| Pros | Cons | What's New |
|---|---|---|
Decent driving dynamics | Tight rear seats | No changes |
Above-average ride quality | Dated design | |
Excellent off-road performance from the Pro-4X trim | ||
User-friendly cabin design | ||
Excellent reliability rating |
$26,450
price261 hp @ 5600 rpm
horsepower281 lb.-ft. @ 4000 rpm
torque5-Speed Automatic
transmission4.0L 6cyl 4WD 5A
engine-
basic warrantyThe Nissan Frontier has been going strong in its own segment since its launch in 1997, mainly owing to its do-it-all character. Even though the truck started its life as a compact pickup truck, after the 2006 facelift it was slotted into the midsize pickup segment.
We would recommend the SV trim owing to its practical standard features for a slight premium over the base price.
Due to the immense success statement of the truck, Nissan left the truck almost untouched since 2006. The truck is based on the Nissan F-Alpha platform and gets a 2.5-liter naturally aspirated engine as standard. The truck also gets an optional V6 powertrain that allows it to offer a generous tow rating when compared to its rivals.
The 2015 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab is available in five trim levels including the off-road specific Pro-4X trim as well. The price of the base S trim starts at $22,700 and is quite sparsely equipped with the most basic features such as 16-inch steel wheels, cloth upholstery, a barebones infotainment system, and a sliding rear window. Stepping up to the SV trim gets some useful features such as power accessories, bigger 16-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry, a tilt-adjustable steering wheel, and a 5-inch color infotainment display running NissanConnect. The Desert Runner trim, when properly equipped, offers a decent off-roading experience with its upgraded standard suspension setup and off-roading tires. The Pro-4X is a hard-core off-road specific trim level that comes with 4WD as standard, rear locking differential, underbody skid plates, and an upgraded infotainment system with more features.
|
Trims |
S |
SV |
Desert Runner |
SL |
Pro-4X |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
MSRP |
$22,700 |
$25,860 |
$25,510 |
$31,360 |
$31,510 |
|
Features |
Rear privacy glass |
Features of Base S plus: |
Features of SV plus: |
Roof rack with crossbars |
Off-road tuned shock absorbers with special off-road tires |
|
|
16-inch steel wheels |
16-inch alloy wheels |
Unique exterior and interior styling |
Sunroof |
Rear locking differential |
|
|
Front bucket seats with flat-folding function for the front passenger seat |
Full power accessories |
Upgraded shock absorbers |
8-way driver and 4-way front passenger power-adjustable seats |
Underbody skid plates |
|
|
Cloth upholstery |
Tilt-adjustable steering wheel |
8-way manually-adjustable driver’s seat |
A center console for the rear seats |
Upgraded infotainment system with satellite radio and voice controls |
|
|
6-speaker audio system |
Keyless entry |
Off-roading tires |
||
|
|
Sliding rear windows |
5-inch color display with NissanConnect interface |
Which trim should you buy?
We would recommend the SV trim owing to its practical standard features for a slight premium over the base price.
The 2015 Nissan Frontier is powered by a standard 2.5-liter naturally aspirated QR25DE I-4 motor. It churns out a maximum of 152 horsepower along with 171 lb-ft of maximum torque. The motor is just about adequate for regular driving scenarios and doesn’t offer much oomph. It might feel quite sluggish out on the highways yet, under relaxed driving conditions, the momentum builds up in a progressive manner. The handling of the truck is nothing worth mentioning. The steering feels heavy around the corners and you’d wish to keep the truck straight. The ride quality is quite sorted and comfier than you’d generally see on other rivals in the segment and the off-road specific Pro-4X offers some of the best experience as well.
|
Models |
Nissan Frontier |
Toyota Tacoma |
Chevrolet Colorado |
GMC Canyon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
MSRP |
$22,700 |
$24,575 |
$20,885 |
$20,000 |
|
Engine |
2.5-liter DOHC 16-valve 4-cylinder engine |
2.7L I4 DOHC 16-valve 4-cylinder engine |
2.5L I4 DI DOHC engine |
2.5L DI 4-cylinder engine |
|
Transmission |
5-speed manual |
6-speed automatic |
6-speed manual |
6-speed manual |
|
Power |
152 hp @ 5,200 rpm |
159 hp @ 5200 rpm |
200 hp @ 6300 rpm |
200 hp @ 6300 rpm |
|
Torque |
171 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm |
180 lb-ft 3800 rpm |
191 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm |
191 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm |
|
0-60 MPH |
8.5 sec |
8.1 sec |
9.8 sec |
9.0 sec |
|
Quarter mile |
16.5 sec @ 90 mph |
16.2 sec @ 84 mph |
14.7 sec @ 91 mph |
17.1 sec @ 82.4 mph |
The Toyota Tacoma gets the biggest powertrain here among the rivals, a 2.7-liter naturally aspirated I-4 motor that is good for a decent 159 horsepower and 180 lb-ft of torque. The Tacoma’s driving dynamics are slightly better than what the Frontier offers and its slightly more power figures do come in handy. The Chevrolet Colorado and the GMC Canyon are mechanical twins, hence their powertrain and the power figures along with the performance stats are identical too.
Modern pickup trucks have come quite far from being gas guzzlers and with those compact four-pot motors under their hood, they do offer some handsome mpg figures as well. The 2015 Nissan Frontier returns an average of 19mpg in the cities, 23mpg out on the highways, and 21mpg of combined mileage respectively. With a decent-sized gas tank of 21.1 gallons, the driving range figures of the truck are quite decent too.
|
Model |
Nissan Frontier |
Toyota Tacoma |
Chevrolet Colorado |
GMC Canyon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mpg City |
19 |
21 |
19 |
19 |
|
Mpg Highway |
23 |
25 |
26 |
26 |
|
Mpg Combined |
21 |
23 |
22 |
22 |
|
Fuel capacity(gallons) |
21.1 |
21.1 |
21 |
21 |
|
Driving range(miles)(city/hwy/combined) |
400/485/443 |
443/527/485 |
399/546/462 |
399/546/462 |
The Toyota Tacoma is the most fuel-efficient one here with the highest city and combined mileage numbers as compared to the rivals. Also, it gets a similar-sized gasoline tank as the Frontier, hence its overall driving range figures are commendable as well. The Chevrolet Colorado and the GMC Canyon share similar fuel capacities along with similar mpg figures and driving range numbers as well.
The interior of the 2015 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab is pretty basic and comes with robust build quality. The quality of materials is decent at the most as per the segment standards and the overall layout is straightforward with all the controls within the reach of the driver. The headroom and legroom for the front occupants are generous while the legroom at the rear is heinously low. The base variant of the truck is devoid of a majority of useful features while the SV trim will get you the major and practical features such as full power accessories, a tilt-adjustment function for the steering wheel, keyless entry while the optional features brought along by the Value Truck Package will further include heated front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror among others.
|
Model |
Nissan Frontier |
Toyota Tacoma |
Chevrolet Colorado |
GMC Canyon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Passenger capacity |
4 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
|
Front (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.) |
39.7/58.3/42.4 |
39.7/58.3/42.9 |
41.4/57.5/45.0 |
41.4/57.5/45.0 |
|
Rear (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.) |
38.3/54.9/25.4 |
34.9/56.5/24.6 |
38.5/56.1/35.8 |
38.5/56.1/35.8 |
The Toyota Tacoma’s cabin offers a better design and a better quality of materials as compared to the Frontier. The comfort levels from the front seats are excellent too while the standard list of features is quite appealing as well. The Chevrolet Colorado comes with an urban cabin with a fresh and appealing design. The layout of the interior is quite straightforward and the quality of materials used is decent as well. The headroom on offer is excellent while the legroom on offer is more than what both the Tacoma and the Frontier offer. The GMC Canyon has an almost similar cabin to the Colorado with some slightly more premium touches and design tweaks. Both the trucks have similar interior dimensions.
Some standout interior features are:
The infotainment system of the 2015 Nissan Frontier is strictly basic in its base S trim with a 6-speaker audio player. The SV trim gets you a 5-inch color infotainment display that runs the NissanConnect interface, Bluetooth, smartphone-integrated applications, satellite radio, USB and iPod integration, and a CD player.
Some infotainment features are:
The 2015 Nissan Frontier exterior design is best described as utilitarian owing to its strong street presence and noticeable character lines. The front fascia gets a dated grille design with chrome inserts while the curvy wheel arches stick out in a good way, giving the suede profile a smooth design. The standard steel wheels do look plain while the bigger 16-inch alloys from the SV trim onwards have a better overall design and uplift the truck’s appeal. The rear end of the truck is simple with a tailgate and vertically-stacked taillamp units.
|
Model |
Nissan Frontier |
Toyota Tacoma |
Chevrolet Colorado |
GMC Canyon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
curb weight(lbs.) |
3766 |
3980 |
3985 |
3922 |
|
Length(in.) |
205.5 |
212.3 |
212.7 |
212.4 |
|
Width(in) |
72.8 |
74.3 |
74.3 |
74.3 |
|
Height(in) |
68.7 |
70.4 |
70.4 |
70.4 |
|
Ground clearance(in) |
8.6 |
9.4 |
8.4 |
8.4 |
|
Wheelbase(in) |
125.9 |
127.3 |
128.4 |
128.3 |
|
Track width(in) F/R |
61.8/61.8 |
62.4/62.4 |
63.0/63.2 |
62.4/62.4 |
The Toyota Tacoma looks quite tough and rugged, much like its interior design, and has a towering ground clearance of 9.4 inches. Its exterior dimensions are more than the Frontier’s yet, it feels quite compact from the outside when put side by side with the rivals here. The Chevrolet Colorado gets a smart and modern design at the front with its two-part front grille design while the GMC Canyon has a different and more premium design, especially at the front while the side profile and the rear-end designs look quite similar to the former.
Some standout exterior features are:
Safety is not the strongest point of the 2015 Frontier Crew Cab and it doesn’t get an advanced safety tech as standard as well. The IIHS gave it an overall rating of “Good” while the safety ratings from the NHTSA are not available. The standard set of features include a brake-activated limited-slip rear differential, antilock disc brakes, stability control, front-seat side airbags, and full-length side curtain airbags.
Some important safety features are:
Simply put, the Nissan Frontier is an aging option in the segment with much better and modern competitors around such as the Toyota Tacoma and the Chevrolet Colorado. The Frontier purely rides on its affordable price tag, a do-it-all nature, appealing performance from its optional V6 motor, and a highly-capable Pro-4X trim.
Car Name | 0-60 MPH | Quarter Mile | Top Speed | Source | Compare | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2015 Nissan Frontier Ranked #3 | 9.1 sec | - | - | |||
2015 Nissan Titan Ranked #1 | 7.7 sec | 15.9 sec | 120 mph | |||
2015 Chevrolet Colorado Ranked #2 | 8.6 sec | 16.9 sec | 105 mph | |||
2015 GMC Canyon Ranked #2 | 8.6 sec | 16.9 sec | 100 mph |
Car Name | MPG City | MPG Highway | MPG Combined | Fuel Tank Capacity | Range (C/H) | Source | Compare | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2015 Nissan Frontier Ranked #2 | 19 mpg | 23 mpg | 21 mpg | 21.1 gal. | 400.9/485.3 mi. | |||
2015 Chevrolet Colorado Ranked #1 | 19 mpg | 26 mpg | 22 mpg | 21 gal. | 399/546 mi. | |||
2015 GMC Canyon Ranked #1 | 19 mpg | 26 mpg | 22 mpg | 21 gal. | 399/546 mi. | |||
2015 Nissan Titan Ranked #3 | 13 mpg | 18 mpg | 15 mpg | 28 gal. | 364/504 mi. |
Car Name | Length | Width | Height | Ground Clearance | Wheelbase | Source | Compare | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2015 Nissan Frontier Ranked #4 | 205.5 in. | 72.8 in. | 68.7 in. | 7.6 in. | 125.9 in. | |||
2015 Nissan Titan Ranked #1 | 224.6 in. | 79.5 in. | 74.6 in. | 10.2 in. | 139.8 in. | |||
2015 Chevrolet Colorado Ranked #2 | 212.7 in. | 74.3 in. | 70.4 in. | 8.6 in. | 128.3 in. | |||
2015 GMC Canyon Ranked #3 | 212.4 in. | 74.3 in. | 70.4 in. | 8.6 in. | 128.3 in. |
Car Name | Trunk Capacity | Passenger Volume | Max Trunk Volume | Source | Compare | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2015 Nissan Frontier Ranked #1 | 33.5 cu.ft. | 144 cu.ft. | 33.5 cu.ft. | |||
2015 Nissan Titan Ranked #2 | 59.6 cu.ft. | 104.4 cu.ft. | 74.1 cu.ft. | |||
2015 GMC Canyon Ranked #3 | 49.9 cu.ft. | 94.4 cu.ft. | 49.9 cu.ft. | |||
2015 Chevrolet Colorado Ranked #4 | 49.9 cu.ft. | 102 cu.ft. | 49.9 cu.ft. |
Car Name | Cargo Volume | Cargo Volume w/ Seat Area | Max Cargo Volume | Bed Length | Source | Compare | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2015 Nissan Frontier Ranked #1 | 146.4 cu.ft. | 33.5 cu.ft. | 33.5 cu.ft. | 73 ft. | |||
2015 Nissan Titan Ranked #2 | 74.1 cu.ft. | 59.6 cu.ft. | 74.1 cu.ft. | 79 ft. | |||
2015 Chevrolet Colorado Ranked #3 | 15.9 cu.ft. | 49.9 cu.ft. | 49.9 cu.ft. | 74 ft. | |||
2015 GMC Canyon Ranked #4 | 56.6 cu.ft. | 49.9 cu.ft. | 49.9 cu.ft. | 74 ft. |
Car Name | Towing Capacity | Payload Capacity | Weight | Source | Compare | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2015 Nissan Frontier Ranked #3 | 3500 lbs. | 930 lbs. | 3708 lbs. | |||
2015 Nissan Titan Ranked #1 | 7400 lbs. | 2102 lbs. | 4847 lbs. | |||
2015 GMC Canyon Ranked #2 | 7000 lbs. | 1450 lbs. | 3920 lbs. | |||
2015 Chevrolet Colorado Ranked #3 | 3500 lbs. | 1410 lbs. | 3960 lbs. |
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User Overall Rating
Posted On: June 17, 2024
For a smaller truck its like having a large one because of all the room for people, pets and stuff. Great for travel and quick trips. There are no blind sides when driving or changing lanes and I feel safe.
