Item: Vauxhall Frontera Electric
Rating: 4

Find Vauxhall Frontera Electric deals

Other Services

84% get more money with

Another week, another old model name dusted off by a manufacturer looking to add a spot of retro recognition to a new EV. This time, it’s the Vauxhall Frontera Electric (and indeed the Vauxhall Frontera Hybrid).

The Frontera was a model that was popular in the 1990s, back when SUVs still had to look all rugged to make you believe they could credibly go off-road, even if they couldn’t.

Seven in 10 Frontera buyers have opted for the EV, buoyed by the £1500 discount provided by the UK government's new Electric Car Grant.
Charlie Martin
Staff Writer

On a scale of revived model names bookended by the Renault 5 (styling and ethos faithful to the original) and Ford Capri (the only similarity is the name), the new Frontera falls somewhere in the middle. Like the original, it’s a slightly boxy high-riding hatchback aimed at a family audience, although there isn’t really any shared design DNA.

A more relevant predecessor to the new Frontera is the Crossland – and if you can’t remember much about that car, then, well, us neither. Not that it was a bad car, just a distinctly unmemorable one. You can see why this was a sensible name switch.

So, is the new Frontera more memorable or just different?

Verdict

Vaxuhall Frontera Electric front quarter tracking

Model tested:

Rating: 8

Vauxhall Frontera Electric

Cheap, if not very cheerful, family transport. Much better than the Frontera Hybrid, so if you can deal with the range, this is the one to get.

Good

Cheaper than the petrol – and very competitive at that

Spacious and practical while still feeling relatively small on the road

Has a much better ride than the Frontera Hybrid

Bad

Sub-200-mile range and limited charging speed

Does feel built to a price

No seven-seat option, unlike on the Frontera Hybrid

DESIGN & STYLING

Pros

Exudes a rugged SUV image without trying too hard

Has nice modern design touches and generally feels quite smart

Cost-effective without feeling cheap

Cons

Relatively light for an EV but still quite heavy compared with the Frontera Hybrid

Not quite a direct replacement for the Crossland, having grown notably

Vaxuhall Frontera Electric side tracking

At 4310mm, the Frontera is close to 100mm longer than the old Crossland, although it’s broadly the same width (1795mm) and height (1635mm).

It's basically the same length as the Astra, then, so Vauxhall rightly claims it has moved from the larger end of the B-SUV market into the smaller end of the larger C-SUV market.

Vauxhall deserves praise for its commitment to proper buttons: physical climate controls are standard across all versions of the Frontera.
Charlie Martin
Staff Writer

Sure, that’s mostly marketing semantics, but it’s a mark of Vauxhall’s hopes for this car: it joins the larger and plusher new Grandland SUV in a two-pronged assault on the UK’s biggest car-market segment.

While the Grandland Electric is aiming for the higher end of the market, the Frontera Electric is firmly targeting cost-conscious buyers, not least with an eyebrow-raising starting price.

It's slightly pricer than the 5, but it's a notably bigger car. In fact, there aren’t all that many EVs in this segment on the market. It’s close in size to the Hyundai Kona Electric but significantly cheaper, and it undercuts the Kia EV3 (although that offers significantly more range).

Interestingly for Vauxhall, it also costs less than both the smaller Corsa and Mokka EVs. Those are more ‘design-focused’ cars with more premium features, but you can imagine the Frontera being plenty good enough for many.

The Frontera follows the new Citroën C3 in being based on Stellantis’s new Smart Car platform, which was designed with a strong focus on cost efficiencies, effectively being a basic entry-level platform scaled up. The powertrains are also familiar from the French crossover.

Stellantis’s 'M2' synchronous electric motor gives the front wheels 111bhp and 192lb ft of torque, while energy comes from a 44kWh battery. Official consumption is 3.4mpkWh, giving a range of 189 miles, but you can also opt for a 54kWh battery offering 253 miles.

These batteries use lithium-iron-phosphate chemistry, making them cheaper to produce and longer-lasting than nickel-manganese-cobalt batteries but slower to charge (the peak rate is 100kW) and more affected by cold weather.

INTERIOR

Pros

Build quality feels up to the punishment that young children can deal out

Physical climate controls in all trim levels

Presence of shortcut buttons to disable irritating ADAS functions

Cons

Materials aren't particularly pleasant to touch

GS and Ultimate trims don't lift perceived cabin quality all that significantly

Irritating ADAS functions, worsened by shrill speed warning buzzer

Despite all this cost-saving engineering, the interior of the Frontera doesn’t feel particularly cheap in build. The materials are drab and rather plasticky, but it all feels solidly assembled.

In a similar vein, the speed-limit indicator warning and other ADAS bongs are notably annoying and cheap-sounding, like a kitchen timer you bought in Ikea.

The sides of the cupholders in the centre console feature a ‘flex strap’ so that items such as a tablet can be held in place – just in case you wanted to add another touchscreen.
James Attwood
Associate editor

There is a distinct similarity between the interior and that of the C3, and even though that’s not really a bad thing, the extra Vauxhall bits seem well judged.

There’s a 10in digital instrument display alongside Stellantis's 10in touchscreen, for example, whereas the C3 has a smaller, high-level readout.

The infotainment system is simple but relatively effective and there are still physical buttons for most of the key functions, all of which are well-placed and feel nice.

Even the base-spec Design car is well-appointed, with a wireless phone charger, four USB ports and LED headlights. If you can live without luxuries such as tinted rear windows or a heated steering wheel, this is the one to buy. The GS and Ultimate trims don't otherwise lift perceived quality enough to justify their extra cost.

The seats are comfortable and it’s pretty spacious, both in the front and the back. The platform design puts the rear seats quite upright, but there’s plenty of head room, so that’s not an issue. They’re also slightly raised, so visibility back there is good.

Meanwhile, the boot is a healthy 460 litres, which is about the same size as the Nissan Qashqai’s.

ENGINES & PERFORMANCE

Pros

Not outright fast but zippy enough for most use cases

Motor is quiet, smooth and responsive when you need it

Cons

Don’t expect that familiar whack of instant electric torque

Not much control over the regenerative braking's strength

The Frontera Electric isn’t the sort of EV that has a vast well of instant torque or an instant whack of power that will leave your tyres smoking and pulse racing, as reflected by an official 0-62mph time of 12.8sec.

But then we doubt you would expect it to be, because that’s not what buyers of a cost-effective family SUV will really need or want – and it has as much zip as you would need in most circumstances.

The throttle pedal of the Frontera Electric is strangely tuned, with a noticeable dead zone at the start of its travel.
Charlie Martin
Staff Writer

It doesn’t enjoy being pushed all that hard. Demand full power from a standstill and the motor takes a moment to wake up and deliver momentum, akin to getting a manual car rolling in second gear rather than first. But once you're rolling, it holds its pace well.

The Frontera is certainly at its best when not being overly pushed or stressed, and it can be found wanting for traction somewhat on wet roads.

If you’re used to EVs, the lack of adjustable regenerative braking might frustrate and the way Vauxhall has set up the system might confuse. While many cars offer a standard mode and then a more aggressive mode with extra regen, Vauxhall has reversed that: the standard D mode provides 1.2m/s of regen and C mode (for 'comfort') 0.8m/s.

It takes a bit of getting used to, but it makes some sense, given that for most daily driving you want the most aggressive, efficient mode possible. That said, you might be hard pressed to notice the difference between the two modes unless you’re really feeling for it.

RIDE & HANDLING

Pros

Reasonable amount of pep for a small electric car

Ride is pliant and absorbent over bumps and lumps

Cons

You can feel the weight of the battery if you really push

Not all that involving and the steering feels elastic

Vaxuhall Frontera Electric rear tracking wide

Vauxhall's engineers insist that they were involved in the development of the Smart Car platform from the start, so that they could ensure the chassis could deliver precise steering and strong body control, making it fun to drive; and while you’re never going to mistake it for a sports car, the Frontera Electric is actually pleasant to flow along the right road.

It helps that it’s notably narrower than most cars in this class, giving it a bit of supermini pep and ensuring you won’t get nervous even when traversing narrower roads.

Driving the Frontera Electric and Frontera Hybrid back to back, I was shocked by how much better the ride is in the EV. It's a much more relaxing car as a result.
Charlie Martin
Staff Writer

The suspension is soft enough to soak up most bumps in the road and gives a smooth, relaxed ride.

It shimmies over craggy surfaces, like the Frontera Hybrid, but to nowhere near the same extent. It’s also better at taking the sting out of bigger impacts, such as potholes.

It’s a great deal smoother and more consistent than its petrol-powered sibling, ultimately feeling like a more polished product.

The body is well controlled, with vertical movements mostly kept at bay and only a little bit of side-to-side lean through winding country lanes. That should come as welcome news to those with children who are particularly prone to travel sickness.

The steering is accurate but slightly glutinous and can be overly keen to return to centre.

It’s not thrill-a-minute dynamism or particularly engaging, and it tends to understeer if you really push it into bends and the weight of the battery makes itself felt, but it’s enjoyable enough on the right road, then perfectly benign when bumbling through town.

MPG & RUNNING COSTS

Pros

Headline-grabbing price

A lot of car for your money

Reasonably efficient, given the size and space

Cons

Sub-200-mile range in 44kWh guise is on the low side

Vauxhall is making much of the price parity between the electric and petrol Fronteras. Indeed, it's notable for the EV actually being the cheaper of the two, thanks to the £1500 discount brought by the UK government's new Electric Car Grant.

There are cheaper EVs out there, but those are either distinctly budget models or smaller machines; you would struggle to find more car for similar cash elsewhere on the market.

The Frontera Electric's standout quality is its value for money, so I would recommend saving your cash and sticking with Design trim over GS or Ultimate.
Charlie Martin
Staff Writer

In terms of running costs, the Frontera Electric has official efficiency of 3.5mpkWh, which is firmly mid-pack for EVs.

One bugbear is that it isn’t that easy to find out much of the data: while we like the stripped-back infotainment, it’s a little frustrating that the only economy data you can access is that shown on the dash (battery percentage, range left, distance travelled, average speed).

Even so, the sums to suggest that the will average 3.4mpkWh – right on the official figure – in autumn weather.

Those who want a longer range might want to consider the 54kWh version of the Frontera Electric, which officially yields 253 miles between charges, but doing so dampens the Frontera's appeal as a value proposition.

VERDICT

Verdict

Model tested:

Rating: 8

Vauxhall Frontera Electric

Cheap, if not very cheerful, family transport. Much better than the Frontera Hybrid, so if you can deal with the range, this is the one to get.

Good

Cheaper than the petrol – and very competitive at that

Spacious and practical while still feeling relatively small on the road

Has a much better ride than the Frontera Hybrid

Bad

Sub-200-mile range and limited charging speed

Does feel built to a price

No seven-seat option, unlike on the Frontera Hybrid

The Frontera Electric is an intriguing addition to Vauxhall’s line-up and one that could serve the firm very well: it is well priced, is well conceived and has a cheerful, likeable demeanour.

It’s a purposeful basic machine, offering everything you need without fuss and without any extra frippery. And it’s surprisingly amiable on the right road, yet not at the expense of delivering on the more important brief of delivering in everyday pottering around. Perhaps more remarkably, it's cheaper – and much better to drive – than its Hybrid counterpart.

The Frontera Electric is cheaper and better on the road than the Frontera Hybrid. If you can live with the range, it's easy to recommend.
Charlie Martin
Staff Writer

There is some trade-off involved, of course. The Frontera Electric feels a little basic in places, and its short range and slow charging speed could be stumbling blocks for some.

It makes this feel like ideal second-car territory – albeit the sort of second car that you buy for short city trips and then ending up using most of the time because it’s just so easy.

Besides, those compromises are paid off with a genuinely compelling price, and you won’t get much more EV for your money at present.

TECHNICAL SPECS

Model tested:

Vauxhall Frontera Electric Ultimate 44kWh

Price:

Price £26,345

Engine:

Permanent magnet synchronous motor

Drive battery:

44kWh, lithium-iron phosphate

Model tested

Vauxhall Frontera Electric Ultimate 44kWh

Price

Price £26,345

Engine

Permanent magnet synchronous motor

View all specs and rivals

Drive battery

44kWh, lithium-iron phosphate

Power

111bhp

Torque

92lb ft

Kerb weight

1514kg

0-62mph - claimed

12.8sec

Top speed (claimed)

88mph

Energy efficiency

3.4mpkWh

Range

189 miles

BIK tax band

Rivals MG S5 BYD Atto 3 Renault 4

Power

111bhp

Torque

92lb ft

Kerb weight

1514kg

0-62mph - claimed

12.8sec

Top speed (claimed)

88mph

Energy efficiency

3.4mpkWh

Range

189 miles

BIK tax band

Rivals MG S5 BYD Atto 3 Renault 4

Charlie Martin

Title: Staff Writer

As part of Autocar’s news desk, Charlie plays a key role in the title’s coverage of new car launches and industry events. He’s also a regular contributor to its social media channels, creating content for Instagram, Tiktok, Facebook and Twitter.

Charlie joined Autocar in July 2022 after a nine-month stint as an apprentice with sister publication What Car?, during which he acquired his gold-standard NCTJ diploma with the Press Association.

He is the proud owner of a Mk4 Mazda MX-5 but still feels pangs of guilt over selling his first car, a Fiat Panda 100HP.

James Attwood

Title: Associate editor

James is Autocar’s associate editor, and has more than 20 years of experience of working in automotive and motorsport journalism. He has been in his current role since September 2024, and helps lead Autocar's features and new sections, while regularly interviewing some of the biggest names in the industry. Oh, and he once helped make Volkswagen currywurst. Really.

Before first joining Autocar in 2017, James spent more than a decade in motorsport journalist, working on Autosport, autosport.com, F1 Racing and Motorsport News, covering everything from club rallying to top-level international events. He also spent 18 months running Move Electric, Haymarket's e-mobility title, where he developed knowledge of the e-bike and e-scooter markets.