Vauxhall Frontera Electric review

Fresh cost-cutting platform enables new 188-mile compact crossover to undercut rivals and bigger siblings

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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 petrol Vauxhall Frontera).

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.

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, me 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?

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DESIGN & STYLING

Vauxhall Frontera Electic review 2024 02 rear tracking

At 4310mm, the Frontera is close to 100mm longer than the 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.

The entry-level Design model gets all the kit you need, but GS trim doesn’t cost much more and makes the car feel distinctly plusher.
James Attwood
Acting magazine editor

Sure, that’s mostly marketing semantics, but it’s a mark of Vauxhall’s hopes for it: 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 is firmly targeting cost-conscious buyers, not least with an eyebrow-raising starting price of £23,495 – for both the petrol and electric models. 

It's slightly pricer than the Renault 5, then, 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, but that newcomer 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 motor gives the EV's front wheels 111bhp and 192lb ft of torque, while energy comes from a 44kWh battery. Official consumption is 3.4mpkWh, giving a range of 188 miles (a bigger-battery version is due next year, offering 248 miles). The eagle-eyed might note that range is 15 miles down on the ë-C3's, but this is a substantially bigger car.

The battery uses lithium-iron-phosphate chemistry, making it cheaper to produce and longer-lasting than other types of battery but slower to charge (the peak rate is 100kW) and more affected by cold weather. 

INTERIOR

Vauxhall Frontera Electic review 2024 06 driving

Despite all this cost-saving engineering, the interior of the Frontera doesn’t feel particularly cheap at all. Sure, some of the materials are a touch plasticky, but the distinct lack of grab handles is the only real sign of stinginess – particularly because the door handles are quite thin. 

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
Acting magazine 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. My test car was in higher-spec GS trim (priced from £25,895), which adds extra parking sensors, tinted rear windows and some gloss black exterior trim, among other elements. (If you want to read about the entry-level Design trim, you can read about it in our petrol Frontera review.)

The seats are comfortable and I really didn't mind having to manually adjust them. It’s pretty spacious, too, 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

Vauxhall Frontera Electic review 2024 13 motor

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 12.1sec. 

But then we doubt you’d 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.

It’s fairly quick to get going and holds its speed well once at pace, and there’s generally a whack of torque there if you really need it.

It's certainly at its best when not being overly pushed or stressed, but we never found it wanting for traction or pull. 

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 (comfort) mode 0.8m/s.

It took me 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

Vauxhall Frontera Electic review 2024 16 front on

Vauxhall-Opel 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 quite enjoyable to drive on 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. 

The suspension is soft enough to soak up most bumps in the road and gives a smooth, relaxed ride; even on the bigger 17in wheels of GS trim, I didn’t experience much jostling.

The steering is decently weighted, firming up as you pick up speed.

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

Vauxhall Frontera Electic review 2024 01 front tracking

Vauxhall is making much of the price parity between the electric and hybrid Fronteras, and even in isolation the EV's £23,495 starting price is notable.

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.

Vauxhall suggests that monthly payments could be as low as £360 as well, although that’s on a five-year contract with a £2000 deposit. Still, that’s cheaper than rivals such as the Hyundai Kona Electric and BYD Atto 3.

In terms of running costs, the Frontera Electric has official efficiency of 3.5mpkWh, which is firmly mid-pack for EVs. That gives a range of 188 miles, which is nothing exceptional in this age but should be plenty enough for the sort of daily use that it's likely to be subjected to.

One bugbear is that it isn’t that easy to find out much of the data: while I liked 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, I managed to do the sums to work out that the car averaged 3.4mpkWh – right on the official figure.

VERDICT

Vauxhall Frontera Electic review 2024 18 rear cornering

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 enjoyable to drive on the right road, yet not at the expense of delivering on the more important brief of delivering in the sort of driving that counts.

There is some trade-off involved, of course. It perhaps feels a little basic in places, especially in entry-level Design trim, and the 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.

Most importantly, it gets the stuff that matters right and is thoroughly likeable for it. 

James Attwood

James Attwood, digital editor
Title: Acting magazine editor

James is Autocar's acting magazine editor. Having served in that role since June 2023, he is in charge of the day-to-day running of the world's oldest car magazine, and regularly interviews some of the biggest names in the industry to secure news and features, such as his world exclusive look into production of 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.