2022 Nissan Frontier Review

Text

The midsize pickup truck segment seemingly left to wither away a decade ago by major players such as Dodge, Chevrolet, GMC, and Ford has come roaring back. To maximize profits, some automakers concentrated on high-margin full-size pickups that cost little more to build than midsize trucks but net much higher transaction prices.

What changed? Well, not everyone can afford a $50,000-$70,000 full-size pickup. Also, a new crop of younger buyers with less disposable income, fewer toys that need to be towed to recreation sites, and smaller houses with less garage space to stash full-size rigs came into their peak vehicle-purchasing years.

Although considerably larger than their previous iterations, the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon returned for 2015, and the Ford Ranger came back four years after that. The Toyota Tacoma, which never left the market and remained the segment sales leader, got a major mid-cycle update for 2016. Jeep sired the Gladiator, its first pickup in decades, from Wrangler and Ram pickup parts in 2020. For the 2021 model year, the Pilot-derived Honda Ridgeline got a mid-cycle facelift with a more rugged-looking front end. That left the Frontier, last updated in 2005, to hustle for buyers with a 16-year-old design.

Now, it's Nissan's turn. The 2022 Frontier lineup consists of the base S, mid-level SV, rear-drive-only PRO-X, and range-topping 4-wheel-drive PRO-4X. The S and SV models can be configured with 2- or 4-wheel drive (2WD or 4WD). The PRO-X replaces last year's 2WD Desert Runner model.

As with the previous version of the Frontier, there are two cab configurations: a 4-passenger King Cab with half-width, rear-hinged doors and occasional-use rear jump seats and a 5-passenger Crew Cab with four regular-size, front-hinged doors, and a full-width 3-across bench seat. The King Cab is only available with base S and mid-level SV trims. No 2-door regular cab version is available.

There are two pickup bed lengths: a 5-footer standard with the Crew Cab and a 6-foot version that comes with all King Cabs and is an option with the SV-trim Crew Cab.

"Aside from the carryover 3.8-liter V6 engine, 9-speed automatic transmission (both new for 2020), and part-time shift-on-the-fly 4-wheel drive, the 2022 Frontier gets a significant makeover. The steering and suspension gain refinements to improve handling, and new hydraulic body mounts work to improve the ride and minimize cab ""jiggle."" Newly standard trailer sway control can selectively apply the brakes to improve towing confidence. Nissan's Safety Shield 360's available driver-assistance features expand, and the Frontier's Nissan Connect infotainment technology sees considerable upgrades."

The most dramatic change, however, is related to the new Frontier's ruggedly handsome exterior. Set with a massive grille, wide stance, and muscular flanks, its square-jawed exterior sheet metal owes nothing to the previous iteration of the Frontier or the full-size Titan pickup.