2017 Nissan Frontier

We recommend going for the Pro-4X trim of the Nissan Frontier Crew Cab as it offers the best value for the price. It gets you a capable off-road truck without spending too much. The V6 engine with the Pro-4X trim level is also something that uplifts the overall driving experience of the truck. You can further equip the truck with available optional packages and features to customize it as per your taste. 

The 2017 Frontier Crew Cab comes in 5 trims namely the S, SV, Desert Runner, Pro 4X, and SL. The S trim starts at a price of $24,100, SV at a price of $25,950, Desert Runner at a price of $26,830, Pro 4X at a price of $32,340, and SL at a price of $32,710. The 2017 Nissan Frontier dashes a body-color rear bumper which was previously in chrome, a slight update in its exterior styling. Speaking of which the 2017  Frontier is offered in 8 exterior colors- Forged Copper, Gun Metallic, Magnetic Black, Glacier White, Cayenne Red, Brilliant Silver, Lava Red, and Arctic Blue Metallic.

With the  Frontier S Crew Cab, you get standard features like 16-inch steel wheels, a 5-inch central display, and a 4-speaker sound system, however, these features upgrade as you go up the trim level and subsequently enhance the interior luxury quotient and exterior performance quotient.  The top-of-the-line SL trim gets 18-inch alloy wheels, side steps, a navigation system, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, satellite radio, and voice controls.

Being from the Truck's body style, it is not expected from it to deliver good MPG, however, you might argue that the 2017 Chevy Colorado and 2017 GMC Canyon are offering better MPG. This is because of their updated and tweaked engine that is economical on city roads as well as highways. The 2017 Nissan Frontier's engine comes mated to a 6-speed manual transmission that consumes more fuel per mile. 

Based on the comparisons, the 2017 GMC Canyon offers more MPG and economy than the 2017 Nissan Frontier, 2017 Toyota Tacoma, and 2017 Chevrolet Colorado by 3 MPG, 3 MPG, and 1 MPG. The range of driving in a 2017 GMC Canyon is more than the 2017 Nissan Frontier, 2017 Toyota Tacoma, and 2017 Chevrolet Colorado by 103 miles, 103 miles, and 42 miles respectively. 

The interior of the 2017 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab is where the age of the truck has started to show up the most.  The use of cheap plastics in the cabin of the Nissan Frontier 2017 Crew Cab makes the overall experience even worse when you get inside. The space is also limited inside the cabin of the Nissan Frontier Crew Cab, which is more evident in the rear seats. Having said that, you can go with the  plethora of packages like the S Work Truck package that adds a spray-in bed liner, bed rail caps, splash guards, and rubber floor mats costing a $750 making the interior look better and more immaculate than the standard 2017 Frontier Crew Cab

The Nissan Frontier Pro 4X Crew Cab gets a 5.8-inch touchscreen infotainment display that runs on the NissanConnect touchscreen interface. The infotainment system feels responsive and the graphics also feel nice, but it misses out on Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which is offered by some of the rivals. The Nissan SL trim gets a decent 10-speaker Rockford Fosgate audio system. The space is also limited inside the cabin of the Nissan Frontier Crew Cab, which is more evident in the rear seats. 

 The space in the Nissan Frontier feels cramped in comparison, whether you compare it to the front or the rear row. With legroom of 25.4 inches its less accommodating than the 2017 Chevy Colorado and 2017 GMC Canyon by 10.4 inches. The 2017 Toyota Tacoma is having less space than the 2017 Nissan Frontier in the rear row- 0.8 inches shorter legroom than the latter. The bed length of the 2017 GMC Canyon and 2017 Chevy Colorado is the same- 74 inches and is significantly more than the 2017 Nissan Frontier by 14.5 inches creating more space for personal belongings such as rowing kit, portable oven, heavy luggage, etc. 

The exterior design of the Nissan Frontier Crew Cab looks pretty familiar due to no major changes since its launch. The front of the Nissan Frontier is discernible as a Nissan for its family design language.  In addition to front fog lights and tubular step rails, Frontier SL versions include a chrome front grille, exterior mirrors, and door handles.

The front hood of the truck gets two lines at both sides and the roof rails at the top also add to the rugged look of the Nissan Frontier. The design from the side and rear looks pretty simple, which is the case with almost all trucks. There are no fancy alloy wheels at the side or stylish LED taillights at the rear to catch your attention, however, you get stylish 18-inch alloy wheels in the Nissan SL trim which makes it look rugged and enhances its off-roading capability.

The 2017 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab has the most compact dimensions in the segment. The Nissan Frontier is smaller than its rivals in length by 6.8 inches, 7.2 inches, and 6.9 inches respectively. It also gets the smallest wheelbase in the segment and the ground clearance is also the least in the class. The 2017 Chevy Colorado is the longest of the lot and shares its dimensions with the GMC Canyon. Both the trucks have similar wheelbase and width which results in similar space in the interior. 

Standout exterior features:

• 16” to 18” wheels
• Spray-in bed liner
• Power-heated side mirrors
• Front fog lamps
• Deep tinted glass

The 2017 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab offers decent safety for the class. The standard safety features with the truck are good enough. It does not come with many advanced driver assistance features which are available in the recently updated rivals. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has rated it Good or Marginal safety ratings in most aspects. 

The safety features include:

• Traction control
• Electronic stability control
• Rear parking sensors
• Low tire pressure warning
• Rear child safety locks

2017 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab vs. 2017 Toyota Tacoma

Although the Nissan Frontier feels outdated, it performs equally well or better in most aspects when you put it against the Toyota Tacoma. Toyota Tacoma misses out on a lot of aspects when compared to its rivals. None of the trucks are able to compete against the more modern rivals in the segment. If we have to pick between these two, we would go with the 2017 Toyota Tacoma.

2017 Nissan Frontier vs. 2017 Chevrolet Colorado

The Chevy Colorado is among the best-selling trucks in the American market and it is easily among the best pickup trucks you can buy today in the segment. The Chevy Colorado crushes the outdated Nissan Frontier in almost every single aspect. The Chevy Colorado is also more modern than the Frontier with better features. The Chevy Colorado is a clear winner between the two.

2017 Nissan Frontier vs. 2017 GMC Canyon

The GMC Canyon is based on the Chevy Colorado and features a slightly more premium cabin. The GMC Canyon is again better than the Nissan Frontier in almost every aspect. The Nissan Frontier comes with a slightly better towing capacity which is not the prime focus of the GMC Canyon. However, the GMC Canyon is better than the Nissan Frontier in most departments. 

The 2017 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab has already started to feel outdated as there has been no major update in the truck since its launch. There are more modern rivals available with updated features. Still, the Nissan Frontier Pro-4X offers a capable off-road truck for an affordable price. If you are looking for a capable truck on a budget and can live with the compromises that you have to make with the Frontier, you can go with the 2017 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab.