Driving Impressions

Nissan's Frontier rides and handles very well, for a truck. It feels nimble in corners, and the steering is responsive. The front wheels stay glued to the road when cornering and the rear end never feels light over bumps. It rides like a truck and you can feel road vibration through the steering wheel and seat of pants. The Crew Cab is a bit heavier than two-door Frontiers; its 56-44 weight distribution is marginally better than the King Cab's 57-43. The Crew Cab also gets a rear stabilizer bar in addition to the standard front stabilizer bar. Low-profile tires probably make a significant contribution to the Frontier's handling prowess. Solid is the word that keeps coming out of our driving notes: Consistent high ratings in every aspect, can't find a single quirk or flaw. Tight, smooth, consistent. The anti-lock brakes do the job, although the Frontier uses less-expensive drum brakes in the rear. The four-speed automatic transmission upshifts sharply, as smoothly as an expensive sedan when your foot's on the floor, and doesn't hunt a lot when the engine is being challenged on hills. The standard 3.3-liter V6 accelerates with reasonable lightness, and a steady 70 mph comes at just 2700 rpm. But the engine growls like it's working pretty hard when the automatic transmission kicks down to tackle a hill. The 170 horses pulling this 3916-pound truck will be enough for most people, but more power is always nice. The supercharged version of this engine improves acceleration performance, but it doesn't make the Frontier a hot rod. The additional 46 foot-pounds of torque should improve the towing performance.

Final Word

Nissan's reputation for compact truck leadership remains on solid ground with a bold lineup of Frontier pickups. The styling looks great. These trucks handle well. The Crew Cab increases versatility, though backseat legroom is lacking.