1996 Vauxhall Frontera TDi 2.8TDi

Summary:

Great allround car and good for economy

Faults:

Nothing apart from the usually wear and tear.

General Comments:

It's a good all-round car, a must for anyone who likes big cars without the running cost's the 2.8TDi gets 40+mpg average and has loads of torque for climbing those hills.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 15th December, 2006

1996 Vauxhall Frontera 2.2 petrol

Summary:

Perfect for my needs and makes me feel proud to own one

Faults:

Nothing has gone wrong with the car since I bought it.

General Comments:

Living ten miles from town and ten miles off the bus route I realised during the latest blizzards that I need a reliable vehicle that can cope with such conditions. I normally only drive classic cars and its not fair to expect a 40 year old car to cope with recent conditions.

My only experience has been with a 21 year old Land Rover and having seen the Frontera for sale for a few months I asked a pal of mine to test-drive her as he's had two and had something to compare it with. His verdict was that it drove better than his current model, which is the same age as mine, but has done twice the mileage. In fact he said that if I didn't buy it he would.

Having bought it I have been delighted with it in every way. It starts on the button, is comfortable, easy to drive, reliable and being the LWB model there's plenty of room. It even uses less petrol than my 1967 MG or my 1973 Beetle. Also its been very well looked after and there's not a mark on her. Also the insurance is very reasonable.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 28th April, 2006

1996 Vauxhall Frontera Sport S 2.0 petrol

Summary:

Pants

Faults:

Radiator blew at 70,000 miles.

Thermostat went with the radiator as did the water pump.

The car has been bleeding oil and coolant for a while, turned out the head gasket was cracked, very costly.

New alternator at 76,000.

Electrical problem with the wipers, resulting in a total rewiring and new wiper motor, not cheap either.

General Comments:

The car looks good and that's where the excitement ends.

This machine drinks more fuel than most cars I have encountered with engine capacities twice its size, about 18 miles per gallon.

The reliability of the car is beyond belief it has literally fallen to pieces around me in one expensive pile.

Off road performance is good, in some cases its better than the on road.

The low ratio four wheel drive offers enough torque to get you through most situations although its no land-rover.

On road performance is OK at low speeds, but on the motorway it has a tendency to veer in the crosswind.

Also on the motorway don't expect to go anywhere fast or cheap or with any weight in the vehicle or go long distance.

Put it this way a 670 mile round trip at 60 miles per hour, with the car fully laden and with no trailer managed to guzzle a tank and a half of petrol, that's 120 liters of petrol.

You get the picture.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 29th January, 2005

3rd Nov 2005, 16:06

26.7mpg... and you're moaning?

Jeez, there's no pleasing some people.

3rd Nov 2006, 01:28

I have an R reg Frontera petrol and I get about 25 mpg from it most of the time! I hardly ever go under the bonnet, only from time to time to look at oil the level. It has never let me down in three years, it's built like a tank and drives like one!!!

Keep out from under the bonnet and it will go forever.. treat it hard and don't pussy-foot about with it, give it some stick and it will love it!!!

9th Jun 2008, 06:55

I live in Australia and own a Holden Frontera 1996 Sport, and it did a water pump at 140,000. I get 10litre to every 100km and that's pretty good. I find it a nice car, but expensive and hard to find parts.

28th Oct 2010, 09:00

Yes it's gutsy. You're comparing it to a car. I get about 20 MPG out of mine, exactly what Vauxhall says it does. My petrol Passat gets only 10 more and it's nearly half the weight.

Yes they wander a bit, it's got a high centre of gravity. I drive mine like I stole it. It's got 120000 on it now, it was 80000 when I got it 2 years ago, and apart from services, I've only had to get the exhaust replaced.

I think you're expecting a lot from what has to be one of the cheapest 4x4s on the market. You pay for what you get.

6th Apr 2011, 05:40

I have a 12 month 1998 Holden Frontera here in Queensland Australia and love it!

Mine is coil rear, NOT leaf like the first ones. Also mine is what is called a Frontera A phase 2. (Oct1998-Feb1999).

Mathew.harrison_85@live.com.

0403 567 058.