Is the new Frontier the midsize king?

buster

buster

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I think this is a great move by Nissan. The price is more reasonable for the truck of this size.
www.roadandtrack.com

The 2022 Nissan Frontier Is My Favorite Midsize Truck

After a decade of decaying relevance, Nissan is trying to turn itself around. If the Frontier is any indication, the company might pull it off.
www.roadandtrack.com www.roadandtrack.com

"More capable than the Ridgeline and more refined than anything else, durable and proven at its core, it’s a deeply charming truck wrapped in a superb design. And at $28,990 to start, or $38,390 for the fantastic Pro-4X, it’s also the best value in the segment."

www.caranddriver.com

Tested: 2022 Nissan Frontier Keeps It Simple

Nissan's new Frontier mid-size pickup gets a long-awaited refresh yet remains pleasingly familiar.
www.caranddriver.com www.caranddriver.com

"It's no Chevy Colorado ZR2, but the Pro-4X's off-road prowess comes with little compromise to its on-road refinement, and at $38,415 it costs about $7000 less to start than that Chevy."
 
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If I was in the market - this would've been my 1st choice. Unfortunately I like older stuff, so realistically I'd probably snatch a 2010ish Nissan Titan with 5.6L V8, crew cab, longest bed, and 4x4. Anyways, this new Frontier is definitely a winner.
 
My home is on 5 acres and I need a truck. I won't buy one with a tiny bed however.


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skyactiv said:
My home is on 5 acres and I need a truck. I won't buy one with a tiny bed however.
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Sounds like you need a full size truck with an 8' bed. I think you have to go with a 3/4 ton in order to get an 8' bed though.
 
4WD said:
A small utility trailer holds more than most pickups … sits way lower, 1600# payload … plus has a ramp, and you can drop it off with material still in it right where your project is located …
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I have a 4X8 utility trailer which has came in handy several times. I quit using it since I sold a GTI I once owned.
 
New trucks are too much $$$. For me a restored older truck is the only way to go without throwing my retirement $$$ out the window.

My 2007 Silverado w/t 4x4 5mt std cab short box cost $16,700 out the door before trade.
That thing was like a suburban HMMWV and really fun to drive. I sold it during the gas price spike to 4$+

Mistake!
 
skyactiv said:
I have a 4X8 utility trailer which has came in handy several times. I quit using it since I sold a GTI I once owned.
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Owned pickups forever … never thought I’d function without a pickup - but having one large and one small SUV plus that trailer is working fine …
 
ARCOgraphite said:
New trucks are too much $$$. For me a restored older truck is the only way to go without throwing my retirement $$$ out the window.

My 2007 Silverado w/t 4x4 5mt std cab short box cost $16,700 out the door before trade.
That thing was like a suburban HMMWV and really fun to drive. I sold it during the gas price spike to 4$+

Mistake!
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Had a 2005 shorty regular cab 4WD step side … could put my boat on the trailer and make it from the bow to drivers seat with dry feet 😎
 
It's great to see Nissan do something with the Frontier rather than scrap it.

As much as I believe the Frontier is Nissan's best vehicle, is a facelift really going to invigorate sales once things calm down? Fact of the matter is, in today's vehicle market even the old Frontier will sell like crazy if they'd actually stock them. My local Nissan dealer stopped stocking Titans because of slow sales (pre rona).
 
I mean, the bar is not exactly set all that high by the competition. The tacoma, aside from being the sales leader, isnt exactly a strong contender. Colorado has a decent driveline but is otherwise meh. And Ford's ranger is solid but still a bit long in the tooth and seems to just be getting them through to the next gen. I think everyone is too concerned about protecting their half tons to really make the mid-sized trucks that are up to the level they should be. A mid-sizer with GM or Ford's 2.7L Turbo motors would be a fantastic setup. Or the 5.3L V8 from GM? I tow with my Lexus GX that has a 301hp/330 tq V8 in effectively a Tacoma chassis and it's quite a bit torqueier than the mid-size engines but still had a to work pretty hard to tow my travel trailer.

The problem for Nissan is that they built a truck that just beats the current, very aged competition. What happens when Toyota, Ford, and GM all bring out new mid-sized trucks in the next couple of years. I bet its a blood bath.

I would pick the Ranger solely based on the driveline. The turbo 4 is a better solution for me being that I tow at altitude.
 
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skrypj said:
I mean, the bar is not exactly set all that high by the competition. The tacoma, aside from being the sales leader, isnt exactly a strong contender. Colorado has a decent driveline but is otherwise meh. And Ford's ranger is solid but still a bit long in the tooth and seems to just be getting them through to the next gen. I think everyone is too concerned about protecting their half tons to really make the mid-sized trucks that are up to the level they should be. A mid-sizer with GM or Ford's 2.7L Turbo motors would be a fantastic setup. Or the 5.3L V8 from GM? I tow with my Lexus GX that has a 301hp/330 tq V8 in effectively a Tacoma chassis and it's quite a bit torqueier than the mid-size engines but still had a to work pretty hard to tow my travel trailer.

The problem for Nissan is that they built a truck that just beats the current, very aged competition. What happens when Toyota, Ford, and GM all bring out new mid-sized trucks in the next couple of years. I bet its a blood bath.

I would pick the Ranger solely based on the driveline. The turbo 4 is a better solution for me being that I tow at altitude.
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ZR2 is anything but meh …
 
4WD said:
ZR2 is anything but meh …
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Its a low volume model. And not its not meh, but the interior and other items are still the same old same old. Its foundation is still based on a fairly meh truck.

And, as a truck, the ZR2 is somewhat useless. Its Payload capacity is very low, and its tow rating is handicapped. So its off the table for me and probably lot of others, but I could theoretically go with any other mid-sizer that isnt a ZR2.

What is particularly impressive about any of the midsized trucks? Their power/torque is just ok, some still have 6 speed transmissions, their MPG performance is barely better than more powerful, larger, more capable half ton trucks. There is so much untapped potential in the mid-sizers its not even funny. Nissan setting the bar just above the current competitors is not gunna work out long term I don't think. Especially if they decide to wait another 15 years to update the truck again.
 
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skrypj said:
Its a low volume model. And not its not meh, but the interior and other items are still the same old same old. Its foundation is still based on a fairly meh truck.

And, as a truck, the ZR2 is somewhat useless. Its Payload capacity is very low, and its tow rating is handicapped. So its off the table for me and probably lot of others, but I could theoretically go with any other mid-sizer that isnt a ZR2.

What is particularly impressive about any of the midsized trucks? Their power/torque is just ok, some still have 6 speed transmissions, their MPG performance is barely better than more powerful, larger, more capable half ton trucks. There is so much untapped potential in the mid-sizers its not even funny. Nissan setting the bar just above the current competitors is not gunna work out long term I don't think. Especially if they decide to wait another 15 years to update the truck again.
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You make the assumption that people don’t know what they are buying when they shop mid size.
You don’t do you … Some don’t like driving a D9 … they just want something that can follow one
BTW: I owned a 5.3L Canyon for 8 years … worked hard and played hard within its capabilities …
 
4WD said:
You make the assumption that people don’t know what they are buying when they shop mid size.
You don’t do you … Some don’t like driving a D9 … they just want something that can follow one
BTW: I owned a 5.3L Canyon for 8 years … worked hard and played hard within its capabilities …
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That's exactly right. It doesn't take a degree in math to know a midsize is smaller, has less payload/towing and often cost more. Went I was looking for a truck, I was well aware I could get much more truck for the money, but I wasn't after more truck. The ZR2 IMO is a unique truck. The suspension is unlike the others, it also has a front and rear locker. It's more of an off-road toy with truck utility where as the others are the reverse, a truck with some off-road capability. However, the ZR2 is also unique in that regard because on road it handles better than anything in its class and can outperform the others off-road. The ZR2 took attributes from the Jeep Rubicon and Raptor and settled somewhere in the middle. The biggest issue with the Colorado has been the transmission issues of the past and dated interior. The Ranger is a nice truck and would be my 2nd choice. I drove full size trucks quite a bit in the past. Definitely a better overall value but I prefer the midsize for my needs as they are now. That's my opinion, others may disagree. :giggle:
 
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4WD said:
You make the assumption that people don’t know what they are buying when they shop mid size.
You don’t do you … Some don’t like driving a D9 … they just want something that can follow one
BTW: I owned a 5.3L Canyon for 8 years … worked hard and played hard within its capabilities …
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buster said:
That's exactly right. It doesn't take a degree in math to know a midsize is smaller, has less payload/towing and often cost more. Went I was looking for a truck, I was well aware I could get much more truck for the money, but I wasn't after more truck. The ZR2 IMO is a unique truck. The suspension is unlike the others, it also has a front and rear locker. It's more of an off-road toy with truck utility where as the others are the reverse, a truck with some off-road capability. However, the ZR2 is also unique in that regard because on road it handles better than anything in its class and can outperform the others off-road. The ZR2 took attributes from the Jeep Rubicon and Raptor and settled somewhere in the middle. The biggest issue with the Colorado has been the transmission issues of the past and dated interior. The Ranger is a nice truck and would be my 2nd choice. I drove full size trucks quite a bit in the past. Definitely a better overall value but I prefer the midsize for my needs as they are now. That's my opinion, others may disagree. :giggle:
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I guess you guys missed the point.

didnt say everyone needed a freightliner. I said the current mid-sized trucks are a low bar. When trucks much larger, heavier, and more powerful can achieve similar mpg’s for not much more money, its pretty apparent the mfg’s could be doing better.


nissan had an opportunity to differentiate themselves. They might have a solid truck against their current competitors but if GM, Ford and Toyota up their game(which they could easily do) in the next gens, the Frontier is gunna look pretty crappy.

and nothing against the ZR2. Its a really cool truck. But its kinda in its own category as no one has a true answer to it. But at the same time, if you want a mid-sized for towing or hauling the ZR2 isnt the best option.
 
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