Opel Unveils New Frontera

The folks at Opel must have been feeling nostalgic this year, celebrating 125 years of car making with the grand reveal of the all-new Frontera. Remember the original Frontera, that quirky SUV from the 90s? This one is apparently roomier, more comfortable, and, thankfully, hopefully better looking.

Opel CEO, Florian Huettl, boasted that the new Frontera is “highly flexible, spacious, and electrified,” which sounds more like a description of my yoga instructor than a car. But hey, flexibility is always good, especially if you’re planning on squeezing seven people and their luggage into this thing. Yes, you read that right, seven! Apparently, the new Frontera is as eager for a family reunion as Aunt Gertrude with a fruitcake recipe.

The press release goes on to describe the Frontera’s “striking design” which, based on the pictures, seems to be corporate speak for “generic SUV.” But hey, at least it has a fancy new badge in the front and prominent wheel arches that say “I’m outdoorsy, even if I never leave the mall parking lot.”

The interior features a “newly designed steering wheel” and “two 10-inch widescreens.” Let’s hope the steering wheel is more intuitive than their naming conventions. Thankfully, they haven’t forgotten practicality, offering a “smartphone station” – because, let’s face it, these days a car isn’t complete without a designated phone babysitter.

For those who like their comfort with a side of sci-fi, the new Frontera comes with optional “Intelli-Seats” that boast a pressure-relieving “slot in the middle.” Sounds less like a car seat and more like a trip to a futuristic proctologist, but hey, whatever gets your buns happy on those long road trips.

Speaking of long trips, the Frontera offers two drivetrain options: a hybrid with a 48-volt battery (fancy!) or a fully electric version with a very optimistic range of “more than 300 kilometers” (according to the ever-reliable WLTP2). Let’s just say, if you’re planning a road trip to Timbuktu, you might want to pack a good book.

Finally, Opel is making car buying easier than ever with a “one-scroll experience” that allows you to virtually browse and even purchase your new Frontera from the comfort of your couch. Just don’t blame us if you accidentally order seven by mistake – enough seats for the whole family reunion, after all.