General Motors‘ Germany-based Opel division has introduced the 2017 Crossland X, a compact crossover designed to replace the Meriva.
While the Meriva was essentially a Euro-flavored minivan, the 165-inch long Crossland X adopts a more rugged design with a little bit more ground clearance as well as plastic cladding over the wheel arches and the rocker panels. Up front, it receives Opel’s shield-shaped grille and sharp-looking headlights that encompass L-shaped LED daytime running lights. The side view is characterized by a strip of chrome trim above the doors that creates the illusion of a floating roof. The upright back end gets Bolt-like horizontal tail lamps that stretch into the quarter panels.
The front passengers are treated to ergonomic seats and an eight-inch touchscreen that runs Opel’s newest infotainment system. The software is compatible with both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and the Crossland X can be ordered with OnStar and a built-in Wi-Fi hot spot at an extra cost.
Full technical details haven’t been released yet. Opel simply stated the Crossland X will be offered with a wide range of gasoline-, diesel-, and LPG-powered engines, and both manual and automatic transmissions. However, it sounds like front-wheel drive will be the only configuration offered. Dealers will direct buyers who need all-wheel drive to the Mokka X, which is just three inches longer than the Crossland.
The Geneva Auto Show is only a few weeks away, but an Opel spokesperson told Digital Trends that the Crossland X will not be on display in Switzerland. The model is scheduled to go on sale across Europe this summer. Like virtually every member of the Opel lineup, the Crossland X will be sold with a Vauxhall emblem on the grille in the United Kingdom. However, it’s too early to tell whether it will spawn a Buick-badged model in the United States.
Opel’s product offensive calls for the launch of seven new models in 2017. While details are few and far between, Opel has confirmed it will launch a bigger crossover aptly named Grandland X before the end of the year.
