New Vauxhall Frontera review

For those with long memories, the Vauxhall Frontera name probably conjures up images of hill farmers rescuing stranded sheep or blokes in boiler suits hauling industrial gubbins into the boot of a utilitarian 4x4.

Fast-forward to today, and the Frontera is back – but the original's workhorse features, such as selectable four-wheel-drive and agricultural diesel engines, are no more. Instead, the all-new Frontera is a small SUV designed with a more sophisticated audience in mind.

For instance, the engine range consists of two mild-hybrid petrol engines, and there’s also an electric Frontera available, which we’ve reviewed separately. 

The new Frontera competes with the likes of the Dacia Duster, Ford Puma and Volkswagen T-Roc, as well as fellow models from the Stellantis group, such as closely related Citroën C3 Aircross. So, how does this new-age Vauxhall fare in such a well-stocked segment?

What's new

- October 2025 – New range-topping Ultimate trim adds heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, a heated windscreen and LED fog lights

The Vauxhall Frontera has two engine options, both of which are 1.2-litre, three-cylinder mild-hybrid petrol units: one of them produces 99bhp and the other 134bhp. Both come with a six-speed automatic gearbox. 

Even in its less-powerful guise, the Frontera is spritely enough – 0-62mph takes 11.0sec. With that in mind (and because it’s cheaper), we’d stick with the 99bhp engine. But if you were to opt for the 134bhp unit, it offers an improved 9.0sec 0-62mph time.

Dynamically, the Frontera has a safe amount of grip, but the steering is vague , the brakes are grabby and the body control is, at best, average for a small SUV. The Ford Puma is a more agile and confidence-inspiring machine. 

It's a similar story with the ride, which is firm, fidgety and unsettled compared to others in its class. The Citroën C3 Aircross rides more smoothly, and against a VW T-Roc (the class leader here) the Frontera really disappoints. 

The Frontera's engine could do with more refinement, too. Regardless of the power output chosen, the three-cylinder feels rough/unpolished, sending noticeable vibrations into the cabin at low revs. There’s some suspension, road and wind noise to take note of as well. 

In a segment filled with cars that are quiet and smooth – with the best of the bunch again being the T-Roc – the Frontera is noticeably outclassed.

“I’m afraid to say the driving experience certainly isn’t the Frontera’s forte.” – Oliver Young, Reviewer

The new Frontera has a flat top and bottomed steering wheel, just as you'll find in the Citroën C3 Aircross. However, Vauxhall’s wheel is much larger and the driver's display is in the traditional place behind the wheel, not above, like it is in the Citroen.

There’s a wide range of adjustment in the driver’s seat, so it’s easy to get comfy. Our only complaint here is that it's not ideal for taller drivers, since there isn't much steering wheel reach the farther back you go.

One of the main reasons people love SUVs is that they sit you high up and give you an excellent view of the road ahead. The Frontera is no exception. What’s more, the slim windscreen pillars help create a good field of vision. 

Rear visibility isn’t quite as impressive because, while you do get a decent view over your shoulder, your line of sight directly behind is restricted by the chunky rear pillars and slim rear window. You’ll have to rely on the standard-fit rear parking sensors and rear-view camera when parking.  

As with most modern cars, it will take time to figure out all the swipes and scrolling procedures to access the myriad of infotainment system menus. Mercifully, there’s a shelf to rest your palm on while you're poking and prodding.

The air-conditioning, rear screen heating element, heated seats, heated steering wheel and heated windscreen (optional extra) can be controlled using proper physical buttons. It’s easier to access things this way, as opposed to digging around in the touchscreen (like you do in the Ford Puma).

All the workings of the Frontera’s infotainment system are hidden behind a glossy 10in touchscreen. It’s clear, intuitive and the integrated software responds quickly to a light touch. You also get a fair number of features, including Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, DAB radio and wireless phone-charging.

However, there’s no getting away from the tacky material quality, unfortunately. Almost everything is made from cheap-feeling plastic, even the silver, metal-effect trim on the dashboard. The Frontera feels a step below effectively every rival here, including other budget buys like the Citroën C3 Aircross, Dacia Duster and Renault Captur. 

“There’s a rest for your hand while you prod the infotainment screen, which I thought was a handy (badum tss) touch.” – Lawrence Cheung, New Cars Editor

There’s plenty of head and leg room in the Vauxhall Frontera for taller adults, but the shoulder room is a little bit on the tight side. Another negative is that there’s no seat-height adjustment for the front passenger.

The front seat cushions feature an unusual trench-like depression running front to rear, which is said to reduce pressure on the tailbone. We did find the seats to be comfortable. 

Since the Frontera is a fair bit longer than the Vauxhall Crossland, there’s oodles of leg and head room in the rear. That said, the rear seat cushions have a lack of plumpness.

Although the Frontera sits quite high off the ground, making it easy for less mobile back-seat passengers to slide in and out, the floor-to-hip point is a bit low so they might find their knees are quite close to their chins. 

Although there are no confirmed plans for four-wheel-drive on the new Frontera as yet, a slim transmission tunnel does run down the middle of the car. Thankfully it's not big enough to be a stumbling block for those sitting in the centre back seat. 

There’s also a seven-seat version of the Frontera available. We’ve yet to try it, but based on what we've seen in the five-seat, there likely won’t be a massive amount of rear legroom. It’s also worth noting that there are no Isofix mounts in the five-seater.    

Folding rear seats are standard in the Frontera and they split 60/40. Thanks to handy quick-release tags on top of the seats, it's reasonably easy to get the backrests to fold down, but there are no release levers in the boot so you can't deploy them without opening the rear doors first. This could become slightly annoying after a while.

The rear seats are fixed in place, so they don’t slide back and forth like they do in the Renault Captur. The Captur has a bigger boot as well, up to 535 litres, while the Dacia Duster is also superior at 517 litres.

Those cars are more exceptions rather than the rule, mind you. The Frontera’s 460 litres is still impressive, beating the amount you get with the VW T-Roc (up to 445 litres) and Ford Puma (up to 456 litres). 

Maximising the Frontera’s load space is compromised somewhat by a bit of wheel-arch intrusion, but if you do need to carry larger loads, you can fold the rear seats down flat to open up to 1,600 litres of storage.

There’s also a height-adjustable boot floor, which can be used to create a completely flat floor and eliminate any load lip. Alternatively, it can be lowered into the spare wheel well (there is no spare wheel) to prevent items from rolling out of the tailgate when parked on an uphill gradient.

Dog owners will appreciate how canine-friendly the Frontera is: its adjustability means the boot area can accommodate everything from a sausage dog to a Golden Retriever.

“The seven-seat version might be limited in its capability, but at least the option’s there. Most rivals don’t give you that.” – Lawrence Cheung, New Cars Editor

The new Vauxhall Frontera's competitive starting price means it undercuts most small SUV rivals as a private buy. Sure, the Citroën C3 Aircross and Dacia Duster are cheaper purchases, but the Ford Puma and VW T-Roc? Nope. 

The Vauxhall Frontera Electric is worth a look at if you’re a company car driver. Even as a private buy, it’s currently the cheaper option due to the government grant for electric cars. But it’s worth noting that there’s no plug-in hybrid version of the Frontera.  

There’s just the mild-hybrid petrol engines, and if you’re thinking one is probably better on fuel than the other, think again. Both power outputs yield the same official fuel economy figure, that being a respectable 53.3mpg.

If you go for the cheapest Frontera trim – called Design – you get a decent amount of standard equipment. That includes 16in alloys, automatic wipers, cruise control, an electric parking brake, LED headlights, wireless phone-charging and steering wheel-mounted controls. You do have manual air-con in this one, though. 

Upgrading to GS adds a few choice styling goodies, including 17in alloy wheels, climate control, LED headlights and taillights, tinted rear windows and a black roof with colour-matched electric folding door mirrors. There’s also the range-topping Ultimate, which gets a heated steering wheel, windscreen and front seats, plus LED fog lights.

The Frontera is too new to have featured in our 2025 What Car? Reliability Survey, but Vauxhall as a brand came a confidence-inspiring fifth out of 30 car brands. For perspective, it ranked below Suzuki and Toyota but above Citroën and Kia. 

Like all Vauxhalls, the Frontera comes with a three-year/60,000-mile warranty and a year of roadside assistance. That matches most brands' cover but falls short of the five-year warranty offered by Hyundai, Kia’s seven-year package and the (up to) 10 years warranty Toyota gives you.

The Frontera has yet to be tested by the safety experts at Euro NCAP but it does get plenty of standard safety kit. Every Frontera comes with lane-departure warning, automatic emergency braking (AEB), a driver drowsiness alert, a blind-spot warning and Isofix child-seat mounts on the front passenger and outer rear seats.

“I think Vauxhall’s decision to price the EV and petrol versions the same is commendable. Mind you, now the government grant has come along, it’s actually the EV that’s become the more affordable option.” – Lawrence Cheung, New Cars Editor

Buy it if

- You want a reasonably priced SUV and the option of seven seats

- You prioritise interior and boot space

- You want an efficient petrol engine

Don’t buy it if

- You want a lavish interior 

- You’re after class-leading ride and handling 

- You want a plug-in hybrid version (there isn’t one)

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