2017 Opel Crossland X revealed – will it be a Holden?

The Holden Trax could be about to get a little brother. Opel, Holden’s European cousin and the source of our next Commodore, has revealed the Crossland X, a compact, high-waisted and design-driven SUV-style hatchback.

According to Opel, the Crossland X is an “all-new crossover model to be launched into booming SUV segment”. It will go up against the likes of the Renault Captur, Skoda Yeti and Peugeot 2008, and will be joined a bit later by the Toyota Rav4-sized Grandland X, which is yet to have its global reveal.

If it comes to Australia as part of Holden’s showroom makeover, in the wake of the loss of Australian production late this year, it will sit above the Korean-sourced Trax as a more premium family car, but with less adventurous spirit.

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According to Opel, the Crossland X has a “Tardis-like cabin providing high degrees of practicality and flexibility”. It even features a “floating” roof via the clever use of blacked-out pillars that can come in different colours.

“Tardis” is the right word when you consider the small space the Crossland X will take up on the road. The crossover is shorter in length than the already-compact Trax, and 16cm – at least a hand span – shorter than the Holden Astra hatch that recently launched in Australia.

However, it sits 10cm taller than Holden Astra, providing a slightly more elevated ride height in keeping with its SUV styling.

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Where it crushes the Astra, though, is boot space. The Crossland X will take 410 litres of schoolbags compared with just 360 litres for the traditional hatchback, and up to 520L via the benefit of rear seats that can slide forward 15cm to open up more space if the Crossland X isn’t carrying more than two passengers.

Technology rolling out for European Crossland X buyers includes a 180-degree panoramic rear-view camera, semi-automated parking, forward collision alert with pedestrian detection and autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning, speed sign recognition (which some carmakers struggle with in Australia) and side blind-spot alert.

The audio system will feature Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility, accessed via an eight-inch touchscreen.
Euro buyers will also have access to a range of petrol and diesel engines, as well as manual and automatic gearboxes.

Right-hand drive markets in Europe take their first deliveries of the Crossland X in about July, hinting at a late 2017 launch for the car in Australia.

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WhichCar has sought comment from Holden on if and when the Crossland X will be added to Australian showrooms wearing the Lion badge.

Holden announced plans to introduce 24 new models to its showrooms by 2020 in the wake of the announcement that it would quit local car production by the end of this year.

Other models yet to arrive include the fully imported Holden Commodore due in 2018, the Toyota Kluger-sized Acadia SUV also due next year – and perhaps even the Chevrolet Corvette performance car.

Watch this space.