Cons
- Interior materials
- Maneuverability
- Rear-seat room
Acceleration
6/10
No 4-cylinder or long-bed Crew Cab Frontiers have been made available for testing. V6 models are strong from a stop and around town, especially the lighter King Cabs. The automatic transmission kicks down quickly for good midrange passing punch.
Fuel Economy
4/10
In Consumer Guide testing, a 4WD King Cab averaged 16.7 mpg. A 4WD Crew Cab averaged just 14.5 mpg, disappointing for a compact pickup. Frontier uses regular-grade gas.
Ride Quality
5/10
Firm but absorbent. Sharp ridges register, but don't jar. Typical truck-like bounding and jiggle over bumps with an empty bed is quickly quelled. Various tire sizes make little difference to comfort.
Steering/Handling/Braking
4/10
Nicely balanced for a pickup truck. The steering feels weighty and direct, but is slow to react in tight U-turns and parking spots. Body lean is evident in corners but is not excessive for a vehicle of this type.
Quietness
4/10
The V6 growls at full throttle, but isn't unduly loud. Wind rush is evident over 60 mph and rises sharply with speed. The tires drone on coarse pavement, and the PRO-4X's off-road-oriented tires whine at highway speeds.
Controls
7/10
Simple, handy layout. All controls are within easy reach.
Details
4/10
Hard plastic abounds on the dashboard, console, and door panels; all cabin materials are predictably workman-like. The controls do not operate with smooth precision.
Room/Comfort/Driver Seating (Front)
6/10
Good 6-footer headroom and legroom. The seats are comfortable, but need more side bolstering to hold front passengers in place through turns. Wide-base windshield pillars can hinder visibility to the front corners, the view is fine to the rear corners and directly aft.
Room/Comfort (Rear)
2/10
King Cab's rear seats are best used for small cargo; only preteens will fit. Crew Cab has more space, but legroom is still kid-size with the front seats even partially back. Headroom is tight for 6-footers--especially beneath the sunroof housing.
Cargo Room
3/10
Both cab types provide useful space behind the front seats. Some thoughtful small-items storage up front, though the console's shallow tray needs a rubber mat to keep objects from sliding around.
Value Within Class
7/10
Frontier carves out a nice niche for itself in the compact-pickup market with a powerful V6 engine, middle-of-the-pack size, and options that appeal to off-road enthusiasts. Ride and handling are decent for the class, but interiors disappoint with too much tacky plastic and subpar rear-seat room, even on the crew cab. Still, Frontier merits our Recommended nod.
Highlights
The 2010 Nissan Frontier sees no significant changes. Two body styles are available for this compact pickup truck. Extended-cab King Cabs have rear-hinged back doors that don't open independently of the fronts, flip-up rear seats, and a 6.1-foot cargo bed. Crew Cabs have a rear bench seat and a 5.0- or 6.1-foot bed. Both come in SE, LE, and PRO-4X trims. A base XE trim level is also offered as a King Cab. XE and SE King Cabs have a 152-horsepower 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine and rear-wheel drive. Other Frontiers have a 261-horsepower 4.0-liter V6, and most are offered with rear- or 4-wheel drive. Manual transmission is offered on XE, SE, and PRO-4X: A 5-speed with the 4-cylinder, a 6-speed with the V6. A 5-speed automatic is standard on LE and available on all other models. Frontier's 4WD system includes a low-range gear for off-roading but should not be left engaged on dry pavement. Maximum towing capacity is 6,500 pounds. Available safety features include ABS, traction control, antiskid system, curtain-side airbags, and front-side airbags. The 4WD PRO-4X comes with heavy-duty off-road equipment. A wireless cell-phone link and sunroof are among the options offered.
Competition
Consumer Guide Automotive places each vehicle into one of 18 classes based on size, price, and market position. Compact Pickups offer a true-truck design in a relatively modest package. They are best suited for personal or light-duty use rather than commercial use, heavy hauling, or towing.
Our Best Buy is the Toyota Tacoma. Our Recommended picks are the Honda Ridgeline, Nissan Frontier, and Suzuki Equator.