1 Mar 1999
By CHRIS HARRIS
The second-generation Frontera was a significant step forwards, although it was essentially a reworking of the previous M7 Frontera platform.
An attractive and functional four-door station wagon was added in three models – base, S and SE.
Meanwhile a redesigned two-door MX Frontera was also included, and was now known as the Frontera Sport.
In late 2001 an upgrade arrived, bringing a redesigned grille, new head and tail-lights and revised bumpers, plus a change to the SE model's ABS calibration aimed at improving dirt road performance.
The four-door V6 Frontera wagon was aimed at the Nissan Pathfinder and Toyota LandCruiser Prado.
Its 4WD system enabled the driver to select high range 4WD at speeds of up to 100km/h via a button mounted on the dash. The vehicle needed to be stationary for shifts between high and low range.
Suspension was by trailing links, panhard rod and coil springs with a stabiliser bar at the rear and double wishbones with torsion bars at the front.
Like the rest of the MX Frontera range, the alloy 3.2-litre, quad camshaft, 24-valve, V6 was sourced from Isuzu in Japan and developed 151kW at 5400rpm with 290Nm at 3000rpm.
Holden discontinued the Frontera Sport in June ’02, while the four-door wagon soldiered on unnoticed until its mid-’04 demise.
