2020 Nissan Frontier

The 2020 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab is available in three trim levels with a starting price of $29,050. For an affordable pickup truck, the Frontier is quite decently equipped with standard features and the base S trim starts with 16-inch steel wheels, remote keyless entry, a 7-inch infotainment display, and a four-speaker audio system. Stepping up to the SV trim will get you a sliding rear window, alloy wheels, fully power-adjustable mirrors, and premium cloth upholstery. The off-road specific PRO-4X trim is the top-end one too and offers a long list of features some of which are Bilstein shock absorbers, roof rack, spray-in bed liner, heating function for mirrors, dual-zone automatic climate control, sunroof, a premium 10-speaker Rockford Fosgate audio system, integrated navigation system, and heating and power-adjustability for the front seats.

Which trim should you buy?

The SV trim makes the most sensible option since it unlocks all the optional extras offered by the brand.

The 2020 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab is powered by a new 3.8-liter naturally aspirated V6 motor that comes with increased power and torque output levels than the previous year’s motor. The engine is capable of delivering a maximum of 310 horsepower and 281 lb-ft of maximum torque. With the powertrain being updated, the new unit is more refined and offers a punchier performance too courtesy of the higher power and torque output figures. Within the city limits, the all-new 9-speed automatic transmission does an excellent job while out on the highways the gearbox keeps the motor relaxed most of the time. The truck can tow a maximum of 6,500 lbs. The truck can accelerate to 60mph from a standstill within 7.2 seconds, a decent time for the segment. 

The Toyota Tacoma gets a 3.5-liter V6 motor with decent power and torque output figures. Performance-wise it is evenly matched to the Frontier including the tow rating as well. The Ford Ranger gets the smallest powerplant here, a 2.3-liter EcoBoost I-4 that is quite big on both performance and towing capacity as well. The motor delivers a maximum of 270 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque rating with an impressive towing capacity of 7,500 lbs. The Chevrolet Colorado comes with a 3.6-liter V6 motor with a tow rating of 7,000 lbs. The praiseworthy aspect of the motor is that it propels the truck to 60mph within 6.5 seconds, an impressive feat for the segment.

How well does the Nissan Frontier Crew Cab handle?

Pickup trucks are never quite synonymous with athletic handling capabilities and so is the Nissan Frontier. At lower speeds, the truck remains planted and stable while at higher speeds even a small speed breaker unsettles its rear end. The steering wheel is quite vague and offers no feel or feedback. However, it makes it easier to maneuver the truck within the city limits and tight spaces. The ride quality is decent for a truck of this segment while the PRO-4X trim offers excellent off-roading capabilities owing to the extensive off-roading upgrades right from the factory level.

Braking performance

Pickup trucks do require a trusted set of brakes and the Nissan Frontier doesn’t disappoint with its braking performance either. Even though the pedal travel is long and the pedal feels soft too, the brakes provide assuring bite from the rotors and even under a full load, the performance remains intact as well. The PRO-4X trim offers a petter braking performance owing to the upgraded off-roading enhancements. However, the 135 ft of stopping distance is decent at the most considering the rivals’ performances.

The Toyota Tacoma gets smaller brake hardware than the Frontier yet, it manages to stop within a shorter distance than the latter. The Tacoma’s lighter curb weight helps it to achieve a better stopping distance. The Ford Ranger takes a slightly longer distance of 127 ft ac compared to the Tacoma yet, it still performs better than the Frontier. The Chevrolet Colorado takes the second spot here in terms of braking prowess but has the biggest set of brake rotors.

The 2020 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab fairs decently when it comes to fuel economy. The truck returns an average of 18mpg within the cities and 24mpg out on the highways. The combined mileage is rated at 20mpg. It has a massive gasoline tank of 21.1 gallons that results in impressive driving range numbers such as 380 miles of city range.

The Toyota Tacoma is slightly more fuel-efficient than the Frontier despite the lower power and torque figures. However, its slightly more city mileage helps it achieve a 400-mile city driving range courtesy of its 21-gallon gas tank. The Ford Ranger is the most fuel-efficient truck here with 26mpg of highway mileage on offer. However, its slightly smaller 18-gallon gas tank puts it at par with the Frontier and the Tacoma. The Chevrolet Colorado takes the middle position here in terms of both mpg figures and overall driving range number.

The interior of the 2020 Nissan Frontier looks quite outdated and simple as compared to the rivals in the segment. The bigger-than-average steering wheel will grab your attention the moment you step inside the truck while the dated switchgear sticks out like a sore thumb. The fit and finish levels are solid though and combined with the decent set of features right from the base trim, the truck offers a decent value for money too. The front seats are comfortable while the rear seats lack seriously in terms of legroom.

The Toyota Tacoma’s cabin looks quite fresh and modern when compared to the Frontier’s cabin. The Tacoma offers an excellent build quality of interior along with an interesting set of standard features as well. The Tacoma’s rear seats also suffer from poor legroom too. The Ford Ranger has a comfortable and well-built cabin when compared to the rivals here. The cabin has an appealing and modern design with an abundance of practicality too. It offers exceptional headroom at the front while the rear legroom is slightly better than the rest of the trucks on the list.

Some standout interior features are:

• Remote keyless entry
• Cloth upholstery
• Push-button start
• Dual-zone automatic climate control(SV trim onwards)

What’s there to keep you entertained?

The infotainment system onboard the 2020 Nissan Frontier is rather simple and comes with a 7-inch touchscreen display. There’s no integrated navigation, Android Auto, or Apple CarPlay. Bluetooth streaming is available and so is the radio. There is only a single USB port for inputs and the Bluetooth connectivity isn’t that great either.

Some infotainment features are:

• 7-inch infotainment display
• Bluetooth audio streaming
• AM/FM radio
• USB port
• Radio Data System

The 2020 Nissan Frontier exterior design is more of a hit-or-a-miss case since it competes amidst a wave of trucks that are more appealing and feature a more fresh design. The front end is dominated by the sizable chrome grille while the base S trim gets a black bumper both at the front and the back. The big halogen headlamp units sit flush with the front fascia while the curvy wheel arches follow into the front bumper. The side profile is simple with the wheel arches bulging out significantly. The rear end looks like any other truck of the segment with vertically-stacked taillamps and a rectangular tailgate.

The Ford Ranger looks fresh and modern in front of the Frontier and its front fascia gets an aggressive appeal too. It also offers an impressive 9.4 inches of ground clearance by default, making it off-road ready always. The Toyota Tacoma adopts some design elements from the mammoth Tundra pickup truck, hence its sheer road presence makes a majority of the rivals look dull including the Frontier too. The Chevrolet Colorado has a rather toned-down exterior design in its base form when compared to the Tacoma or the Ranger. It has the lowest ground clearance of 8.1 inches here which is still more than adequately practical for everyday use.

Some standout exterior features are:

• 16-inch steel wheels
• Halogen headlamps
• Deep tinted glass
• Sliding rear windows

Being an age-old truck, the 2020 Nissan Frontier gets a not-so-impressive safety department. The truck scored a “Good” rating from the IIHS while the ratings from NHTSA are not available. Nissan has skimped when it came to equipping the truck with advanced driver assistance features that a majority of its rivals get as standard and none of the advanced safety techs are available as options too. Nonetheless, the truck features a solid build quality that you’d generally expect from a Japanese vehicle.

Some important safety features of the Frontier are:

• Tire Pressure Monitoring System
• Anti-Lock Braking System 
• Electronic Brake Force Distribution
• Traction Control
• Vehicle Dynamics Control
• Rearview Camera
• Rear Parking Sensors
• Cruise Control

Nissan Frontier Crew Cab vs Ford Ranger

The Nissan Frontier pales in comparison to the Ford Ranger in almost every aspect. The Ranger offers better fuel efficiency, a more spacious cabin, and a fresh exterior design. Moreover, the Ranger has more practical and usable rear seats too. The Ranger also offers a wide variety of advanced safety techs too, easily making for a better option than the Frontier.

Nissan Frontier Crew Cab vs Toyota Tacoma

The Toyota Tacoma dominates the Frontier with its sheer road presence and a brute interior design. Performance-wise it is evenly matched to the Frontier and the same is the case with the fuel economy department as well. 

Nissan Frontier Crew Cab vs Chevrolet Colorado

The Chevrolet Colorado might not have the chunky and boxy appeal of the Frontier yet, its ute cabin that is also one of the most spacious ones in the segment makes the Colorado triumph over the latter. Performance is one of the main highlights of the truck too and it handles way better than the Frontier as well.

The Nissan Frontier has become synonymous with dinosaurs with its aging design and mechanicals amidst the crowd of modern and more capable trucks. It lacks both in terms of fuel economy and practicality with its overly-cramped rear seats. Only the PRO-4X trim of the truck makes sense to the hardcore off-roading truck lovers. Overall, if you desire a basic and affordable truck in this segment there are adequate alternatives to the Frontier.