NEW VAUXHALL FRONTERA: Spacious & Fun Fully Electric SUV
As reported last year, Vauxhall is reviving the Frontera name for the chunky compact SUV that will replace the Crossland later this year, and today they’ve released images. If you were hoping for a modernised Frontera of old then I’m sorry, please stop reading here to avoid disappointment.
In the press release there are lots of phrases like ‘rugged interpretation of Vauxhall’s bold and pure design philosophy’, ‘ bold and tough, but modern and expressive’ - you get the idea.
The new Frontera is available as a battery-electric variant from launch, and thankfully, for the majority of folk who haven’t access to home or work chargers, customers will also be able to opt for vehicles with 48-volt hybrid technology. Unfortunately there’s no news of a 4x4 or AWD model as yet.
James Taylor, Managing Director, Vauxhall, said:
“With its combination of rugged design, spaciousness, clever solutions and efficient powertrains, our new Vauxhall Frontera will appeal to a wide range of customers who want to stand out from the crowd. It is ideally suited to the urban and sub-urban environment with a fully electric version available from launch.”
The interior looks modern and practical with the fully digital Pure Panel cockpit with two 10” displays and multimedia infotainment system. Vauxhall follows the philosophy of maximum comfort with minimum distraction, with a clean, detoxed user experience to avoid any form of digital stress. That said, with the aforementioned double 10” digital displays I’m not sure how that would work, the thought of all that digital-ness makes me shudder!
Moving on, Vauxhall is once again bringing seating innovations to a wide range of customers with the patented Intelli-Seat feature in the front seats. This is a slot that relieves the pressure on the tailbone ensuring outstanding comfort even during long journeys. In addition the seat fabrics are also available in a fully sustainable recycled material.
Charging mobile devices is easier than ever before with a cooled wireless charger and two USB ports available in the front, and a further two USB ports available in the second row. No mention of USB-C, but I assume it’ll have them. Additionally, larger devices that would normally not fit into the cabin properly, such as tablets, can be safely stored in the centre console thanks to a flexible strap that holds them in place. Further open storage areas in the cabin can take daily carry-ons with rubber lining preventing rattling and sliding. Second row passengers can take advantage of the integrated smartphone pockets in the backrests of the front seats.
When it comes to load carrying capacity, with the back seats up you get over 460 litres of luggage space in the boot – with the seats folded down, that increases to up to 1,600 litres. Additional versatility is provided by the 60:40 split of the rear bench, while a second load floor comes as standard. Furthermore, customers who need to take even more luggage on their journeys or want to take full advantage of the roof load of more than 200kg can choose the optional functional roof rails.
The Frontera will be available later this year, though no prices have been shared with as yet.