(By Tom Lohnes) – A whole 17 years after being originally introduced, Nissan has redesigned their small truck, The Frontier.
Or have they?
Riding on a chassis that is architecturally the same as the old one, the new Frontier, or Navara if you are not a U.S citizen is a very refreshed Frontier with new hardware. In fact, the chassis is the only thing that carries over from the last-gen truck. Styling is mini-Titan, which can be a good or bad thing depending on how you like the Titan, and the interior looks nice in typical Nissan fashion, and we’re going to withhold opinion until we experience the materials and infotainment system.
Under the hood of this truck is the 3.8-liter V6 that is literally a mass-produced GTR engine without any of the performance goodies and a 9-speed automatic that is routed through standard 4WD. Also standard are diff locks, multiple off-road modes, and Nissans famed Pro-Pilot Assist, which people who actually use, love.
Pricing for this truck may be competitive, but there’s one drawback. After making the same truck for almost two decades, there’s a sort of reputation that Frontiers are really long in the tooth. Being that this truck shares so much with the old one we’re wondering if people will notice. Can this new model shake that rep? We’ll have to see.
Looks more modern…but…
It’s still the same truck underneath. Which might be a good thing…the old truck, took everything you threw at it.
But it might also…be a bad thing. The midsize truck market, is getting pretty vicious!!! It’s a market, that is growing rapidly. And the Nissan, might be the odd truck out…because it really isn’t new.
Looks like a smiling Ford Ranger.
mmm no