I was not overtly impressed with the ride and handling at low speeds coming from the Grand Voyager or ‘walloping whale’ as I re-named it. Yes, a big car needs a big engine and this 3.2 litre V6 came into itself eventually taking 12.6 seconds to reach 62 mpg with a top speed of 120 mph. The Grand Voyager is certainly not a car to whiz in and out of the bends but one that needs to be nurtured and early barking is essential before turning. However you do have precious cargo on board so chucking this car around is really not the order of the day. Frequent stops at the petrol station is however, as only 22.2 mpg is achieved even with my newfound eco driving skills while CO2 emissions are a frightful 302g/km.
The good news is that passenger safety is well catered for. ABS, Traction Control, ESP, Brake Assist tyre-pressure monitoring, front and all-row side-curtain air bags, as well as seven full-size seats with fixings for three Isofix child seats all come as standard across the range. Then there is Enhanced Accident Response System (EARS), pretensioning and load-limiting retractors for front-seat driver and passenger, ParkSense Rear Back-up System, ParkView Rear Back-up Camera, patented energy-absorbing steering column and the useful hazards flash when side doors are opened.
Securing the Grand Voyager is remote keyless illuminated entry with Sentry Key Engine Immobiliser theft-deterrent system thus falls into insurance group 13E.
I found the practical nature of the Grand Voyager unprecedented easily outrivaling its competitors. It is the little things in life that make such a difference like the second and third row retractable sunshades, the umbrella holder or the YES Essentials stain-resistant, odour-resistant, anti-static fabric seats. The Voyager was packed with everything a family needs to make any journey with the children harmonious apart from one thing. A glass partition between the first and second row!
Jackie Violet – Female First.