Nissan Frontier Review

2009 Nissan Frontier PRO-4X Extended Cab Shown

Nissan has been building and selling trucks in the U.S. for almost 30 years. Its latest pickup, the Nissan Frontier, has been popular with consumers thanks to its reasonable size, versatile capabilities and generally affordable price.

There have been two generations of the Nissan Frontier. The current truck is bigger and more powerful than the original and could be considered more of a midsize pickup rather than a compact. Thanks to its rugged nature and wide range of body styles and options, it's well suited for a broad spectrum of consumers.

Current Nissan Frontier

The current-generation Nissan Frontier is easily the most comfortable and civilized Frontier yet. King Cab models come with space behind the front seats that is better used for carrying smaller cargo items than for squeezing passengers of any size into the flip-up jump seats. Crew Cabs can accommodate adults, albeit nowhere nearly as comfortably as an SUV or full-size pickup.

The King Cab is offered in an economical XE trim level powered by a 152-horsepower, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. Other King Cab and all Crew Cab models are offered in basic SE, comfortably equipped LE and more off-road-oriented PRO-4X trim levels. Most Frontiers are fitted with a robust 261-hp 4.0-liter V6.

Optional extras include available side and side curtain airbags, leather seats, a Rockford Fosgate audio system, a spray-on bedliner and a clever utility package that features in-bed rails and tie-downs.

Four-wheel-drive Frontier models offer low-range gearing for serious rock-hopping, with the PRO-4X trim adding Bilstein off-road shock absorbers, an electronic locking differential, skid plates, foglights, stability control and hill-descent control.

In our reviews of the Nissan Frontier, we've been impressed with its surprisingly carlike driving demeanor. The Frontier feels considerably more maneuverable than its boxy styling and workaday purpose would suggest, and acceleration is quite brisk with the optional V6 engine. The ride is firm, however, especially with the optional off-road package, and the somewhat low-grade interior plastics are a disappointment (though comparable to those in competing pickups). Overall, we highly recommend the Frontier to anyone who needs pickup functionality in a reasonably sized package.

Used Nissan Frontier Models

The current-generation Nissan Frontier arrived for the 2005 model year. This second-generation Frontier boasted bigger dimensions, a redesign inside and out and more powerful engines. If you're considering a used Frontier from the current generation, there have been relatively few changes. Most notably, a long-bed version of the Crew Cab model was added in 2007 and a Technology Package, including Bluetooth and an auxiliary audio jack, was introduced for '08. For 2009, Nissan gave the Frontier a slight styling refresh and renamed the Nismo off-road package PRO-4X.

The first-generation Nissan Frontier did not possess as much muscle or variety as the current model, but as a used truck, it could still be a solid choice. This model was angular and boxy outside and similarly utilitarian inside. Nissan offered a regular cab or extended cab (King Cab) body style with a 143-hp four-cylinder engine. A 3.3-liter V6 engine became available as an option the following year.

A Crew Cab variant with four regular doors debuted in 2000 and was the first such compact pickup truck on the market. Unfortunately, the Crew Cab's backseat wasn't exactly full-size, nor was its abbreviated bed. A Desert Runner trim level was also added in 2000, combining the look of the four-wheel-drive Frontier with two-wheel-drive economy.

In 2001, a face-lift gave the Nissan Frontier a more aggressive look. The fenders wore bolt-on extensions and the tailgate was more sculpted than that of any truck that came before it. This was also the year Nissan offered a supercharged version of the 3.3-liter V6 that produced 210 hp and 246 pound-feet of torque. Subsequent years saw the availability of a long bed and the "Open Sky" top (a huge power-operated fabric sunroof ) for the Crew Cab.

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* Edmunds.com maintains vehicle data as far back as 1990.