Louth Motors: Debuttonfication and Growth Hormones - Welcome to the New Opel Frontera

The trend for repurposing old names on new models in a different genre continues, this time with the new Opel Frontera. Previously this was a proper 4x4 that was the value conscious alternative to the Land Rover Discovery and Jeep Cherokee. Now it is the name of Opel's offering in the compact SUV sector, competing with the likes of its cousins - the Citroen C3 Aircross and Fiat Grande Panda - and the Dacia Duster, serving as the replacement for the Crossland.

Their strategy is working, as the Frontera has quickly become Opel’s best-selling car in Ireland so far this year with 82% of them being petrol-hybrid.The Opel badge that sits in the middle of their Vizor front grille uses a considerable amount of Stellantis components in terms of chassis, engine, and interior controls and switches. Not that that's new, because the older, bigger Fronteras used mechanicals from Isuzu, so it's not a new trend or departure for Opel.

Cars in this sector are getting bigger, and that was certainly the impression I got on seeing the Frontera for the first time in the metal. Up close it looks just about distinctive enough as an Opel. Sculpted rear light clusters seem to be a thing at the moment and help identify a car when they all have similar shapes as mandated by aerodynamics. Split daytime running lights are currently popular, but Opel have kept this to three LED strips that, by being restrained, look cooler. They didn't go the Renault Clio route that has an eye-watering twelve.

Inside, the cabin doesn't stun you, is unremarkable and a bit expected with too much plastic of the hard variety. Opel claims the cabin has had a “digital detox”, which basically means they present some functions as buttons (a move that feels almost retro nowadays) but stopped short of a volume control knob. In my view, it's the only way to do it, yet there isn't a single knob at all. Are car companies finally listening to me banging on about this debuttonfication? One thing that is new is their Flex Strap, which wraps around the centre console and allows irregular and large items to be held securely - a nice touch.

Passenger space is very good and significantly helped by the growth hormones all cars seem to be on these days that also sees the boot weigh in at 460 litres. Opel giveth and Opel taketh away because I reckon it would be a bit of a squeeze to get a pair of gloves into the miniscule, bordering on pointless, glovebox. In my GS trim petrol hybrid model costing €33,095, I got heated front seats and steering wheel as well as a wireless phone charging that's a must these days.

The way Opel presents the Frontera is a bit of a mystery. You get the 1.2l 3-cylinder engine that they can get 145hp out of, but they have removed the drive mode selection capability, so no Sport or Eco modes. Adaptive cruise control isn't an option even though the steering wheel symbol makes you think it has it - it's actually a screen menu symbol. You can't turn off the engine stop/start feature either. But that kinda makes sense as the pricing is keen and do you really need some of those features missing if you get a lower cost car?

That 145hp engine is only five short of what I always reckoned is more than enough for a large executive car. In the Frontera, it has more than enough power to move the Frontera’s heft along. There was always power available to be given when asked, and that's a delight in any driving scenario. Motorway performance is worry-free and on our other main roads it's eager and willing. I really liked how they delivered a very comfortable ride and how the suspension coped with less than ideal surfaces. I think Opel engineers are the leaders on this in the Stellantis family of brands - and that includes Peugeot and Citroen. Where they’ve scored a straight A for this, they have dropped some points for road noise which was noticeable on our R roads, especially the pebbly older ones.

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The Frontera’s primary mission is to remain the value conscious choice again and its pricing reflects this. They start at €24,606 for the all-electric version and €27,995 for the entry petrol hybrid model, both in SC trim. Opel has removed the powertrain argument from the sales chat by offering electric and petrol hybrid models that allows them to concentrate on securing a sale. Diesel isn't in the equation at all as we are herded towards all-electric, the championed green saviour in much the same way diesel was the Green Party’s green saviour of choice back in 2008.

Let’s hope we don’t see another spectacular policy u-turn like that again. If you want a manual car then look elsewhere as they are all automatic. Opel also has another Frontera sales argument by having a 7-seater version (€1,500 extra) for those who need it and the Frontera joins the Citroen C3 Aircross in bringing seven seats to the sector.
The Frontera has to be on your list of contenders in the compact SUV sector on its merits alone but it makes its way onto the shortlist based on Opel’s attractive pricing.