If the Vauxhall Frontera with its optional steel wheels wasn’t ‘back to basics’ enough for you, the British brand is now offering its baby seven-seat SUV with a pure petrol engine and, most crucially, a manual gearbox.
Available to order now from just £22,820, the new petrol-powered Vauxhall Frontera costs £4,000 less than the mild-hybrid version. Both cars share the same petrol engine, although this latest model sacrifices any electrical assistance, which drops power from 143bhp to just 99bhp. Also switching the hybrid’s six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission for a six-speed manual, Vauxhall says the new entry-level Frontera will return up to 47mpg and reach 62mph in 12.4 seconds – or 13.3 seconds in seven-seat form.
Speaking of which, the Frontera will retain its seven-seat option, even with only 205Nm of pulling power in the pure-petrol version. These extra seats are available as a £550 option on mid-spec GS trim and above, with the tight rear seats being aimed more at young children than they are adults.
Standard equipment includes 17-inch alloy wheels, a 10-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, climate control, cruise control and a reversing camera. GS models will set buyers back £2,500 more than the base Design, although they do boast sportier styling touches inside and out, as well as built-in sat-nav, a wireless phone charger, blind spot monitoring and posher fabric seats.
Finally, the top-spec Ultimate still only costs £26,020 – £700 less than even a Frontera Hybrid Design – and gets a heated windscreen, steering wheel and front seats, roof rails and LED fog lamps.
The Frontera appears to have been something of a hit for Vauxhall, with the pure-electric version (which is capable of up to 253 miles on a single charge) frequently coming close to the top of EV sales charts in the UK. It’s a mechanical sibling to the Citroen C3 Aircross and sits below the larger Vauxhall Grandland in the British maker’s line-up.
Did you know you can sell your car through Auto Express? We’ll help you get a great price and find a great deal on a new car, too.