This is possibly the first time that Opel has consciously reached down. Not that there haven’t been affordable Opels before. The German brand has had decade upon decade of the Corsa, for instance, while other models such as the Karl and the Adam were designed to be either affordable but chic, or just plain old affordable.
This is the first time, though, which I can remember, that Opel has moved at least a little bit away from its long-held self-image of a quasi-premium German brand, and is aiming its new car at bargain-bucket buyers who would otherwise buy a Dacia.
This new car has an old name − Frontera − once applied to a badge-engineered Isuzu in the 1990s, which gave Opel its first SUV long before that term was even invented, or at least popularised.
Revived for this new model, the 2025 Frontera (we’re driving it now but it won’t actually go on sale in Ireland until April) is no longer a competitor for a big Land Rover, but instead is a compact crossover which tries to squeeze seats for seven into a small-ish body.
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Priced from €24,606 for the 305km range electric version, or €27,995 for the 100hp 1.2-litre petrol hybrid, the Frontera is mixing it with the well-regarded Dacia Jogger (which melds MPV and SUV style).
True, the Frontera doesn’t come with seven seats as standard (the Jogger does. And while you can have the option of an extra row in the boot, these seats are pretty tiny (the ones in the Jogger are massive). Then again, the Jogger can’t be had as an EV.
The Frontera is based on the same ‘Smart Car’ platform as used by its Stellantis Group partners for the Citroen C3 and C3 Aircross, and the new Fiat Grande Panda. It’s a platform designed for maximum cheapness, hence the enticing Irish price points.
The cheapest Frontera is the all-electric version, which Opel has managed to make affordable by basically offering a small battery with not a lot of range. In fact, the Frontera uses a 44kWh lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) battery (more robust than lithium-ion batteries, but cheaper and less energy-efficient), which gives the basic model a range of just 305km.
Later this year, a bigger battery 400km-capable model will arrive. And there is always the option of the petrol hybrid version (which is considerably pricier than the EV), but while that truncated range may look rather small, in fact, the way the Frontera Electric works is that it manages to deliver on its claimed range, where others, who boast of more, often fail to perform.
So, with a full battery, we were seeing a claimed range on the dashboard of bang on 300km, and a long day’s trekking up hill, round hairpins, back downhill, through small villages, and a few quick runs along rapid motorways didn’t give us a moment’s pause for range-based concern. The Frontera’s claimed energy consumption of 18.2kWh/100km looks high − LFP batteries use up their energy more quickly than other designs − but again, it’s honest about what it can do and it replicates that claimed performance in the real world. If only all were so up front. And anyway, if the EV range is too short for you, just buy the hybrid, which will do 5.5 litres per 100km all day long.
With just 113hp from its single, front-mounted electric motor, the Frontera is far from fast. In fact, 0-100km/h takes a very relaxing 12.1 seconds. At motorway speeds, it’s getting very close to its flat-out maximum of 140km/h. If that makes the Frontera sound sluggish, don’t worry − actually, its overall performance is entirely adequate for a small-ish family car, and it’s only on motorways that it starts to run out of puff.
It might be only 4.3 metres long and really quite narrow, yet the Frontera is roomy enough on the inside.
Big blokes will bang elbows if they’re sat side-by-side in the front, but more normally-proportioned types will fit fine, and the front seats − especially the optional ‘Intelli-Seats’ with cloth made from recycled plastic − are actually very comfortable and supportive, certainly more so than the seats in the Dacia Jogger.
There are two big digital screens on top of the dash, which are fine as far as they go, but I wonder if the basic mobile phone clamp might actually be a more elegant solution. Either way, thank god for the physical air conditioning buttons.
The rear seats are also very roomy, with plenty of space even for taller passengers, and there are some useful storage spaces dotted about the cabin. The roof can handle a static load of 240kg, so you can fit a rooftop tent up there.
The 460 litre boot is fine − flat-floored, if you reposition the adjustable boot floor, and nicely square in shape − but there are rivals with more space.
While we worry about that, the Frontera − rather against the run of play − proves to be surprisingly OK to drive. I was ready for dynamic dullness, given both the price point and the dynamic disappointment of the related Citroen C3, but Opel’s engineers worked from the start on developing this new platform and have given it surprisingly sharp steering and a balance of suspension that allows it to stay steady through corners, but also comfortably absorb all sorts of road surface imperfections. It’s not some kind of hidden hot-rod, but it’s perfectly nice to drive.
Cabin quality is also fine − there are lots of cheap plastics, but they seem robustly attached to one another, and the Frontera manages to avoid feeling truly low-rent, which is impressive. It’s not the best-looking car in the world (there are ghosts of the old Fiat 500 XL in there somewhere), but it’s fine, and the basic model’s white-painted steel wheels, instead of fragile alloys, are to be loudly applauded.
It’ll be interesting to see if Opel’s entreaties to customers more accustomed to budget brands and even those buying used cars work, but the Frontera seems up to the job. It’s far from exciting, but it’s honest, simple, rugged, and is certainly practical. You wish more cars could be this straightforward.
Lowdown: Opel Frontera Elegance
Power: 136hp Hybrid: 1.2-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with 21kW motor and 0.9kWh lithium-ion battery producing 136hp and 230Nm of torque and powering the front wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission.
CO2 emissions (annual motor tax): 118g/km (€200).
Fuel consumption: 5.2l/100km (WLTP).
0-100km/h: 9.0secs.
Price: €31,095 as tested, Frontera starts from €24,606.
Our rating: 3/5.
Verdict: Solid, simple, and cheap. Not thrilling, but the Frontera is a useful family hauler.
