Opel launched the Frontera Start as its new cheapest offering. The base trim packs a a 1.2-liter engine and a manual gearbox. Priced from €21,990 ($25,700) in Germany, it undercuts the Corsa. Small hatchbacks are supposed to cost less than the bigger, roomier SUVs sitting beside them on the lot, and in most showrooms they do. Opel’s lineup works the other way around. The Frontera Start, a family SUV with no electrification and a stick shift, is now the cheapest new Opel passenger car you can buy in Germany. Before anyone brings up the Rocks, that’s a quadricycle, not a car. Pricing starts at €21,990 ($25,700), which is €2,750 ($3,200) below where the Frontera range used to begin. What makes that number awkward for Opel is where it lands relative to the smaller cars in the same showroom, several of which run an identical drivetrain. The Corsa supermini costs €1,350 ($1,600) more at €23,340 ($27,300), and the Mokka asks a further €5,400 ($6,300) at €27,390 ($32,000). The only Opel that comes in cheaper is the Rocks Electric, a sister model to the Fiat Topolino that’s offered in America, at €8,190 ($9,600), and as noted, Europe registers it as a heavy quadricycle rather than a car. Opel Frontera Start The Frontera Start doesn’t pretend to be anything other than the bottom of the range, riding on 16-inch black steel wheels with black mirror caps and black cladding to match. The one concession is the paint. Instead of the fleet-white default that usually comes with this territory, the standard color is a glossy Effekt Blue. More: Stellantis Turns Its Cheapest SUV Into A Tree House With A View Opel Frontera Start Inside, the poverty-spec includes a smartphone holder instead of a touchscreen, following the example of the slightly more expensive Frontera Edition. Standard equipment includes a 10-inch digital instrument cluster, manual A/C, a six-way adjustable driver’s seat, rear parking sensors, and lane departure warning. More: Stellantis’ Rugged SUV Could Rival Dacia’s Budget Off-Roader At 4,385 mm (172.6 in) long, the SUV seats five across two rows, with a 60:40 split rear bench and 460 liters (16.2 cubic feet) of cargo room. The optional Start Comfort Pack throws in a dual boot floor and vanity mirrors on both front sun visors. The Opel Frontera Start gets a smartphone holder instead of a touchscreen. The non-electrified turbocharged 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine produces 99 hp (74 kW / 100 PS), with a six-speed manual gearbox sending power to the front axle. It joins the existing mild-hybrid 1.2-liter with the six-speed dual-clutch automatic, and the fully electric variants. Independently of powertrain option, the trim structure of the Frontera comprises the Start, Edition, GS, and Ultimate grades. More: Stellantis Turned One Of Its Cheapest SUVs Into A Warship On Wheels While the entry-level Opel Frontera Start is quite affordable by German standards, it can’t match its twin model. The closely-related Citroen C3 Aircross YOU starts at €19,190 ($22,400), making it the cheapest Stellantis SUV in the German market. Citroen C3 Aircross YOU