Nissan Frontier reviews

1998 Nissan Frontier Walkaround

Nissan has completely re-engineered the Frontier. It's more than six inches longer and a half-inch wider than last year's model. Overall, the new Frontier looks rugged, though it doesn't have any singular design elements that stand out such as the Dodge Ram's aggressive fenders. Its flowing body lines are designed to impart a feeling of substance, strength and originality. The front is designed to look thick and brawny, while the tail lights and rear bumper are designed to look aggressive. Fender flares are standard on all SE and 4x4 models.

Seven models are available, Standard regular cab 4x2, XE, XE King Cab, SE King Cab, XE 4x4 regular cab, XE 4x4 King Cab, and SE 4x4 King Cab.

That's a lot of choices, so we've focused on a popular model: the SE 4x2 King Cab. More than 80 percent of all compact truck buyers opt for two-wheel-drive models, according to Nissan. Unless the truck is strictly all work and no play, an extended cab adds a great deal of convenience and versatility.

Granted, hauling a lot of passengers is not the King Cab's forte. The jump seats that are mounted on the sides of the cab facing each other are really suitable only for children. But flip those jump seats up, and a cavernous space is revealed that's useful for stowing stuff and carrying items that would need to be tied down in the bed.

The Frontier's bed is the largest and deepest in its class and features double wall construction so dents and dings in the bed won't show up on the exterior. Inner tie-down hooks are standard. Grooves cut into the walls of the pickup bed are designed to support pieces of plywood that can be arranged to form partitions for small items. A sheet of plywood can then be laid horizontally to cover the compartments. This feature should be particularly popular among owners who use their trucks for work.

The SE trim line comes with a sliding rear tinted window, fender flares, cruise control, and a tilt steering wheel.

Nissan's 2.4-liter, double overhead-cam, 4-cylinder engine is rated at 143 horsepower at 5200 rpm and 154 lb.-ft. of torque at 4000 rpm. A 3.3-liter V6 will be along later. A five-speed manual gearbox is standard, a four-speed automatic is optional. The automatic has been refined to reduce harsh shifting and gear hunting on steep grades. The towing capacity is 3,500 pounds with the manual transmission, 2,000 pounds with the automatic. Standard payload is 1,400 pounds.

The front suspension is a double wishbone design with torsion bars and a stabilizer bar. The rear suspension is a traditional truck rigid axle with leaf springs. There are disc brakes in front, drums at the rear. A two-wheel anti-lock braking system (ABS) is standard.