GRAND TITLE: New Vauxhall Grandland Wins 2024 ‘Golden Steering Wheel’ Award

The new Vauxhall Grandland has already been able to celebrate its first major success. The top-of-the-line SUV has won the ‘2024 Golden Steering Wheel’ award in Germany, where it is sold by Vauxhall’s sister brand, Opel.

Stylish, dynamic, spacious and with an electrified drivetrain portfolio – all strong arguments that convinced the experts to name the New Grandland ‘Best car up to €50,000’. The award presented by AUTO BILD and BILD am SONNTAG is recognised as one of the most renowned of its kind in the automotive industry. This year’s award for the New Grandland takes Opel’s overall ‘Golden Steering Wheel’ tally to 21.

“The New Grandland is already bringing the automotive future to the road. It is the first Opel-Vauxhall on a BEV-native platform. This enables exemplary locally emissions-free ranges combined with excellent comfort. This blend combined with the bold and pure design is exceptional. We are delighted that AUTO BILD and BILD am SONNTAG have rewarded this innovative spirit with the Golden Steering Wheel,” said Opel-Vauxhall CEO Florian Huettl at the award ceremony in Berlin’s Axel Springer Haus.

“The New Grandland convinces with its distinctive design and modern cockpit. And it shows how important it is today to give customers freedom when choosing their drive. Whether hybrid or fully electric – everyone will find the right variant,” said Robin Hornig, editor-in-chief of AUTO BILD.

The new Vauxhall Grandland makes many of the visionary innovations from the Experimental Concept, revealed in 2023, a reality. The top-of-the-line SUV is the first Vauxhall on the BEV-native STLA Medium platform and offers numerous groundbreaking technologies, clever equipment and sustainable solutions. It always shines with the new 3D Vizor – which, depending on the trim, includes an illuminated Griffin logo for the first time. When viewed from the rear, the Grandland also has the continuously illuminated Vauxhall wordmark.

In the cockpit, Grandland drivers look at two widescreen displays. Together with the Intelli-HUD (head-up display), available on Ultimate trim, they ensure that the driver can always keep their eyes on the road. In addition, Pure Mode reduces the content displayed to a necessary minimum at night or at higher speeds. The ergonomic seats with individually adjustable side cushions, certified by Aktion Gesunder Rücken e.V. (AGR, the Campaign for Healthier Backs), also ensure pure and, above all, relaxed driving pleasure; the patented Intelli-Seat ergonomics feature is standard on both front seats on GS trim and above.

Safety and comfort are increased by features such as the adaptive, glare-free Intelli-Lux HD lights with more than 50,000 elements and the practical Pixel Box. It has an illuminated, translucent glass surface under which the smartphone can be inductively charged. And with a volume of up to 1,645 litres, the New Grandland has plenty of loading space.

Opel and the ‘Golden Steering Wheel’: The 21 winners

The New Grandland is 21^st Opel model to become a ‘Golden Steering Wheel’ winner. The award has been presented since 1976 by the Axel Springer publishing house BILD am SONNTAG (as of 2009 in cooperation with AUTO BILD). Opel’s first win came in 1978, two years after the award was founded, with the Opel Senator A.

To determine the winners of the ‘Golden Steering Wheel’, the readers of AUTO BILD and BILD am SONNTAG vote on their three favourite new cars in each category for the final. At the DEKRA Lausitzring racetrack in Germany, a prominent jury of journalists, racing drivers and car experts then examine the individual finalists according to criteria based on the AUTO BILD test scheme.

“Golden Steering Wheel” year	Model
1978	Opel Senator A
1979	Opel Kadett D
1981	Opel Ascona C
1982	Opel Corsa A
1984	Opel Kadett E
1987	Opel Senator B
1990	Opel Calibra
1994	Opel Omega B
1995	Opel Vectra B
1999	Opel Zafira A
2002	Opel Vectra C
2005	Opel Zafira B
2009	Opel Astra J
2010	Opel Meriva B
2012	Opel Zafira Tourer
2015	Opel Astra K
2017	Opel Ampera-e
2020	Opel Corsa-e
2021	Opel Mokka-e
2022	Opel Astra L
2024	Opel Grandland