UK Drive: The Vauxhall Frontera is a sensible yet unremarkable family SUV

What is it?

Bringing back old nameplates of the past has become a trend among car manufacturers.

After a two-decade absence, Vauxhall has brought back the Frontera badge and slapped it onto its latest family-friendly-focused SUV.

Unlike the old model, which was a rough-and-ready off-roader, the new car sits in the extremely competitive midsize SUV market.

With the sector booming with competition, does the Frontera have a USP that makes it stand out in an overcrowded field? Let’s find out.

What’s new?

The Frontera sits on Stellantis’ ‘Smart Car’ platform, which is shared with cars like the Citroen C3 Aircross.

This Vauxhall focuses on value for money while delivering lots of interior space. You can have it with either five or seven seats in hybrid format, too.

For the eco-conscious buyer, there is even an electric model that provides ultra-low running costs, yet still delivers lots of practical touches.

What’s under the bonnet?

Our test car is fitted with a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine paired to a 48-volt mild-hybrid system. It produces a total of 143bhp and 230Nm of torque, while 60mph is dispatched in 8.8 seconds and the car will continue on to a top speed of 120mph.

Vauxhall claims that this configuration on the Frontera will manage up to 53.3mpg on the combined cycle and emits 119g/km of CO2.

There is also a lower-powered model of this engine, producing 113bhp and 205Nm of torque, while 0-60mph takes 10.8 seconds and the car reaches a top speed of 112mph.

All models of the Frontera come paired to an automatic gearbox to take the strain out of stop-start city driving.

What’s it like to drive?

The Frontera does nothing remarkable from behind the wheel, though there are plenty of upsides.

The light steering makes manoeuvring around town easy and there is lots of glass area, improving visibility.

The suspension isn’t as soft as its French sibling, though the car’s standard ‘Intelli-Seats’ provide a decent amount of support and make long journeys a lot more comfortable.

The trade-off is that light steering lacks any sort of feel, while the clumsy powertrain is sluggish, unresponsive and jerky.

The standard automatic gearbox is also hesitant and the gear selector itself isn’t the most intuitive to use.

How does it look?

The Frontera adopts lots of Vauxhall’s design cues with the black ‘Vizor’ front grille and the integrated headlights.

Our test car is finished off in Canyon Orange metallic paint, which does give the design a bit more vibrance, though the tall side profile and boxy roofline make the car look rather anonymous.

The black wheel arch extensions and roof bars give it a more rugged look, but it looks more like an MPV than an SUV.

At the back, the double-stacked taillights and flat bootlid give the car a more distinctive appearance.

What’s it like inside?

The Frontera’s cabin feels cheap, although that’s because it’s an affordable choice.

There are lots of hard-touch plastics and our test car was showing signs of wear on the seat upholstery and plastics.

Everything is logically laid out with physical climate control dials and a 10-inch touchscreen system that is angled towards the driver.

Storage is okay for an SUV with average-size doorbins, an underneath cubby hole in the centre armrest, a cut-out on the dashboard and there is Vauxhall’s clever ‘Flex Strap’ located around the gear selector, which is designed to hold bigger items such as a tablet.

The tiny glovebox means you can’t even fit the car’s owner’s manual in there, due to the fuse box pinching a lot of the space.

In the back, the boxy profile means that there is plenty of head, leg and kneeroom for occupants and there are even phone pockets located on the back of the front seats.

Our test car is fitted with the £550 option of a third row of seats. However, their low positioning and difficult access make them best-suited for children.

Boot space with all the seats in place is non-existent, measuring at just 40 litres. With five seats upright, that room swells to 370 litres and extends to 1,400 litres with all the seats folded down, which is still off the pace of a Dacia Duster Hybrid’s 1,696-litre capacity.

What’s the spec like?

It’s simple when choosing a Frontera as there are three trim levels: Design, GS and Ultimate.

The entry-level Design starts at £24,870, which makes it one of the most affordable SUVs available on the market. Standard kit includes a reversing camera, a 10-inch infotainment system and 16-inch black steel wheels.

We’re driving the mid-level GS, which comes in at £27,270 and boasts 17-inch alloy wheels, silver skid plates, LED taillights and rear privacy glass.

The flagship Ultimate is priced at £28,070 and boasts extras such as keyless entry and start, heated front seats, steering wheel and windscreen as well as LED fog lamps.

However, the Frontera Electric is more affordable than the hybrid variant, with prices coming in at just £23,995 for the standard Design car. The seven-seat option is only available on the combustion model, though.

Verdict

The Frontera is one of those cars that doesn’t stand out from the crowd for being exciting or different.

The latest model is all about value for money and practicality, which it does very well. The interior quality isn’t the best and it’s a forgettable car to drive, though if you take into consideration the optional seven seats and the decent levels of standard kit, the Frontera proves to be a sensible choice for families.