Vauxhall Frontera

Not entirely new is the name "Frontera". Back in the 1990s, Vauxhall also had a Frontera. That was a true off-road vehicle that could also be used on public roads. The new Frontera looks at least as tough, but is in fact meant to be a family car that will see a boggy car park once at most.

The Frontera distinguishes itself from other SUVs not only with its tough looks, but also with its style called "bold + pure". For the Frontera, Vauxhall chooses a minimalist style with large surfaces interrupted only by few lines. The basic shape with a long bonnet and a prominent c-pillar (between the rear side windows and the rear window) gives the Frontera the look of a powerful off-road vehicle.

The adventurous character is also due to its livery. The green demo with white accents shown here is the base version ("Design") and looks even nicer than the more luxurious "GS". Thanks to white paint, the steel rims do not look shabby, but rather playful. And thanks to the small rim size and large tyres, together with the thickly set wheel arches, they enhance the adventurous look. Thanks to an extra strong construction, the roof is allowed to carry 200 kg and therefore a tent can be mounted on the roof to camp on the Frontera.

Space

The angular shapes not only provide an adventurous look, but also make it easy to get a lot of interior space out of modest exterior dimensions. Despite its modest length, the Frontera is therefore available as a seven-seater (note: only the hybrid, not the electric version). As space in the third row of seats is extremely limited, the second rear seat is an option for those who really need it.

As a five-seater, the Frontera is very spacious. Rear seat space is good, but even better thanks to a clever cut-out at the back of the front seats. For extra comfort, the front seats are slightly softer in the middle than next to it to ease the spine. However, after a day of driving, little of this was noticed. The seats were perceived as good, but not above average.

The style of the exterior continues in the interior with straight lines and flat surfaces. Instead of the more usual smooth and shiny materials, Vauxhall opts for matt surfaces for the Frontera. It gives a simple look, but at the same time creates a calm appearance and prevents annoying reflections in bright sunlight. However, it also causes the Frontera to be perceived as simple and a tad cheap.

Equipment

Like other modern Vauxhalls, the Frontera has a tidy dashboard with a minimum of buttons. The steering wheel is unusually thin for a modern car. Most functions are controlled via a central display screen. The menus on it are just as straightforwardly designed as the rest of the car. Although Vauxhall did not consciously plan it, the simplicity has also been perceived as a hint to the first Frontera.

Of course, the Frontera offers support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Less commonly, this can also be done wirelessly. When opting for the basic version, there is no display, just a holder for the smartphone (not yet in production at the time of testing). The space next to it has been used, quite originally, for a magnetic clipboard to attach photos, papers or other goodies. Every Frontera has flexible straps at the bottom of the centre console that can be used to hold a tablet in place, for example.

The Frontera offers all the safety features required by the European Union. And these, as in all modern cars, work only moderately well. Often, the Frontera reads traffic signs meant for parallel roads or exits and then wrongly warns about speeding. Partly for this reason, the warning sound can easily be switched off by pressing a button on the left of the steering wheel.

Electric and hybrid

Vauxhall chooses to provide all models with both combustion engine and electric drive. The Frontera is therefore available as a mild-hybrid, hybrid and all-electric car. For this test, the mild-hybrid was driven. It has the simplest and therefore lightest powertrain and this translates into performance. The 136 hp / 230 Nm of the 1.2-litre three-cylinder with six-speed automatic transmission delivers spirited performance. As soon as the accelerator is released, it is clearly noticeable that the Frontera brakes on the electric motor to recover energy (more than the all-electric Frontera!). This has been found pleasant by the editors, but may take some getting used to.

Because the mild-hybrid is the simplest technology, consumption is also the highest. On a demanding course with a lot of city traffic, the test consumption came to 7.9 km per 100 km, which is very high for a car like this, even on this tricky route. Since the mild-hybrid costs the same as the all-electric Frontera, there is a temptation to choose the latter. However, the mild-hybrid is allowed to tow a much heavier trailer (1,250 kg).

Handling

Because the Frontera is meant to be a family veicle, Vauxhall opts for unspoken, predictable and safe handling. Comfort is ample and driving noise is modest. Even with the Edition's relatively small rims (and thus large tyres), the Frontera handles just fine. Again, it is noticeable that the mild-hybrid is much lighter than the electric Frontera, which makes for a livelier character.

Conclusion

With the Frontera, Vauxhall clearly wants to distinguish itself from its own SUVs (Mokka and Grandland) and those of the competition. Judging by the design, it has succeeded well. The Frontera is not just another "crossover", but a true SUV with an adventurous and robust look.

At the same time, the Frontera is a down-to-earth and functional family car. It is also a smart family car, because its angular shapes allow Vauxhall to extract a lot of space from modest exterior dimensions. The high seating in the front makes it feel powerful, while the rear seating is spacious for a car of this size. Optionally, the Frontera even comes as a seven-seater. Functionality and simplicity are also paramount when it comes to equipment, which adds to the convenience in everyday use.

For the price-conscious and/or progressive customer, the Frontera is available as an all-electric car. This has a stately character due to its high weight, offers more comfort and is very economical per kilometre (low energy costs, low maintenance / depreciation). For the more conservative buyer, the Frontera is available as a mild-hybrid. This has a more familiar character, but the simple technology makes for high consumption. The lower weight gives the mild-hybrid livelier handling.