Award-winning Opel Vehicles in 2022: From All-New Opel Astra to Opel Zafira-e Life

• “Astra-nomical”: “Golden Steering Wheel 2022”1 and numerous “Car of the Year” awards for Opel compact class bestseller
• Innovative propulsion concept: “40th KS Energy and Environment Award” for Vivaro-e HYDROGEN
• Opel Rocks-e: Autonis Award for “Best Design Novelty” for the innovative light motor vehicle
• Opel Crosscamp Flex: “Connected Car Award” for future campervan based on Zafira-e Life

2022 was a truly “Astra-nomical” year for Opel. Models with the Blitz once again proved to be equally popular with customers, experts and specialist juries. This is demonstrated by sales successes such as the Opel Corsa, which was the most popular small car in 2022 according to official figures from the KBA (Federal Motor Agency), or the Opel Mokka, which was the best-selling electric vehicle in its segment in Germany in autumn. Further proof is offered by the numerous awards Opel received for its innovative models, technologies and solutions – with the "Golden Steering Wheel 2022"1 for the new Opel Astra and Astra Sports Tourer leading the way. In 2022, almost every model in the Opel line-up received at least one award.

“Emotional, suitable for everyday use and above all electrified - this is already normal at Opel today,” said Opel CEO Florian Huettl. “Models like the new Astra, the Grandland or the Mokka show how we inspire people with future-proof mobility solutions. This is only possible with an exemplary team performance, and this is recognised by experts and customers alike with numerous awards. Thank you for that!”

At the beginning of 2022, Opel received the “The ONE” award for “Most Reputable Passenger Car Brand of the Year” in Turkey. Approachable, innovative and with great attention to detail, the Opel Corsa has been hugely popular for more than 40 years. The small car bestseller received several awards last year on the important British market: It was named "Best Fleet Supermini" by Fleet World, "Used Small Car of the Year" as well as "Used Car of the Year 2023" across all classes by Carbuyer. The Opel Mokka was named "Car of the Year 2022" in Latvia, "Irish Small SUV of the Year 2022" in Ireland and received the "Erin Baker Award" in the United Kingdom for the battery-electric Mokka-e.

All-New Opel Astra takes “Golden Steering Wheel”: Into a new Opel era with the serial winner

In the autumn, another great honour was bestowed on Opel when the new Astra took the “Golden Steering Wheel 2022” 1. And Opel brand ambassador Jürgen Klopp couldn’t hide his delight when seeing his own all-new Astra for the first time, stating: “Wow, there it is”. With its attractive design, top technologies and electrified for the first time as a plug-in hybrid, the compact class newcomer from Rüsselsheim convinced the readers of AUTO BILD and BILD am SONNTAG as well as the expert jury both as a five-door hatchback and as a Sports Tourer estate. The latest generation of the bestseller prevailed against strong competition and won one of the most prestigious awards in the automotive industry as “Best Car up to €50,000”. It thus completed an extraordinary serial success for Opel: After the Opel Corsa-e 2 in 2020 and the Opel Mokka-e 3 in 2021, the coveted award went to Rüsselsheim for the third time in as many years. However, as a true “champion”, the new Astra generation does not rest on its laurels. Independent GCOTY expert jury of the “German Car Awards” also voted the Astra “German Compact Car of the Year 2023” 4. And the Astra Sports Tourer estate has already won the “FAMILY CAR of the Year” award.

Elsewhere, Opel Rocks-e also impressed the public wits completely new, completely different and completely electric approach to urban mobility. Innovative light motor vehicle for two brings a breath of fresh air to its segment – with a style that is exceptional in every respect. And thus, the readers of auto motor und sport voted Opel Rocks-e “Best Design Novelty of 2022” in the “Mini Cars” category with an overwhelming majority.

And Opel’s large models added further trophies. Readers of AUTO BILD and COMPUTER BILD recently cast their votes and awarded the “Connected Car Award 2022” to the Crosscamp Flex, an electric campervan planned on the basis of the Opel Zafira-e Life. In addition, the best-selling battery-electric Opel Vivaro-e, winner of “International Van of the Year 2021” now also carries the title of “Irish Van of the Year 2022”. And the innovative Opel Vivaro-e HYDROGEN received the “40th KS Energy and Environment Prize” in Germany.

[1] AUTO BILD edition 45/2022 and BILD am SONNTAG edition 46/2022, category for “Best car up to €50,000”.

[2] AUTO BILD and BILD am SONNTAG edition 45/2020, category for “Small cars”.

[3] AUTO BILD edition 45/2021 and BILD am SONNTAG edition 46/2021, category for “Best car under €25,000” incl. environmental bonus.

[4] German Compact Car of the Year” (compact class category, up to €30,000).

!NEW! ADAC Opel Rallye Junior Team Ready to Rumble

Second season of ADAC Opel Rallye Junior Team with ADAM R2

Six EC races and ADAC Rallye Deutschland world championship race

Winning formula: The ADAC Opel Rallye Junior Team wants to repeat last season’s success with the ADAM R2. 

From Latvia’s snow over Northern Ireland’s asphalt to the Azore’s gravel roads – the junior European Rallye Championship (FIA ERC Junior) 2015 calendar covers the entire spectrum of challenging racing surfaces. The best rallye drivers born in 1988 or later are set to prove themselves in Europe’s toughest young talent league in vehicles from the RC4 category, also known as R2. The ADAC Opel Rallye Junior Team with two Opel ADAM R2 cars driven by Marijan Griebel and Emil Bergkvist are ready for the action to start.

Junior team: Marijan Griebel (right) and co-pilot Stefan Clemens (left) hope to get off to a successful start to the 2015 European Rallye championship in their Opel ADAM R2.

The competition is fully aware of the enormous potential of the 190 hp ADAM R2, and not just since Griebel’s outstanding second-place finish at the Barum Rallye in the Czech Republic last year. Griebel is accordingly optimistic before the season starts in Latvia: “In spite of the early start, we are going into the second season of the ADAC Opel Rallye Junior Team well prepared. Last year’s results show that we can hold our own against the competition in the ERC Junior. In the last months, we further developed not only the ADAM R2, but also ourselves as a team.”

Swedish duo: Emil Bergkvist (right) and his co-pilot Joakim Sjöberg (left) after looking forward to the start of the 2015 FIA Junior European Rallye Championship.

Emil Bergkvist, who advanced to the ADAC Opel Rallye Junior Team following his title win in the ADAC Opel Rallye Cup 2014, is also raring to go: “I learned so much in the ADAC Opel Rallye Cup. I’ll benefit from that in the ERC Junior. And as a Swede, I’m of course especially looking forward to the hopefully snowy races in Latvia.”

Open in Latvia: The pilots can look forward to some snowy stages at the Rallye Liepāja.

A special season highlight next to the six FIA ERC Junior races is participation in the ADAC Rallye Deutschland, where Marijan Griebel celebrated an overwhelming class victory last August. His new co-driver is Stefan Clemens. Bergkvist’s co-driver this season is again the Swede Joakim Sjöberg. The Opel works drivers will encounter two other ADAM R2 cars in the EC. German Julius Tannert and his Luxembourgish co-driver Jennifer Thielen will be in four of six races, including the Rallye Liepāja. Pole Aleks Zawada and his French co-driver Cathy Derousseaux are taking part the whole season. However, their car is being run privately, while the works ADAM R2 is, as usual, in the capable hands of Holzer Motorsport.

Calendar ADAC Opel Rallye Junior Team 2015

February 6 - 8            Rallye Liepāja, Liepāja/Latvia (gravel/ice/snow) *

April 2 - 4                  Circuit of Ireland Rally, Belfast/Northern Ireland (asphalt) *

June 4 - 6                  SATA Rallye Açores, Ponta Delgada/Azores/Portugal (gravel) *

June 25 - 27              Geko Ypres Rally, Ypern/Belgium (asphalt) *

July 17 -19                auto24 Rally Estonia, Otepää/Estonia (gravel) *

August 20 - 23           ADAC Rallye Deutschland, Trier (asphalt)

August 28 - 30           Barum Czech Rally, Zlín/Czech Republic (asphalt) *

* Race in FIA ERC Junior