Nissan Frontier

Nissan Frontier

The Nissan Frontier is a model of pickup truck assembled by Nissan and sold under the Nissan brand name. Nissan was the pioneer of the compact pickup truck market in 1959, joined in the 1960s by Mazda and Toyota. Since 1959, Nissan is known for a number of notable firsts in the compact pickup truck market, including the first extended cab bodystyle (in the 1979 Nissan King Cab) and the first crew cab bodystyle, in the 2000 Frontier. Frontiers are currently built in Smyrna, Tennessee.

See Wikicars' comprehensive Nissan_Frontier Review.

Recent Changes

After having been redesigned for the 2005 model year, the 2006 Frontier remains largely untouched, save for a few new options.

Styles and Major Options

There are four major trims available for the Nissan Frontier: the XE King Cab, SE King Cab/Crew Cab, NISMO King Cab/Crew Cab, and LE King Cab/Crew Cab. With the exception of the XE, which is only available in a two-wheel drive King Cab, all of the trims are available in a varying combination of two- or four-wheel drive, manual or automatic transmission, and either King Cab or the larger Crew Cab. Additionally, while all of them share many of the same standard features, each of them offers a different set of optional features:

Standard Features

• 4-wheel anti-lock braking system
• Electronic brake-force distribution
• Tire pressure monitoring system
• Locking tailgate
• Second row underseat storage
• Sun visors, cup holders, and 3 12-volt DC power outlets

XE King Cab

• 2.5-L 154-HP 4-cylinder engine
• 5-speed manual transmission
• 15" steel wheels
• Forward facing rear flip-up seats

SE King Cab/Crew Cab

Nissan Frontier Crew Cab

• 4.0-L 265-HP V6 engine
• 6-speed manual transmission
• 16" aluminum alloy wheels
• Utili-track bed channel system in Crew Cab
• Chrome front bumper

NISMO King Cab/Crew Cab

• 4.0-L 265-HP V6 engine
• 5-speed automatic transmission
• 16" aluminum alloy wheels
• Bilstein off-road shocks
• Electronic locking rear differential
• Skid plates
• Fog lights

LE King Cab/Crew Cab

• 4.0-L 265-HP V6 engine
• 5-speed automatic transmission
• 17" aluminum alloy wheels
• Fog lights
• Roof rack for Crew Cab
• Utili-track bed channel system
• Power windows and locks

Pricing

Today's actual prices for the Nissan Frontier can be found at CarsDirect. Prices listed below are for base versions of each trim; additional costs will apply, depending on choices made between two/four wheel drive, manual/automatic transmission, and King Cab/Crew Cab.

Nissan Frontier Trims
XE King Cab	SE King Cab	SE Crew Cab	NISMO King Cab	NISMO Crew Cab	LE King Cab	LE Crew Cab
MSRP
$15,900	$19,100	$20,950	$22,450	$24,500	$22,650	$24,350
Invoice
$15,038	$18,064	$19,813	$20,997	$22,915	$21,184	$22,774

Gas Mileage

As seen on the FuelEconomy.gov website, the City/Highway MPG averages are as follows:

Trim
2WD manual	2WD automatic	V6 2WD manual	V6 2WD automatic	V6 4WD manual	V6 4WD automatic
MPG
22/25	19/24	17/21	16/20	17/21	15/20

Safety

All trims of the Nissan Frontier come equipped with the same standard safety features, with the exception of supplemental side-impact airbags, which are optional. These features include:

• Advanced airbag system with occupancy sensors
• 3-point seat belts
• Active head restraints
• LATCH system for children
• 4-wheel anti-lock brakes
• Electronic brake-force distribution
• Side impact door beams

Photos

• 

  2006 Nissan Frontier King Cab

• 

  King Cab rear interior

• 

  2006 Nissan Frontier LE Crew Cab

• 

  Nissan Frontier Utili-track

Colors

Colors for the Nissan Frontier can be found at CarsDirect.com.

Exterior

• Avalanche
• Granite
• Majestic Blue
• Radiant Silver
• Red Alert
• Red Brawn
• Storm Gray
• Super Black

Interior

• Blue
• Charcoal
• Desert
• Graphite
• Steel

Main Competitors

• Chevrolet Colorado - Side-By-Side Comparison
• GMC Canyon - Side-By-Side Comparison
• Toyota Tacoma - Side-By-Side Comparison
• Ford F-150 - Side-By Side Comparison
• Honda Ridgeline - Side-By-Side Comparison
• Dodge Dakota - Side-By-Side Comparison

Hybrid Models

There is no hybrid model of the Frontier.

Resale Values

According to Kelley Blue Book, the four-cylinder 2WD XE King Cab is projected to retain 58 percent of its value after a 2-year period, while the 4WD SE Crew Cab is expected to hold an impressive 67 percent.

Criticisms

• No V6 engine available until 1999
• No standard cab available
• Turning radius larger than preferred
• 5-Speed automatic transmission shifts hard under heavy acceleration

Current Generation: (2004–present)

Initially, the Frontier was considered compact, but beginning with the totally-redesigned 2005 Frontier (introduced at the 2004 North American International Auto Show), it became more mid-sized. Built from the new Nissan F-Alpha platform, it now resembles the company's full-size Nissan Titan truck.

The new truck's wheelbase is 125.9 in (3.20 m) with a 205.5 in (5.22 m) overall length. Towing capacity is 6500 lb (2,950 kg). A 4.0 L VQ-family V6, the VQ40DE, is the standard engine, and it produces a respectable 265 hp (198 kW) with 284 ft·lbf (385 N·m) of torque. Also available is the QR25DE four-cylinder engine, which is also found in the Sentra SE-R Spec V sports sedan. A six-speed manual is standard with a five-speed automatic optional. Both rear and four-wheel drive are available. Traction control and hill-descent control are also available.

First Generation/Origins

The 1998 Nissan Frontier

The Frontier was introduced in 1997 for the 1998 model year as a replacement for the aging Nissan pickup. Nissan first offered the Frontier with a 4-cylinder engine, the KA24DE, but added the 6-cylinder engine, the VG33E in 1999. The truck was available only in a standard cab offering at first, but a king cab configuration was also added in 1999.

That changed in 1999 with the 2000 Frontier Crew Cab. The Crew Cab was the first compact pickup to offer a 4-door bodystyle. Until that point, crew cabs were heavy duty versions of full-size trucks and were mainly used as commercial vehicles.

For 2001, Nissan facelifted the Frontier, introducing bolder styling in an effort to make it more appealing to younger buyers. The Frontier was completely redone after the 2004 model year.

External links

• Official Nissan Frontier Website
• ClubFrontier.org -- a Nissan Frontier Owners Club.