What sort of car is the 2022 Nissan Frontier? What does it evaluate to?

The 2022 Nissan Frontier is a mid-size pickup truck competing in a surging utility truck section that options recent takes on the Ford Ranger and Honda Ridgeline to newer fashions such because the Jeep Gladiator. 

Is the 2022 Nissan Frontier a very good truck?

Overview continues beneath

We’ll wait to weigh in till we will launch driving impressions earlier than it goes on sale this summer time. (Learn extra about how we rate cars.)

What’s new for the 2022 Nissan Frontier?

Redesigned for the primary time for the reason that 2005 mannequin 12 months, the 2022 Nissan Frontier sports activities an overhauled exterior, a brand new inside, new suspension parts, and a powertrain that debuted in 2020 fashions. The bones stay principally the identical, nevertheless. The third-generation Frontier rides on a revised high-strength metal ladder body carried over from the outgoing mannequin.

Provided in S, SV, Professional-4X, and Professional-X, the 2022 Frontier comes with a 310-hp 3.8-liter V-6 tied to a 9-speed computerized transmission in rear- or four-wheel drive. 

Fashion, powertrain, and gasoline financial system

With Nissan calling it the right-sized pickup for the section, the brand new Frontier retains lots of the dimensions of the outgoing mannequin. The identical 126.0-inch wheelbase comes with the identical 5-foot mattress on crew cab fashions, and the identical 6-foot mattress comes with the prolonged cab with a protracted wheelbase. 

It’s just about the identical width, however it’s 4.5 inches longer in entrance resulting from a extra pronounced grille and bumper. Impressed by the Nissan Hardbody small truck standard within the ‘80s and ‘90s, Nissan eschews its U-shaped grille in favor of an oblong steel weave headlined by a “Frontier” badge that connects it to the hood. Professional fashions function a pronounced entrance skid plate and vertical air slits. 

The fenders flex a sq. form as a substitute of the final technology’s curves, and boxier angles take form everywhere in the truck. A crease down the physique pushes out the rocker panels, and that line bookends the truck entrance to again by separating the oblong grille from the decrease bumper; in again, it interprets to “Frontier” stamped out on the decrease half of the tailgate. The higher half has a spoiler built-in into the gate deal with.  

The rear bumper has a pseudo-step within the middle, and the taillights match the clamp-shaped LED headlights up entrance which might be cut up by LED daytime working lights on the Professional fashions. 

The higher horizontal mild line and decrease accent line hike up the profile of the truck like a belt, making it Titan-esque. It’s 2.0 inches taller, however Nissan didn’t have ultimate specs to see if floor clearance exceeded the 9.8 inches on its predecessor.

The boxy components carry over inside to the middle console. Seize handles styled after huge carabiners bridge the console and middle stack, and are mirrored within the door moldings. A cellphone recess sits atop a normal 8.0-inch touchscreen, and 4 vertical vents compartmentalize the sprint. Fashionable however primary, the inside maintains the Frontier’s no-nonsense character. 

One other no-nonsense attribute is the three.8-liter V-6 Nissan launched within the 2020 Frontier. It makes 310 hp and 281 lb-ft of torque, and has a 9-speed computerized transmission churning the rear wheels. It didn’t wow us however glad us simply positive within the 2020 model. It had an EPA-rated 18 mpg metropolis, 24 freeway, 20 mixed. We doubt that may change; it seems the Frontier gained weight for the brand new mannequin 12 months. Blame the pandemic. 

An element-time four-wheel-drive system is non-compulsory, and hill descent management comes normal on 4WD fashions. There’s no guide, no inline-4, and the max towing capability stays the identical at 6,720 kilos with the prolonged cab and rear-wheel drive. A trailer sway management that routinely applies the brakes comes normal. 

Nissan retuned the hydraulic steering rack to make it a half-turn faster lock to lock. Although the body is essentially the identical, the cab mounts are new and scale back street vibration by 80% to create a quieter, stabler experience, Nissan stated. A bigger entrance stabilizer bar and revised rear bar had been designed to cut back physique roll in turns. A double wishbone entrance suspension and leaf spring rear stay, however Nissan says the hydraulic rear mounts ought to enhance experience high quality.

The Professional-4X mannequin will get a Dana rear axle, digital locking rear differential, Bilstein off-road shocks, and three skid plates masking the entrance, switch case, and gasoline tank. The Professional-X in rear-wheel drive solely will get the Bilsteins and the design parts of the 4X, comparable to 32-inch Hankook all-terrain tires wrapped on 17-inch aluminum alloy wheels and all the inside lighting and accents.

Consolation, security and options

Following the improve in 2020 that lastly made energy locks and home windows normal, Nissan has gone all in on equipping the Frontier with the most recent tech and comfort options. Each Frontier comes with upgraded entrance seats, a 6-way energy driver’s seat, an enormous middle console, extra door pocket storage, and storage beneath the rear seats. 

Two USB ports come normal, in addition to an 8.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, and a normal 7.0-inch car data show separates the tach and speedometer. Choices embrace a surround-view digital camera system, extra USB ports, wi-fi hotspot, Fender audio, heated entrance seats and steering wheel, and leather-based seats on Professional fashions. There are many Nismo equipment for the off-road fanatic.    

Ahead-collision warnings and rear-door alerts are normal, however computerized emergency braking with pedestrian detection and Nissan’s suite of different driver-assist options prices further. That features blind-spot screens, computerized excessive beams, adaptive cruise management, and energetic lane management.
Nissan hasn’t but disclosed the content material for every trim. 

How a lot does the 2022 Nissan Frontier value?

Pricing will probably be introduced nearer to the summer time launch date. 

The place is the 2022 Nissan Frontier made?

In Canton, Mississippi, alongside the Titan.