Opel Launches One of Its Cheapest Crossovers: New Frontera Gets a Manual Transmission

The new Opel Frontera starts at €21,990 in Germany. However, for that price, the German automaker offers a largely bare-bones crossover. On the other hand, the Frontera is cheaper than almost all of its Chinese rivals currently sold on the European market. The only exception is the MG ZS, which starts at €20,490 in Germany.

At the same time, buyers in Germany can get the Citroen C3 Aircross, which shares the same underpinnings as the Frontera. The French model is priced nearly €2,000 lower in Germany. Interestingly, the Frontera has become one of Opel’s cheapest vehicles. The compact Corsa starts at €23,340 in Germany, while the Mokka costs €27,390.

Stellantis announced changes to Opel’s development strategy back in the spring. The company will develop vehicles aimed primarily at the German market. The arrival of the new Frontera is likely one of the first steps in carrying out that plan. Opel, like Stellantis, needs vehicles capable of competing with Chinese models. The new crossover shows that the German automaker has the internal resources to pursue that goal. The new Frontera is powered by a 1.2-liter turbocharged engine producing up to 100 hp. The engine has no form of electric assistance. It is also paired with a six-speed manual transmission that sends all of its power to the front wheels. The Frontera is also available with a mild-hybrid system based on the same 1.2-liter turbocharged engine. This version comes with a six-speed automatic transmission.

An interesting feature of the new crossover is the lack of a touchscreen. Instead, Opel installed a smartphone mount. In other words, the engineers simply removed the screen, leaving an empty recess in its place.

The crossover does retain a digital instrument cluster. The seats are upholstered in inexpensive fabric, while the cabin is finished primarily in plastic. The crossover is also equipped with automatic climate control with physical controls. Cargo capacity is 480 liters. The new model is 4,385 mm long and has five seats. It also comes with rear parking sensors, a lane-departure warning system, and a driver’s seat with six-way adjustment.