Battery size: 44 - 51 kWh
Battery warranty: 8 years/100,000 miles
Range: 188 - 253 miles
Charging speed: 100kW
I sort of missed the 1990s fashions the first time around, because I was at primary school and being dressed by my Mum. But now, I embrace the comfy cargo pants and binge-watching episodes of Friends... I can live without the dial-up modems, and T-Shirts that changed colour around your armpits, though…
Anyway, the Vauxhall Frontera was another 1990s success. It might not have what you’d call a cult following but, for years, it was the best-selling SUV in the UK. So, it makes sense that the name has been reborn for the new, 2025 Frontera compact family SUV.
It’ll be available as a 48V hybrid petrol car, but we're focussing on the electric car, which is available with a WLTP range of either 188- or 253 miles depending on whether you go for the 44- or 54kWh battery.
The Frontera is all about value and efficiency, so it's offered with an electric motor delivering 111bhp to the front wheels for a 0-62mph time of 13.0 seconds (12.8 seconds in the slightly lighter 44kWh model). It sits between the smaller Vauxhall Mokka and larger Vauxhall Grandland in the Vauxhall electric SUV lineup.
Battery, charging and efficiency
The Vauxhall Frontera Electric will be offered with two batteries. The range starts with an LFP battery with 43.7kWh usable capacity (44kWh total capacity) that's familiar from the Citroen e-C3 and Fiat Grande Panda, and which gives the Vauxhall a WLTP range of 188 miles.
If you want a bit more range than that, the 51kWh (54kWh total capacity) lithium-ion NMC battery is familiar from the Jeep Avenger, and manages a WLTP range of 253 miles in the Frontera.
Rapid charging is up to 100kW, which will get a 10-80% charge in around 30 minutes, or a 100-mile top-up in about 20 minutes. A 7kW home charger will deliver a full charge between eight- and ten hours depending on which battery you've got.
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Styling and dimensions
You want figures? The Frontera is 4380mm long, making it longer than a Mokka and almost identical to an Astra, while similarly-sized rivals include the VW ID.3, MG S5, Kia EV3 and Skoda Elroq, although pricing puts the Vauxhall Frontera Electric spot on with the Renault 4 and Ford Puma Gen-E.
In the SUV styling stakes, the Frontera is a bit more rugged than sporty, with the chunky skid plates and big wheel arches giving a sense of a ‘proper’ off-roader, even though the Frontera is actually front-wheel drive only. There’s also the trademark Vauxhall ‘Vizor’ front grille blending into the LED headlights, and there’s no chrome, either.
There are also some optional roof rails, that will take loads of up to 200kg – usefully more than the 75kg that many cars are limited to, which means that the Frontera can carry a roof tent or a few roof-mounted e-bikes, no problem.
But in terms of space, well that boxy shape means it’s huge inside. Speaking of which...
Interior
Vauxhall says the focus is on the essentials, in the Frontera, but we’re not talking about a pious equipment list, here. For a start, the fully digital ‘Pure Panel’ cockpit is made up of two 10-inch displays, although we’re please to see that most of the important functions can also be operated via physical buttons.
There’s also wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus a cooled, wireless phone charging pad to prevent your phone getting too hot.
An ‘Intelli-Seat’ feature in the front seats sounds a bit grander than it really is… It’s basically a slot in the seat that relieves the pressure on your tailbone. It’s said to improve comfort even during long journeys, but we’ve not driven it at all yet, so watch this space for our full review when we’ve been behind the wheel and had a better chance to try out these ‘Intelli-Seats’.
There’s loads of space in the back seats (usefully more than in the Renault 4 and Ford Puma Gen-E, for sure), so a couple of adults will be comfortable back there, and there are also some neat storage solutions including phone pockets on the back of the front seats.
Boot space
The Frontera gets 460-litres of boot space, which is more than the Renault 4, MGS5 and VW ID.3, if not quite as much as you get in the Ford Puma Gen-E. It's still a seriously useful boot in the Frontera, with a good, square boot shape and plenty of space for a chunky buggy or a big dog. You also get a variable-height floor as standard, so that you can have hidden cable storage and a raised boot floor that’s flush for loading. The rear seats also fold flat in a 60/40 split.
Price and equipment
In a big move, Vauxhall has got rid of the price premium for electric cars by making the new Frontera Electric and petrol models the same price, so the 44kWh Vauxhall Frontera Electric starts from £23,495, while the 52kWh Extended Range starts from £27,495. That's MG-like prices, and is very similar to the prices on offer from the similarly-sized MGS5.
There are two trim levels - the entry level Design model comes with the 16-inch black steel wheels, but you can add a Design Pack to give it white steel wheels instead, and I'm not going to lie... I rather like the sound of that! I personally love steel wheels, and think they can look great, so I'm all for that. Reversing sensors and camera, cruise control, air-conditioning, LED headlights with automatic high-beam assist and that 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system are also included.
GS trim adds 17-inch alloy wheels, contrasting black roof, dual-zone climate control, blind spot alert and those 'Intelli-Seat' front seats.
Biggest frustration? You have to add the £450 'Ultimate Pack' to get heated seats and steering wheel, which we all want, right? But you can only add it to the top-spec GS. What if I want the good value one on steel wheels, but with heated seats? Eh? I can't have that, can I? No. Which is annoying.
Verdict
There’s a lot to like about the new Vauxhall Frontera. If you’ve got a family and need space but don’t have a fortune to spend, this could make a lot of sense. There’s plenty of room, even for lanky teens or taller adults, and the interior space has been well thought through to make it usable. I also rather like the more rugged, back-to-basic attitude of the Frontera, with its plastic body cladding and steel wheels. It's got a bit of Dacia attitude to it, and that's not a bad thing at all. It seems to represent a shift for Vauxhall to become a car of the people again, rather than chasing a posher positioning – and we are definitely all for that.
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