The new entry-level Opel crossover coming to South Africa very soon

Opel has a new crossover in store for South Africa, which will make its debut before the second half of the year.

In 2024, the automaker confirmed that the new Frontera is coming to our market, but that it would only arrive in the first half of 2025.

This means the long waiting period is nearly over, as the crossover should make its grand entrance in the next three months.

What to expect

The Frontera is the brand’s upcoming replacement for the ageing Crossland, which has been in showrooms for over eight years at this point.

The Crossland is Opel’s cheapest SUV, slotting below the mid-range Mokka crossover and the larger Grandland SUV, which means the Frontera will take on the role as the carmaker’s entry-level model when it appears in showrooms.

The Frontera’s pricing is still unknown, but for context, the Crossland currently retails from R359,900 while the Mokka starts at R504,900, so expect a figure that lands between these two points.

Complicating this comparison is the fact that the Frontera is venturing into the realm of new-energy powertrains.

Overseas, the Opel is available as both a mild hybrid (MHEV) and as a full-on battery-electric vehicle (BEV).

The company has yet to confirm which options are coming to South Africa, but it’s highly unlikely that the BEV will be one of them given that Opel and its parent company Stellantis have yet to bring any other electric cars here.

As for the MHEV units, both use a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine, which is paired to an “electrified” six-speed automatic gearbox, a 48-volt battery, and a 21kW electric motor.

The base models boast a total powertrain potential of 74kW, while the higher-spec units are uprated to 100kW.

As for its features, one major standout of the Frontera is that it has a seven-seater model, which should be one of the more affordable options in its segment once it reaches South Africa.

By default, the crossover has a 460-litre boot, though the third seat row will obviously take up most of this space.

However, if both the third and second rows are folded, the Frontera can accommodate a generous 1,600 litres of luggage.

The local spec sheet will be confirmed closer to the car’s launch, but in Europe the Opel features 19-inch alloy wheels, automatic LED headlights, a multifunction steering wheel, recycled fabric seats, a wireless charger, four USB ports, two 10-inch displays for the driver and infotainment systems, onboard navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support, and a reverse camera.