Opel is getting ready to launch a brand new small crossover. It’s called the Opel Frontera, an iconic nameplate that the company is reviving as a replacement for the Crossland.
Opel was already part of the PSA group in 2017 when the Crossland came out. However, it still borrowed a lot from the Corsa. The 2024 Frontera, on the other hand, will be even more of a French car.
How do we know? Opel dropped a few dark teaser photos earlier this week, which together with some spy photos developed into the first clear photos of the 2024 Opel Frontera. Now, to be clear, these aren’t official photos, but the rendering created by Kolesa are based on a real car.
You see, the new Frontera prototype has an uncanny resemblance to the Citroen C3 Aircross crossover, which was just renewed. That’s why most of the bodywork of the Frontera is taken from the Citroen, including those strong shoulder lines and the boxy overall shape.
Where Opel designers did leave their mark is in the shape of the grille, which follows the design of the new Astra. Some bold h-shaped taillights are the note-worthy features around the back of the car.
The Frontera has been teased as an affordable electric car, and it should thus have the same powertrain layout as an electric Opel Corsa, meaning a 136 or 156 horsepower motor will sit over the front wheels and it will draw from 51 kWh battery packs located near the trunk of the car.
But since the platform is essentially just a Citroen C3 Aircross, we believe the Frontera will also be sold with regular 1.2-liter turbo engines. We’ve seen the same thing happening with other products from within the Stellantis auto group, namely the Jeep Avenger.
The Frontera name dates back to an Opel model introduced in 1989 which was on sale until 2004. It was essentially a German re-badged version of the Japanese Isuzu Amigo SUV. It was big and thirsty, thanks to permanent AWD and engines up to 3.2 liters. By comparison, the Grandland looks tiny and only comes in FWD, but it has sold well.
