and the tyres can re-establish traction. Meanwhile, the wheel with the highest grip is provided with the highest torque.
Sand: Sand mode allows a small amount of simultaneous wheel spin on the two driven wheels, enabling the car to advance and reducing the risk of sinking.
ESP Off: This deactivates the ESP and traction aids to give the driver complete control over the vehicle’s movement at low speed. The electronic nannies automatically switch back on into normal mode at speeds above 31mph.
The IntelliGrip system is available with any of the powertrain combinations on the Grandland X, excluding 2.0-litre 177hp diesel variant in Ultimate trim. It is part of the “All Road Pack” option, which also includes five-spoke, 18-inch alloy wheels and 225/55 R18 all-season tyres. The “All Road Pack” option can be selected for SE, Tech Line Nav, Sport Nav and Elite Nav model variants.
