There’s one reason why I’m heading for the electric Vauxhall Frontera

I remember the original Vauxhall Frontera well. The early 90’s SUV precursor was a quirky-looking thing that hinted at rugged off-road potential, even though most only ever navigated supermarket car parks. The new Vauxhall Frontera might have the same name, but it’s definitely less quirky: the sensible and undeniably family-friendly body style sees it slotting in nicely between the Vauxhall Mokka and Grandland.

However, Vauxhall has been quite inventive with its styling, and with just two trims offered the line-up has been kept refreshingly simple. There’s just the basic Design, or the more premium GS. An Ultimate pack then turns the latter into an almost-lookalike for the Land Rover Defender, with optional £400 white steel wheels and a white roof set against Khaki Green body colour. I’m a fan.

But the one key reason I’m targeting the Frontera is the £23,500 starting price, especially seeing as it carries no premium over the petrol hybrid variant. I’ve recently driven both cars and, while I rather liked the slightly more eager but a little bit unrefined hybrid, I’d definitely head in the direction of the fully electric car when it comes to parting with the cash.

The styling

I think Vauxhall’s designers did a fine job ensuring the Frontera is sufficiently different to both the Mokka and the Grandland. Sure, they’re all SUV-like in styling, but the cosmetic tweaks mentioned above turn the Frontera into something really rather unique. Even in standard guise, both the Design and GS trim levels have enough to keep the car interesting, while the fizzy Canyon Orange metallic option really pops.

There’s not a huge difference between the trim levels in terms of visuals, but the GS model does appear quite striking with 17in alloys over the Design model’s 16in rims. Additional cosmetic flourishes include LED rear light that supplement the cool and on-brand Vizor front end, sandwiched between LED headlights. Tinted rear windows, sliver skid plates and a contrasting black roof add further sizzle for anyone who wants their Frontera to be a little more distinguished.

For the interior, things feel relativity utilitarian, with a focus on plastics and coverings that are easy to keep clean, which will be ideally suited to typical family-focused buyers. The front seats will look familiar if you’ve already been perusing the Vauxhall Grandland and lift the cockpit above the ordinary. The dashboard layout and cabin controls are similarly unfussy, with functionality being the order of the day. I rather like the simplistic feel of the interior overall, even though it’s easy to see where cost savings have been made.

The drive

The more time I spent driving the Vauxhall Frontera, the more I warmed to it. This doesn’t feel like a sophisticated vehicle, but being behind the wheel is comfortable and requires minimal effort thanks to the ubiquitous Stellantis automatic drive mode selector. However, one thing I found immediately apparent is the slightly sedate feel. It doesn’t have quite the same bounce in its step as the majority of EVs, although there’s nothing here performance-wise that makes it unappealing.

Granted, the zero to sixty time is leisurely, and the top speed isn’t anything to write home about either. Nevertheless, the Frontera feels nicely set up with a comfortable ride quality and rather impressive handling. Around town, it is perfectly adequate and, thanks to the space in the back and accommodating ride quality, should keep most family members quiet. Motorway miles are just as good too, though wind noise was evident from the side windows or door mirrors.

I got to try the Vauxhall Frontera on some quite tortuous backroads too, where it turned out to be quite an entertaining car to drive. The spindly steering wheel feels a bit uninspiring, but the steering capability is very decent although, when pushed, it is possible to munch through the battery quota quite easily. While some might sniff at the 188-mile max range, I think this is fine enough for what this car has been designed to do.

Besides, the affordable price makes getting a home charger a no brainer if you’ve got a spot to install it. If that’s not an option, Vauxhall has also promised a bigger battery edition for 2025 too.

The technology

This is an affordable car and, as such, the Vauxhall Frontera offers a basic but decent enough array of tech that’ll keep the majority of owners content. The twin 10in displays that make up the PurePanel dashboard and infotainment area pack everything needed to get from A to B. Sure, the design and presentation is a little meat and potatoes, but everything works as expected. I got on fine with the satellite navigation and although there are lots of things that need to be controlled via the screen, crucial climate controls are presented as buttons.

In some ways, the simplicity of the Frontera’s tech setup makes it perfect for anyone who’s in the habit of getting into a car, plugging in a phone and doing their own thing using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Four USB-C ports and wireless smartphone charging supplement that route perfectly and I, for one, support Vauxhall’s decision to keep the price and tech levels to a minimum, especially in a car where lots of tech toys would probably get overlooked anyway. Oh, and there’s a dedicated button, which, with one long push, deactivates the annoying ADAS warnings. Lovely.

Vauxhall Frontera Electric verdict

Car manufacturers are working ever harder to keep prices keen, while still offering enough to keep buyers feeling like they’ve got something of value. The Vauxhall Frontera comes across well and is just as appealing as something like the Dacia Duster or, perhaps, the Citroen e-C3 that sits on the same platform. This is a strong package overall, with distinctive looks and decent range providing the main appeal.

The price is the icing on the cake and while I didn’t mind the slightly rough and ready feel of the hybrid, the all-electric model is clearly the one to go for. If you’re considering a home charger it looks even more inviting, just in case that sub-200-mile range takes the edge off its appeal.

Vauxhall Frontera technical specifications