Vauxhall Grandland: common problems, best years and what to check
Peugeot 3008-based family SUV, renamed Grandland from Grandland X. Covers 2018–2024 cars: every popular engine, its known faults with typical UK repair costs, and how each year has held up on Britain's roads.
Updated November 2026 · By the Carnod team · How we build this guide
Is the Vauxhall Grandland a good used buy?
Best buy
1.5 diesel or PureTech with belt done
Avoid
PureTech without belt evidence
Who it suits: Families wanting a well-equipped SUV at a fair price.
What's good
- Good value
- Comfortable
- Well equipped
- PHEV for short trips
What's not
- PureTech belt worries
- Weak resale
- Dull to drive
- Cheap plastics
By the numbers
- #92 most common model on UK roads, with about 95k licensed (DfT).
- The biggest surviving year is 2019: 21.5k cars still licensed.
- 1.2 PureTech uses a wet belt (inspect 4 yrs, replace ~60k–100k): budget £600–£900 if there's no invoice.
- The most expensive common fault: Wet timing belt degrades; debris can block the oil pickup (up to £4,000).
Vauxhall Grandland common problems by generation and engine
Vauxhall Grandland Grandland X (2017–2021) · SUV; Hybrid4
How to spot it: 17 plate to 21 plate. Chrome wing grille.
1.2 PureTech 110/130 (EB2DTS, petrol, 2017–2021)
Punchy and frugal, but the oil-bathed belt needs strict care
- Wet timing belt degrades; debris can block the oil pickup£600–£4,000from ~40k or 4 yrs · Check: Belt inspection or replacement invoice
- Oil consumption£0–£1,50040k+
1.5 / 1.6 BlueHDi (DV5 / DV6, diesel, 2017–2021)
Frugal; AdBlue system can fault
- AdBlue tank / pump failure£600–£1,30050k+
- Timing belt wear (1.5)£400–£70060k+
Vauxhall Grandland Grandland (2021–2024) · SUV; PHEV
How to spot it: 21 plate onwards. Black Vizor front panel.
1.2 PureTech 110/130 (EB2DTS, petrol, 2021–2024)
Punchy and frugal, but the oil-bathed belt needs strict care
- Wet timing belt degrades; debris can block the oil pickup£600–£4,000from ~40k or 4 yrs · Check: Belt inspection or replacement invoice
- Oil consumption£0–£1,50040k+
Hybrid / Hybrid4 PHEV (PureTech + e, petrol plug-in hybrid, 2021–2024)
Costs are typical UK independent-garage prices including parts and labour. Main dealers usually charge more.
Best and worst Vauxhall Grandland years
How many Vauxhall Grandlands from each year are still licensed today (DfT), coloured by how well that year survives compared with similar cars of the same age.
No year clearly outlasts similar cars. No year falls off the road noticeably faster than similar cars.
Vauxhall Grandland MOT pass rate and common failures
First-time pass rate (2025)
Average UK car of the same age
MOT tests analysed (2018+ cars)
Vauxhall Grandlands pass their MOT first time about as often as the average UK car of the same age.
| First registered | Pass rate | Average UK car that age | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 77% | 81% | 54k miles |
| 2019 | 83% | 84% | 44k miles |
| 2020 | 86% | 86% | 37k miles |
| 2021 | 89% | 87% | 34k miles |
| 2022 | 88% | 89% | 22k miles |
Pass rate by fuel
Petrol
Diesel
Hybrid
Fuels differ in age and mileage mix, so treat this as a pattern rather than a like-for-like comparison.
Most common MOT failures
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm4.28 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick2.32 per 100
- Tyres: has a cut1.59 per 100
- Headlamp: not working on dipped beam1.21 per 100
- Drive shafts: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt1.01 per 100
- Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively0.98 per 100
- Stop lamp: not working0.94 per 100
- Headlamp aim: too low0.87 per 100
Most common advisories
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm31.23 per 100
- Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened15.07 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick11.24 per 100
- Tyres: has a tear7.6 per 100
- Non-component advisories: Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt4.74 per 100
- Tread depth: tread pattern not visible over the whole tread area when minimum depth required is 1.0mm4.08 per 100
- Brake discs: significantly and obviously worn3.9 per 100
- Non-component advisories: Nail in tyre2.77 per 100
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT results for 2025 (normal car tests). First-time pass counts faults fixed during the test as fails. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Does the Vauxhall Grandland have a timing belt or chain?
| Engine | Type | When | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 PureTech | wet belt | inspect 4 yrs, replace ~60k–100k | £600–£900 |
| 1.5 BlueHDi | belt | 100k / 10 yrs | £400–£700 |
Vauxhall Grandland running costs
Road tax (from April 2017)
Insurance groups
Real-world economy
Servicing (independent)
Tyres
Warranty when new
Is the Vauxhall Grandland ULEZ compliant?
- Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001.
- Diesel: compliant only if Euro 6 — generally cars first registered from September 2015; earlier diesels pay £12.50 a day in London's ULEZ.
- Same standards apply in Birmingham and Bristol Clean Air Zones (which charge private cars) and Scotland's LEZs in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee (which fine them). Check the exact car on TfL's vehicle checker.
Safety and practicality
Euro NCAP
Boot
Seats
Vauxhall Grandland vs rivals
| Model | On UK roads | Insurance | Boot | Best buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vauxhall Grandland | 95k | 13–25 | 514 l | 1.5 diesel or PureTech with belt done |
| Nissan Qashqai | 646k | 13–22 | 430 l | 2018–2021 J11 1.3 DIG-T manual |
| Peugeot 3008 | 161k | 14–28 | 520 l | 2017–2023 Mk2 1.5/1.6 BlueHDi |
| Ford Kuga | 354k | 15–28 | 475 l | 2013–2019 Mk2 2.0 TDCi manual; 2020+ FHEV |
| Kia Sportage | 373k | 13–25 | 491 l | 2016–2021 QL 1.6 GDi or 1.7 CRDi; 2022+ HEV |
| Hyundai Tucson | 227k | 11–25 | 513 l | 2018–2020 TL 1.6 GDi manual or 2021+ HEV |
What to check when buying a used Vauxhall Grandland
- PureTech belt history
Vauxhall Grandland FAQ
›Is the Vauxhall Grandland reliable?
Generally, if you pick the right version. Best buy: 1.5 diesel or PureTech with belt done. Avoid: PureTech without belt evidence.
›What is the Vauxhall Grandland MOT pass rate?
84% of Vauxhall Grandlands passed their MOT first time in 2025 (66,285 tests), about average for cars of the same age. The most common failure: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm.
›What are the most common Vauxhall Grandland problems?
The costliest known faults are Wet timing belt degrades; debris can block the oil pickup; Oil consumption. Each one is listed by engine with typical UK repair costs above.
›Does the Vauxhall Grandland have a timing belt or chain?
1.2 PureTech: wet belt; 1.5 BlueHDi: belt.
›What is the best year Vauxhall Grandland to buy?
By DfT survival data, 2019, 2021, 2023 cars have outlasted comparable cars best. Condition and history still matter more than the year.
›How much does a Vauxhall Grandland cost to run?
Real-world economy: 1.2 PureTech 40–46 mpg; 1.5 diesel 50–58 mpg. Insurance groups 13–25. A minor service is about £160–£230 at an independent garage.
›How much is road tax on a Vauxhall Grandland?
Cars registered from April 2017 pay £200 a year (more if the list price was over £40k). Older cars pay by CO2 band, from £20 to £790.
›Is the Vauxhall Grandland ULEZ compliant?
Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001. Diesel: compliant only if Euro 6 — generally cars first registered from September 2015; earlier diesels pay £12.50 a day in London's ULEZ.
How we build this guide
We combine official UK data with what independent garages see most often on this model.
- How many are still on the road: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, by year first used. The survival comparison is against cars of the same age.
- MOT pass rates, failures and mileage: DVSA anonymised MOT results — every normal car MOT in Great Britain for the year, compared with all cars of the same age.
- Road tax: GOV.UK rates from April 2026. ULEZ: TfL and Clean Air Zone emission standards.
- Faults and repair costs: known problems by engine code, priced at typical UK independent-garage rates including parts and labour.
- Insurance groups, mpg, servicing and tyres: typical ranges, not quotes. Your car's exact figures depend on the version and where you live.
This is a buying guide, not a mechanical inspection. A specific car's MOT history tells you far more than any model average — run a free check on it before you go and see it.
Sources: licensed counts and survival from DfT vehicle licensing statistics; road tax from GOV.UK (April 2026 rates). Faults, costs, mpg and insurance groups are typical ranges, not quotes. A guide, not a mechanical inspection.