1992 OPEL Frontera Wagon 2.3L TD 5MT AWD (101 HP)

Vehicle Overview

General Motors, Isuzu, and Honda joined forces and developed an SUV sold under different badges across the world. In Europe, that SUV was known as the Opel Frontera.

Since GM had some shares in Isuzu’s stakes, it was considered good to develop an SUV together. It also asked Honda, who tried to expand its portfolio in the U.S., to join the club and bring its V6 gasoline engine. For the European market, instead, GM prepared only GM-sourced and Isuzu turbodiesel powerplants.

As part of General Motors, Opel was entrusted with the sales of the three- and five-door version of the newly developed SUV and launched it on the market under the Frontera nameplate. The longer version benefited showed a squared-looking body. Its rectangular headlights, flared wheel arches, and raked-forward C-pillars made the car look modern for those times when most off-road vehicles featured flat straight tailgates.

Inside, the squared lines continued and matched the exterior design. Thanks to the longer wheelbase than for the three-door version, the Frontera Wagon provided two seats at the front and a folding bench in the rear. Opel installed a similar dashboard with its siblings sold under Honda, Chevrolet, or Isuzu badges. The squared instrument cluster was narrow, just enough to cover the dials and host a few buttons on its sides. On the center console, the carmaker installed the gear stick and the lever for the high and low transfer box.

Under the hood, Opel installed its inline-four gasoline engines and a turbodiesel developed by Isuzu. The front independent suspension and the rigid rear axle made it a good all-around vehicle, comfortable enough on the streets but not afraid to tackle some muddy roads or trials.