2013 Nissan Frontier

The 2013 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab is available in five trim levels available - S, SV, Desert Runner, Pro-4X and SL - for which the prices start at $22,030 for the S and goes up to $33,790 for the range-topping SL trim that packs all the bells and whistles the truck has to offer. For the bare-bones S the features list consists of rear privacy glass, variable intermittent wipers, a flat-folding front passenger seat, and cloth upholstery. The other trims keep on adding creature comforts while the Pro-4X equips off-road friendly bits and pieces. 

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The SV trim gets the best balance of value and capability. It is available with the optional 4WD which lends more traction, if one wants a better driving experience, and gets the more frugal inline-4 engine as the standard pick. If one wants a bit more capability, the Pro-4X is the way to go due to all the upgrades made to it as well as the added creature comforts. 

The 2013 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab comes standard with a 2.5L four-cylinder engine which is rated at 152 horsepower and 171 pound-feet of torque, which is sent to the rear wheels only. The standard transmission is a five-speed manual while a five-speed automatic is optional. A 4.0L V6 added as the optional engine choice for all the trim levels that bumps up the output to 261 horsepower and 281 lb-ft of torque, that is sent to all the four wheels via either a 6-speed manual transmission or a 6-speed automatic transmission. 

The base engine is a rather quick unit but upgrading to the punchy V6 is recommended. As such, the more powerful engine can do the 0-60 MPH run in just 7.6 seconds and can run the quarter-mile in 15.2 seconds. 

The Nissan Frontier is the most affordable pick in the group and the punchy V6 under the hood makes it the quickest among its peers as well, though by a millisecond or two. The engine is the most powerful and also has the most capability of all, with the highest torque output. Then comes everyone’s beloved “Taco” with the least powerful engine of the segment. It is quite some down on power when compared to the Honda but has more torque, which gives it a certain advantage in acceleration. The Honda is the most expensive offering but offers a comfort level that neither trucks can match. 

Since we’ve considered the bigger V6 for our tests, the 2013 Nissan Frontier returns 16 MPG in the city and 22 MPG on the highway, for a combined 18 MPG from its 21.1 gallon fuel tank. The sluggish base engine isn’t a quick one, but will surely be a good choice for the ones looking to save some money on gas bills. On that engine the fuel economy figures stand at 19 MPG in the city and 23 MPG on the highway for 21 MPG combined. 

The Nissan and the Toyota are very similar when it comes to fuel-efficiency, with both the trucks returning a combined range of 380 miles with similarly big fuel tanks. The Honda isn’t far behind but the V6 here chugs a bit more fuel, which costs it an MPG here and there. It has a bigger tank than the other trucks but the range is still behind, though the difference is quite negligible. 

The 2013 Nissan Frontier’s interior looks dated and desperately needs an upgrade. The material quality is decent in the lower trims but improves by a lot on the higher trims. The lower trims also get hard plastics which aren’t pleasant to touch but are rather expected at a truck at this price point. The door panels are dark but have nice cubby spaces to hold goods inside. The dashboard’s design is rather utilitarian which helps in maintaining the aesthetic inside. 

The seats are comfortable in the front with a soft seating area. The lower trims score cloth upholstery but the higher trims get weather upholstery, power-adjustability, and heating to keep the occupant happy and comfortable. The rear seats are also decently comfortable but the trouble arises due to the uncomfortable seating posture that cannot be sustained for long drives. 

The Ridgeline is the roomiest and the most comfortable pick of the three trucks, no doubt, and has the most space inside albeit a slightly lower legroom in the front row. As for the cargo area, it is the smallest and is nearly 294% smaller than the Frontier’s. The Nissan gets a decently comfortable and roomy cabin with a sturdy interior. The Tacoma is also a pretty comfortable truck, while also getting the most area to carry stuff. 

Some of the highlighting features of the Frontier are;

• Sunroof
• Rear-seat center armrest
• Heated power front seats
• Vinyl/cloth/leather upholstery
• Dual-zone climate control
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Keyless entry
• Sliding rear window 

What’s there to keep you entertained in the 2013 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab?

The 2013 Nissan Frontier gets a small infotainment screen that displays the usual information about what radio station is active and what all songs are playing. Around the display are several shortcut buttons that help in navigating easily throughout the system and have tactile feedback to them. The system comes with Bluetooth connectivity that can easily connect a smartphone to the system for seamless pairing and telephony. The standard system is a 4-speaker one which includes a CD player as well, while the upgrade to a 8-speaker audio system is also available. Some of the highlighting features are:

• Bluetooth
• AM/FM radio
• SiriusXM
• USB ports
• AUX jack
• 12V socket
• CD player
• 4-speaker system

The 2013 Nissan Frontier has not seen a lot of changes made to it since quite some time now and as such, we have a very familiar face with Nissan’s famous v-shape front grille. The headlights are big but aren’t LED in the lower trims. The front also houses different body panels in the off-road friendly trims for easier approach and departure angle. To the sides, the silhouette is rather plain with extended fenders and 15-inch wheels, which can be upgraded to 18s. The rear of the Frontier gets a simple design with the two tail lights and a simple opening mechanism for the trunk door. 

The Frontier isn;t the lightest of the group but has got the most compact dimensions of all, with a respectable ground clearance of 8.6 inches in all the trims. The off-road friendly packages add more equipment, while increasing the ground clearance as well. The Honda weighs the most but is proportionally bigger than the Nissan, whereas the Toyota is the biggest among the trucks. 

Some of the highlighting styling features are:

• 15-/16-inch steel wheels
• 16-/18-inch alloy wheels
• Rear privacy glass
• Sliding rear window
• Fog lights
• Automatic headlights
• Underbody skid plates (Desert Runner and Pro-4X)
• Bilstein shocks (Desert Runner and Pro-4X)

The 2013 Nissan Frontier gets all the necessary bits and bobs for it to make a significant impact on the safety of the segment, while also adding some extra features like brake-actuated limited-slip differential on the models with the bigger V6. The driver and the occupants would feel confident inside as well due to the impressive ratings from the respective crash-test rating agencies as well. Some of the features that the Frontier gets to ensure superior safety are:

• Cruise control
• Rear parking sensors
• Auto-dimming rear-view mirror 
• Auto-dimming rear-view camera
• Electronic brakeforce distribution
• Tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS)
• Stability control
• Emergency braking assist
• Passenger airbag occupant sensing deactivation

The 2013 Nissan Frontier strikes a perfect balance between capability and value, with the options available for an off-road variant as well. The interior is a rather basic one and remains uninspiring in the higher trims as well whereas the comfort is good. The rear seats’ posture can be a bit awkward and uncomfortable for long drives. The truck handles well and also has good MPG numbers, making it a good choice for someone looking out for a basic truck without any modern tech hassles in the segment.