The Holden Frontera was the Australian name for Isuzu’s mid-size SUV, the MU, which Isuzu built from 1989 to 2005. Holden sold the three-door version as the Frontera Sport and the five-door as the Frontera.
Holden Frontera at a glance
| Maker | Isuzu, Japan |
|---|---|
| Isuzu MU production | 1989–2005 |
| Three-door | introduced 1989 |
| Five-door | introduced 1990 as the Isuzu MU Wizard |
| Holden three-door | Holden Frontera Sport |
| Holden five-door | Holden Frontera |
| Also badged | Opel and Vauxhall Frontera, Vauxhall Frontera Sport |
| Based on | Isuzu Faster (TF) pickup of 1988 |
| Drive | rear- or four-wheel drive |
| Name meaning | MU stands for “Mysterious Utility” |
| Japan name | Isuzu MU and Honda Jazz, 1993–1996 |
No free photographs of the Holden Frontera were found for this page; the images on Commons show the later Isuzu MU-X, a different model. Based on one source.
History of the Holden Frontera
The Isuzu MU
The Isuzu MU is a mid-size SUV produced by Isuzu from 1989 to 2005. The three-door MU was introduced in 1989 and was followed in 1990 by a five-door version called the Isuzu MU Wizard. Production of the first generation ended in 1998, when a second generation took over; the five-door then dropped the MU prefix and became the Isuzu Wizard. The acronym MU is short for “Mysterious Utility”.
One car, many names
Isuzu built several variations of the MU for sale in other countries. The short-wheelbase three-door was sold as the Isuzu MU and Honda Jazz in Japan and as the Isuzu Amigo and later Isuzu Rodeo Sport in the United States. In continental Europe it was the Opel Frontera Sport, in the United Kingdom the Vauxhall Frontera Sport, and in Australia the Holden Frontera Sport.
The long-wheelbase five-door was the Isuzu Wizard in Japan and the Isuzu Rodeo and Honda Passport in North America. Opel, Vauxhall and Holden each sold rebadged versions as the Opel Frontera, Vauxhall Frontera and Holden Frontera. It also appeared as the Chevrolet Frontera in Egypt, the Isuzu Cameo and Isuzu Vega in Thailand, the Isuzu Frontier in South Africa and the Chevrolet Rodeo in Ecuador, Colombia and Bolivia.
How it was built
Both body styles were based on the Isuzu Faster (TF) pickup truck of 1988, and from the front doors forward the three- and five-door models shared bodywork and most internal components with it. Like the pickup, the MU and MU Wizard came with rear- or four-wheel drive. Between 1993 and 1996 Honda retailed three-door versions as the Honda Jazz in Japan under a model-sharing arrangement that saw several Isuzu models badged as Hondas and vice versa.
Design and features
- Two body lengths: a three-door Frontera Sport and a five-door Frontera.
- Pickup basis: built on the Isuzu Faster TF of 1988 and sharing its front bodywork.
- Rear or four-wheel drive: the same choice as the pickup it came from.
- Global badge engineering: also sold as Opel, Vauxhall, Chevrolet and Honda models.
- Short first generation: the original MU lasted from 1989 to 1998.
Holden Frontera versions
- Holden Frontera Sport (three-door): the short-wheelbase version.
- Holden Frontera (five-door): the long-wheelbase version.
- Isuzu MU (1989–1998): the original three-door.
- Isuzu MU Wizard (1990–1998): the first five-door.
- Honda Jazz (1993–1996): Japanese-market three-door twin.
The Frontera was sold alongside the Holden Rodeo, another Isuzu-based model, below the Holden Commodore. More cars are in the Holden collection.
Video: Greg’s adventure (Holden Frontera)
Video by nbchikoroll on YouTube.
Sources
- Isuzu MU, English Wikipedia: versions, names, platform
_Sport_hardtop_(2015-11-13)_01.jpg){kind=link}