Opel has shown off its new Frontera, a name revived from the 1990s (taken from Opel’s first-ever SUV) but now the name of its latest mid-size electric and hybrid crossover.
Replacement for the Crossland
The Frontera essentially replaces the Crossland in the Opel line-up, but it’s a larger car - 4.4 metres long - so it will be more of a rival to the likes of the incoming new Dacia Duster (and Opel is aiming for some sharp pricing to take the fight to Dacia) and even the Nissan Qashqai. Opel CEO, Florian Huettl, said: "With its combination of rugged design, spaciousness, clever solutions and efficient drivetrains, our new Opel Frontera will appeal to a wide range of customers who want to stand out from the crowd. It is ideally suited to the urban and sub-urban environment while simultaneously offering a recharging experience to our customers."
Clean, Germanic styling
On the outside, the kinship with other models in the Opel line-up is obvious as the Frontera uses the same ‘Vizor’ blanked-off grille at the front that you’ll also see on the likes of the Astra and Mokka. It has very clean styling too, with crisp lines and a lack of overt ornamentation. Very Germanic; very Opel. At the side, there’s a distinctive C-pillar, half-body-coloured, which Opel says divides up the passenger cabin from the load space, while at the rear there are very slim (and dare we say Genesis-esque?) split brake lights. The Frontera will be a practical car. Its boot volume is 460 litres, which expands to 1,600 litres when you fold the 60:40 split rear seats. Thanks to beefed-up optional roof rails, you can also carry as much as 200kg of load on the roof rack. Up front, there are two ten-inch digital displays behind a common, curved panel and Opel says that there’s more smartphone connectivity than ever before, thanks to a system that turns the driver’s phone into the infotainment controller. There will also be cooled wireless phone charging pads (no more hot palms when picking your phone up), and four USB sockets. There’s a strap in the centre console for securing larger objects, such as tablets and small laptops, and the cabin’s storage areas are rubber-lined to stop things sliding about and rattling.
Hybrid and electric power
The Frontera will be available both as a fully electric model and as a hybrid. While Opel hasn’t issued official performance or technical data yet, we’re going to assume that means the same 156hp electric motor and 54kWh battery pack as seen in other Stellantis Group models, with a range approaching 400km on a full charge, plus a 1.2-litre petrol hybrid with 136hp and the potential for 4.4 litres per 100km economy. Opel claims that while the Frontera is a family-oriented car, it’s been working hard on its dynamics and has tuned and tweaked the suspension to give it “Opel-typical driving characteristics—even when travelling at high speeds on the German Autobahn.” Full Irish specs and prices will be announced later in the year, closer to the car’s on-sale date which for now we’re being told is simply “later in 2024.”
