OPEL FRONTERA EV REVIEW: TRISH WHELAN, IRISH CAR

Eight months following its Irish launch last December, Opel’s new Frontera has become the brand’s best-selling passenger car ahead of the Corsa and flagship Grandland X, a remarkable achievement for a new car to market in a short time. Opel in Ireland is on a roll, having sold 2,726 units this year, which is over 30% more than in 2025. The Frontera is attracting buyers looking for a mid-sized SUV, offering all-electric or hybrid power, a choice of five- or seven seats (seven in the hybrid model), at an affordable price. Size-wise, it sits between the Mokka and larger Grandland in the brand’s SUV line-up. 

The Frontera name is a revival, having previously been a rugged-looking, ladder-frame utility 4x4 produced by Opel from 1991 to 2004. It's a good-looking, everyday car, not pretending to be anything else, and that’s part of its charm. High, boxy, it's a practical motor with a spacious cabin and a good view of the road. My car looked cool in its Khaki Green exterior colour (€800 extra) that will appeal to adventurous types, with contrasting black roof and pillars, roof rails, high-gloss black door mirrors, 17-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels, LED headlights/tail lights, rear fog lamps, dark silver skid plates, and privacy glass. The new black Opel Blitz emblem, in the centre of the car’s fascia, is lost as it blends into the black background, which is a shame. But the model’s name stands out in black lettering across the rear. The cabin is welcoming with cheerfully patterned front seats that are comfortable. The driver’s seat has 6-way adjustments, the passenger's 4-way adjustments. 

The dash features a long unit for the 10-inch digital driver display, and same-sized colour touchscreen angled towards the driver. Infotainment, satellite navigation, Opel Connect, and phone pairing are managed here. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, as is built-in navigation. There are physical controls directly below the large screen for key climate controls, and for heating the front seats and the steering wheel. Current speed is shown large and centre top on the driver’s customisable instrument cluster along with remaining charge. The 3-spoke flat-topped and bottomed steering wheel feels good to hand and features remote audio and voice recognition. There’s a wireless phone charging pad on the centre console and two C-type USBs. The familiar Stellantis lever-type automatic transmission selector has an added ‘C’ mode setting which disengages energy regeneration. 

Rear doors open wide and rear passengers enjoy decent head and leg space helped by the car’s high roof and long 2,670mm wheelbase. The middle seat is small. There are two small USBs and the low tunnel doesn’t interfere with foot space. The tailgate is manually operated. Boot space of 460 litres is good for a car of this size (with an adjustable boot floor), and luggage space can be further expanded to 1,600 litres with all seats down. Charging cables can be stored below the floor. There’s a tyre puncture repair kit. Trims are SC, Elegance, and GS – the latter being my review car. 

Standard safety items included a good rear-view camera, front and rear parking sensors, excellent blind-spot alerts on side mirrors, Hill Assist, Cruise Control, Automatic Emergency Braking, Lane Keep Assist, Forward Collision Alert, and safety child lock. Drive modes are Eco, Normal, and Sport. 

Battery options are a standard 44kWh and a longer range 54kWk both powering a 113hp motor, and torque is 120Nm. The larger battery in my review car had a claimed 400km range. On collection, the screen showed the battery fully charged, with a possible 389km available, near enough to the claimed figure. After driving over all types of routes, the readout showed energy consumption of 19.2Wh/100km. Fast charging from 20% to 80% takes 30 minutes, or you can add 100km in 10 minutes to get you home. 

I found the Frontera EV an easy and relaxing car to drive, rock solid on the road, and comfortable for all passengers. The steering was firm, which I prefer. From 0–100km/h takes around 13 seconds, not tyre-smoking but adequate for a family car. Road tax is €120. Surprisingly, the all-electric version of the Frontera comes in at a lower cost than the hybrid version. Frontera has not yet been tested by Euro NCAP. The model carries a five-year unlimited mileage warranty. 

Prices are from €24,606 for the electric BEV, inclusive of SEAI grant and VRT rebate, and from €27,995 for the hybrid version.

NEW SMALL SUV FROM NISSAN

Nissan is to launch a new small crossover, named Kicks, featuring its e-Power hybrid technology, in Europe, writes Brian Byrne. The company is investing £170m to produce it at its Sunderland plant in the UK, which marks its 40th anniversary this year, and the Kicks will join the Qashqai, Juke, and Leaf on the production line. 

The Kicks, already built in Japan, Mexico, and Brazil, has sold over 1.8 million units globally. The Sunderland plant, which has produced 12 million vehicles since 1986, will also manufacture the all-electric third-generation Juke next year. 

The Kicks will feature the third-generation e-power system, offering improved fuel efficiency and emissions.  

NEW POWERTRAIN FOR MAZDA6e

Mazda has unveiled the 2027 Mazda6e, featuring a new powertrain, writes Brian Byrne. The 78 kWh Lithium Iron Phosphate battery supports fast charging up to 200 kW and offers a rated WLTP range of up to 560 km. 

The updated model also introduces the Homura Plus grade with a sportier design and expands the Takumi Plus grade with new interior trims. The Mazda6e’s suspension and ADAS functionalities have been refined, improving ride comfort and driving experience. 

The 2027 Mazda6e will be available in European showrooms from November 2026. 

LEAPMOTOR C10 REVIEW: BRIAN BYRNE, IRISH CAR

The medium-large D-segment crossover segment in Ireland is experiencing growth both in sales and in competitor models and brands, writes Brian Byrne. Incoming Chinese vehicles feature high in this, partly because where they come from, it is a dominant size of car, particularly in what they call 'new energy' vehicles. Pitched competitively against established European makers, and Tesla's Model Y SUV, they're attracting buyers. 

BYD and MG, early arrivals, are well established here, numbers nine and 16 respectively in the 2026 brands performance to date. The Leapmotor brand is less than a year in Ireland, and is gathering speed. I'll be interested to see if, a year from now, it will have established a viable space in a crowded market.

The C10 I'm writing about this week is in that D segment, and, by a slim margin from the C-segment B10, is Leapmotor's biggest seller in this market. First visual impressions are, well, kind of meh. In that the car doesn't make an immediate impact. Style is understated, to say the least. But then you look closer and see that the lack of 'wow' detail actually makes for a very clean design that won't date for a long time. There are subtleties in the sheetmetal that take a little time to resonate. Then the coherence of the whole shape slips quietly into place. So, if 'bland' was my first thought, 'blend' took its place.

Inside the review car, 'brash' was the next thought, thanks to the almost orange colour of the vegan leather seats and trim, quite a lot of it on the dashboard. There is a more sober option involving navy and ivory, which would be my preference. Either way, all the bits are very well put together, and suggest that the finish will stand up to fairly severe hard use without being blemished. So, for the full-on family use to which this car is pitched, it should serve well.

The Leapmotor ethos of total lack of knobs and switches, and just a couple of physical gadgets on the steering wheel, is a pain. It's the small things that really get you, like having to find the place in the large central screen's menus that affects the adjustment of the side mirrors using the steering wheel gizmos. Also, the virtual 'buttons' on the main screen are far too small to decipher and tap without significant distraction from the road ahead. Then there's the inability to link to Apple CarPlay, at launch promised with a software update but now not happening at all. The onboard navigation just doesn't hack it compared to a phone's Google Maps, and being unable or unwilling to allow this could really stunt Leapmotor's acceptance into Ireland and Europe. The car is unlocked and locked using an NFC card tap on the exterior mirror, and the same card has to be placed on the phone charge pad to allow driving. That is technology rampant to the point of ridiculous.

After that grumble of complaints, it might seem strange that I got to like the C10 very much. I did. To drive, it was quiet, very comfortable, and handled even in tight places like a much smaller car. A couple of longish runs were untiring experiences. The C10 is roomy front and back, and the fully reclining front seats could even make for an emergency bed if caught out on a long overnight without accommodation. 

The 218hp electric motor can power the 2.3-tonne car to 100km/h in 7.5 seconds, and while the nominal range of 420km comes with the usual caveat, the car did prove to be surprisingly energy efficient, given its size. There's also a hybrid option, using the range extender system where the power is always put to the wheels by electricity, the motor keeping the battery charged.

The car's size is also a relevant matter when it comes to value for money, and the Leapmotor C10 gives a lot of solid car for the euros handed over. Especially in the pure electric version, where the maximum incentives kick in. For those who don't get as fussy as I do about dependence on screens, it is a car well worth taking for a trial spin.

PRICE: From €38,996; Hybrid version from €45,420. WHAT I LIKED: How it started to win me over despite my grumbles.  

NEW PHEV VARIANTS FOR VOLVO

Volvo Cars has launched its first long-range plug-in hybrid variants of the XC60 and XC90 SUVs for the European and American markets, writes Brian Byrne. The XC60 offers up to 200 km of electric range, while the XC90 provides up to 160 km, marking a significant increase from previous models. 

These hybrids are part of Volvo’s strategy towards providing options before full electrification for owners, featuring a new, larger battery and more powerful electric motor. 

The XC60 also gets a contemporary design update as well as advanced safety and driver support features, including Google Gemini AI assistant. Order books will open later this month in Ireland, with production starting this autumn.  

ISUZU AND CURRAGH RACECOURSE PARTNERSHIP

Isuzu Ireland has announced a new partnership with The Curragh Racecourse, writes Brian Byrne, becoming the official vehicle and mobility partner from 1st September to the end of November 2026. 

As part of this agreement, Isuzu will sponsor a series of four races, creating the ‘Isuzu Ireland Race Series’, with events on 26th and 27th September, 15th October, and 1st November. 

The partnership will feature the new 2.2-litre Isuzu D-Max, showcased across seven race days, offering racegoers a chance to view the vehicle up close. The collaboration will engage with The Curragh’s diverse audience, particularly those connected to rural Ireland, agriculture, and outdoor life.

Pictured are Evan Arkwright, Racing & Sponsorship Manager at The Curragh Racecourse with Karl Haughton, Managing Director, Harris Group Ireland. 

LEAPMOTOR IS LAUNCH PARTNER FOR NEVO MOTOR SHOW

Leapmotor Ireland has been named the Official Vehicle Launch Partner for the Nevo EV Show 2026, scheduled for 7-8 November at RDS Simmonscourt, Dublin, writes Brian Byrne. This partnership marks the Irish debut of Leapmotor’s new B03X compact SUV and the first public showcase of the B05 C-Hatchback since its arrival in Irish showrooms. 

Leapmotor will hold exclusive vehicle debuts, allowing visitors to see the models before they hit the wider market. The B03X, developed on a new global platform, will be available in November 2026, while the B05, priced from €28,998, offers a competitive C-Segment option. 

The full Leapmotor range, including the T03 city car and C10 large family SUV, will be on display, with test drives available through the myenergi Driving Experience. 

The Nevo EV Show has seen a record response, with over 19,000 tickets registered, highlighting the growing interest in electric vehicles in Ireland.

Pictured at the partnership launch are Simon Andreucetti (Managing Director, Nevo), Mark Brennan (Marketing Manager, Leapmotor Ireland), Stephen McGrath (Brand Manager, Leapmotor Ireland), and Derek Reilly (Content and PR Director, Nevo) 

UPGRADE FOR VOLVO 40 SERIES CARS

Volvo has refreshed its 40 series cars, featuring updated Thor’s Hammer Matrix LED headlights, a redefined grille, and redesigned front and rear elements, writes Brian Byrne. The interior has a larger 11.2-inch screen with Google Gemini AI interaction, along with premium upholstery and decor options. 

Safety is enhanced with new advanced technologies like automatic emergency steering and braking, supported by a new software and sensor platform. 

The all-electric EX40 and EC40 models offer ranges of up to 575km and 584km, respectively. Order books have opened in Ireland, with production starting later this autumn.

NEW HILUX FOR REVEAL AT PLOUGHING

Toyota will unveil the new Hilux at the National Ploughing Championships in Tullamore from 15-17 September 2026, writes Brian Byrne. Priced from €44,234 excluding VAT, the Hilux features a 2.8L diesel mild-hybrid powertrain, Electric Power Steering, and advanced technology, including a 12.3-inch digital display and Full Range Adaptive Cruise Control.

The Land Cruiser and Proace Max will also be displayed, showcasing Toyota’s range for agricultural and commercial use. 

Visitors can explore KINTO, Toyota’s flexible business leasing solution, at Stand 413, Row 20, Block 3.