Vauxhall Frontera review: Does it offer good value to sway you away from a Chinese car?

Britons are snapping up Chinese cars in record numbers right now.

Three of the best-selling new models in September were Chinese, and in the last three months cars produced by East Asian brands accounted for more than one in ten motors entering our roads.

The reason? Because they’re cheap and incredibly well equipped.

But mainstream brands are starting to take note of this emerging threat to their order books. And Vauxhall’s new eagerly priced Frontera feels very much like a statement from the 120-year-old car maker that it’s willing to take the fight to Chinese newcomers.

While the family ‘SUV’ – a term we use lightly, which we will explain shortly – sees the return of a familiar nameplate after more than 20 years, this is a totally new prospect to the enormous Frontera 4X4 of the late nineties that was catastrophically unreliable and painfully thirsty on fuel.

For 2025, the Frontera badge has been stamped onto a compact family crossover available either as a frugal hybrid or a full-blown Thunberg-spec EV.

I’ve driven both variants on UK roads – and it’s pretty clear which is the best option of the two.

But the biggest question of all is if it can truly offer value for money to tempt you away from the newcomers arriving from China…

Frontera’s return

Remember the Frontera of old? Understandably, many of you won’t. And that’s because the hulking 4X4 is one of the more forgettable models from Vauxhall’s back catalogue.

But it’s a name that resonates with me.

That’s because in the late 1990s my dad ran two as consecutive company cars.

Were they as unreliable as everyone says? Well, both blew head gaskets well before the service-scheduled replacement – a testament to its flimsy reputation.

But the all-new Frontera is worlds away from the mechanically fallible vehicle of old.

It’s a far more compact vehicle, slotting into Vauxhall’s range in place of the ageing Crossland as its smallest crossover. However, it has boxier, chunkier styling than the car it replaces, which might suggest an element of off-roading prowess.

But don’t be fooled by its SUV looks.

Frontera is sold exclusively with front wheel drive – so absolutely no venturing away from the tarmac, please.

Rather than large-capacity gas-guzzling petrol and diesel engines like those powering the original Frontera, the 2025 car is significantly greener, with the choice of two three-cylinder 1.2-litre hybrids of varying power and a Standard or Extended Range EV.

It shares its underpinnings – including drivetrain, chassis, and other mechanicals – with the Citroen C3 Aircross and e-C3 using the ‘Smart Car’ platform.

And that is a very big deal because it’s the reason its parent group Stellantis can produce both models cheaply to price them competitive against Chinese rivals.

Price parity

When unveiling Frontera last year, Vauxhall made a big song and dance about it being the first model to achieve price parity between hybrid and EV – both of which were primed to start from £23,495.

But that’s not the case today.

Surprisingly, it’s the battery-powered Frontera Electric that comes in cheaper.

This is thanks to a combination of ‘ICE costs increasing’ – according to the Vauxhall UK boss – and the discount provided by the Government’s Electric Car Grant.

As a result, the cheapest 99bhp hybrid rings in at £24,855 while the standard-range EV with a 44kWh battery and 188-mile range is just £22,495, courtesy of Sir Starmer dipping £1,500 out of the nation’s bank account.

In fact, the grant means that even the extended-range 54kWh Frontera Electric – starting at £24,495 and offering 253 miles between charges – is less expensive than the most budget-friendly hybrid.

Where the hybrid does have a slight upper hand, though, is its passenger carrying capacity; customers who opt for mid GS trim or higher can add another two seats in the Frontera’s boot for an additional £550 to turn it into a seven-seater.

Given that a little Corsa now starts from almost £20,000, no matter which way you look at it, the Frontera is solid value for money and easily on par with the prices offered by East Asian makers – but with the added benefit of brand familiarity.

What’s it like to drive?

I ventured to Wiltshire for the UK launch event to drive both powertrains.

First, the hybrid.

Both options use a 1.2-litre, three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine. However, for this test I was only able to get behind the wheel of the more potent 143bhp output with a 28bhp e-motor incorporated into the dual clutch automatic transmission.

Unlike its C3 Aircross sibling, Vauxhall will not be offering the hybrid with a manual gearbox – something of a disappointment to traditionalist who still enjoy the sensation of working a stick.

It’s certainly sprightly enough for a car in this class, with its 230Nm of torque helping it reach 62mph in nine seconds from a standing start.

But it does make a racket doing so.

For anyone with the expectations that choosing a hybrid with supplementary electric power will reward them with serene, hushed journeys, they’ll be rudely surprised by the clamour of the Frontera’s drivetrain.

There’s no hiding the moment the combustion engine ignites into action, with the rough, rumbling engine note typical of a three-cylinder unit breaching the cabin space.

While clearly trying to cut corners to keep costs down, Vauxhall’s lack of sound deadening between the engine bay and dashboard makes it feel like the 1,200cc unit has been relocated from the front to somewhere around your forehead.

There too was a noticeable drivetrain whine from the hybrid system in our test car, which – with the radio off – became a major annoyance after just a handful of miles. Wind the radio volume higher and the problem goes away, though.

Thankfully, the Frontera Electric is a far more tranquil experience.

Without the obvious audible effects from a combustion engine, the e-motors are more muted in the all-out EV variant.

That said, the lack of cabin soundproofing is still apparent and means you don’t get to enjoy an entirely muted ride.

This time, it’s wind noise buffeting off the wing mirrors and through the side windows that’s the big offender. This ultimately will be the same for the hybrid, though the flapping of disturbed air bouncing off the mirror covers is drowned out by its agricultural engine note.

Also noticeable in the Frontera Electric car I drove was chair squeak I can only compare to a 60-year-old well-used armchair. That said, I couldn’t hear the same in the Hybrid, so for now I’ll put this down to an isolated incident [and not a sign that I need to lose a pound or two].

We drove the smaller 44kWh battery Frontera Electric. And if you thought the instant torque synonymous with electric cars will translate to better acceleration than the hybrid, then you’ll be bitterly disappointed.

The 111bhp electric motor powering the front axle delivers 62mph in a rather lacklustre 12.8 seconds. And top speed is electronically limited to 88mph. Frankly, you’d struggle to beat a mobility scooter in a drag race.

While not underpowered for motorway driving and able to cruise at 70mph, both the Frontera Electric and Hybrid require a hefty stamp on the throttle to experience any discernible acceleration when travelling at these speeds.

Fortunately, what the Frontera lacks in outright performance it more than makes up with comfort.

Thanks to its relatively long-travel suspension, by crossover standards, and its lightweight platform (even the EV version weighs just 1,500kg), the ride is supple as the chassis components dispatch speed bumps and potholes with the composure of a far more expensive car.

Surprisingly, the plush suspension doesn’t trigger the woeful body roll often experienced in tall crossover-style models of this ilk. Instead, it remains stable in the corners, which is a welcome surprise.

The Frontera Electric certainly feels the more grounded and surefooted of the two when cornering, likely a result of it being anchored by the heavier batteries in the chassis floor.

With the crossover tuned for urban driving over Nürburgring lap records, the steering in expectedly light.

However, when travelling on a B-road with a string of twisty bends, the wheel requires more input than you might think, often needing a dab of correction mid corner. But it at least feels stable and fends off the inevitable understeer longer than many of its crossover rivals.

What’s less confidence inspiring is the brakes. In both cars they initially feel spongy until you bypass the regenerative portion of the pedal movement, when the stopping power suddenly bites. In terms of how the Frontera drives, this is the most disappointing characteristic of all.

Back in the environment for which it was designed, the Frontera’s lofty driving position provides great all-round visibility around town, and it’s squared-off corners makes it easy to judge the distance to a raised kerb and other cars when parking in tight spaces.

Its 11.05-metre turning circle is decent too, though not class leading (the Citroen’s is tighter at 10.9 metres).

How frugal is it?

Despite the power difference, both Frontera Hybrids are claimed to return 53.3mpg.

While I didn’t quite match that figure, the instrument cluster was still ticking over 48mpg following an afternoon of spirited driving predominantly on back roads.

As such, it should be on par with major hybrid rivals, namely the MG ZS and Dacia Duster.

Vauxhall reckons the hybrid will run on battery power more than 50 per cent of the time, and in electric-only mode it can go up to 84mph – just 4mph shy of its outright top speed.

As for the Frontera Electric, the standard 188-mile range might be too limiting for many. Instead, the claimed 253 miles from the larger 54kWh battery will be the one most customers will opt for.

After just 45 miles of driving, we recorded a 58 loss of range. By our calculations, that 188-miles is going to be closer to 120 in the real world.

When you do have to charge, times are acceptable rather than ground-breaking. The smaller 44kWh battery option is capable of jumping from 20 to 80 per cent capacity in 26 minutes using a rapid 100kW public charger – the bigger 54kW Extended Range taking 28 minutes.

Fortunately, the Frontera Electric comes with an 11kW on-board charger fitted as standard, so those able to plug in at home (which is 90 per cent of EV owners in Britain currently) from a 7.4kW wallbox will achieve 100 per cent capacity in 7 hours for the 44kWh and 8.5 hours for the 54kWh.

Vauxhall too has its unique ‘Plug & Go’ offer, which provides customers £500 towards an Ohme homecharger, online credit with the Octopus Electroverse public charging network, or credit to use at Tesco-based chargers.

How much equipment do you get?

It is in this department where Vauxhall and other mainstream European, Japanese, and Korean brands have their work cut out competing against the new might from China.

With a focus on equipment and cabin appeal, the latest models emerging from East Asia not only feel plush inside but have more tech than their modest price tags might suggest.

Yet, Vauxhall has armed the Frontera with a commendable amount of kit, with the entry-level Design boasting a pair of 10-inch displays, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as well as smartphone charging, and four USB-C ports split equally for front and rear occupants.

Rain-sensing windscreen wipers, cruise control and a rear parking camera are all standard fitment, too.

Spend an extra £2,500 for the GS trim and it adds automatic air-conditioning, powered folding door mirrors, a blind-spot alert warning system and 17-inch alloy wheels – up one inch on the Design’s rims.

Ultimate, for an additional £450 brings roof rails, a heated steering wheel and front seats and heated windscreen.

In all honesty, though, the Chinese marques are offering an Ultimate-level of equipment across all models.

A cabin with cheap plastics EVERYWHERE

Where the Frontera will definitely lose points against Chinese rivals like BYD and Jaecoo is interior materials.

In fact, the volume of low-grade black plastics are ab]out on par with what I recall in Dad’s 2001 Frontera.

Fortunately, the mele of scratchy hard surfaces is broken up by the pair of 10-inch displays and a centre console panel featuring physical controls to adjust the climate settings – a welcome reprieve from having every operation buried in a touchscreen system, which has become convention for new cars in 2025.

Another major win for the Frontera is the amazingly easy means to turn off the EU-mandated ADAS (Advanced Driving Assisted Systems), including speed limit warning and lane keep assist, which are an infuriating addition to every new car since 2024.

Rather than lumping these into the main screen system – and usually demanding the driver scroll through various menus to turn them off – Vauxhall has put individual buttons on a panel to the right side of the steering wheel. Hold the button for a second or two and the infuriating ‘bongs’ are gone. Brilliant.

Sadly, customers aren’t furnished with simple controls for all functions, with the radio settings only manageable via the infotainment display or the steering wheel buttons – boo!

While it’s far from stylish or flashy, the Frontera’s cockpit is at least well laid out and practical in what feels like a refreshing dose of back-to-basic cabin design.

This interior step back in time is epitomised by the old-fashioned key ignition to start not only the hybrid but the Frontera Electric too. I’ve racked my brains and can’t recall ever turning starting an EV with a turn key.

But there are a few quirks of the cabin I found highly irritating, too.

Firstly, the glovebox is pretty redundant. It’s so small that your Nan would need to store her Werther’s Originals individually rather than by the packet.

Another frustration: the plastics below the window frames are finished in glossy plastic that slopes down away from the glass. What it adds in a modicum of interior quality it seriously loses in elbow-perching capability, with a jumper-covered arm constantly slipping off.

And where the lower section of the centre console bolts to the underside of the dashboard protrudes into the footrest area in the pedal box. Wear the wrong footwear – like my Chelsea boots – and the toe section will constantly rub on the plastic and partly get stuck under it. Fortunately, the exclusivity of automatic transmission makes you left foot redundant, so it’s more an annoyance than a danger.

One nice – cost-effective – touch is the elasticated straps used for the cupholder in the centre console. They’re not only cheap to incorporate but they’ll hold bottles of almost any size.

The infotainment system – like the rest of the dashboard – is far from plush, but it is at least easy to navigate. Could the graphic be crisper and the menus more appealing and customisable? Definitely. But with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard, we doubt you’ll rely on the Vauxhall system anyway.

Are you sitting comfortably?

The Frontera definitely feels more crossover than SUV. While it might have the silhouette of a Matchbox Land Rover Defender, clamber inside and you don’t feel like you’re perched that much higher than a conventional hatchback.

Drivers of any size should be able to manipulate the seat and steering wheel position to suit their proportions, though, with plenty of adjustment available.

Vauxhall has also equipped it with its patented ‘Intelli-Seats’, which are unique by the cut-out section in the backrest designed to alleviate lower back pain. Personally, I didn’t feel the benefit of this whatsoever – in fact, I felt more spine ache from sitting in the Frontera than I did during the six-hour round trip in a vehicle from another manufacturer to attend the launch event.

It also doesn’t feel anywhere near as roomy as most C-segment family SUVs.

While it’s one of the longest models in its class, the Smart Car platform restricts its width. As such, it has supermini-like elbow space up front – so you’d better get on with your passenger if you’re planning lots of long journeys.

This horizontal restriction also means there’s not really enough space for three adults across the rear bench. That said, it should be perfectly adequate for three children, though space will be limited if you’re utilising the Isofix mounting points for cars seats in the two outboard seats.

Another point that could sway a decision between hybrid and EV is the difference in the rear floor layout. The battery positioning in the Frontera Electric means passengers will have to make do with perching with their knees higher as a consequence of trying to save the planet by going entirely green.

However, for a family of four, the Frontera will certainly be perfectly roomy enough.

Its stretched body and boxy proportions means heaps of leg and headroom for all occupants.

And because the windows are all very square, the interior is flooded with light and both driver and passengers benefit from having a great all-round view out to spare their eyes from the mass of dreary moulded plastics across the cabin.

Seven-seat availability also gives Frontera a USP in this segment. Only Dacia’s Jogger estate can carry as many people in such compact dimensions.

But what you gain in occupants you dramatically lose in boot space, which almost disappears entirely with the £550 option ticket.

While not tested, we also can’t imagine those two rearmost seats will provide anything close to comfort. Like the Jogger, we couldn’t recommend it as a fully-fledged seven-seat transporter.

Storage is good though, with lots of cubbies and adequately wide door bins.

Boot space

What can’t help you decide between hybrid and EV is the Frontera’s boot, which is 460 litres in both.

For such a compact vehicle, we think that’s more than suitable. The Dacia Duster offers a rucksack-sized 36 litres more, for comparative purposes.

For full van-like carrying capacity, the rear seats can be dropped in a 60:40 split operation. And thanks to a variable boot floor, you can position the boot tray so that the entire load space is flat as a pancake.

Do so and the maximum available load lugging space is an impressive 1,600 litres.

The boring stuff

Company car drivers paying Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) tax will find the Vauxhall Frontera Electric to be their best choice. Like all EVs, it incurs just 3 per cent BiK while both hybrids sit in the 29 per cent bracket.

Sadly, since April, EVs no longer qualify for free road tax, but the first year ‘showroom tax’ rate is only £10 – then £195 each year thereafter at the standard rate, like the Hybrid. And the Frontera’s modest price means it will avoid the £425-a-year Expensive Car Supplement, too.

In terms of residuals, it’s the Hybrid that’s expected to do better, predicted to hold 46 per cent of its value after three years and 30,000 miles; the EV is just 37 per cent.

And in terms of warranty, customers get coverage for three years or 60,000 miles, whichever comes first. The EV’s battery is covered separately for eight years/100,000 miles.

Vauxhall Frontera: The Cars & Motoring Verdict

Factoring in its keen price, the Frontera is damn good value for money.

Okay, it’s not plush, great to drive or loaded with the latest tech, but it is cheap – and that is its saving grace.

For a decent-size EV that can shuttle a family for a week without needing to be charged, £22,500 is affordable enough to be competitive against East Asian brands.

And while the hybrid is slightly more expensive, it too is decent value in a market where new car prices are ever increasing.

Which of the two Frontera drivetrains is the better choice?

Given the longer-range 54kWh Frontera Electric is less expensive than any of the hybrids – and will be cheaper to run, handles better and is a lot more hushed – it’s the one I recommend… if you can charge it cheaply at home, that is.

And customers think so too; Vauxhall told me that 70 per cent of orders so far are for the EV. 

But will Britons buy one over a Chinese alternative? 

On badge familiarity and price, I think drivers might stick with a brand they already know and trust.