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a design that draws inspiration from a boxing glove, it's hard to argue that the
Frontier's blunt, aggressive nose doesn't carry a punch. And that is perfectly
intentional. When
designing the first Frontier several years back, Nissan introduced to America
what appeared to be a third-world truck, boxy and innocuous, with almost no sex
appeal. They quickly set to giving it a nose job, Rocky Balboa style, and it's
been a hit ever since. Complimenting the shnoz is aggressive bodywork and a sculpted
rear end (always a good thing). Exposed bolts on the fenders are actually functional
elements that fasten the fender trim to the sheet metal. Nice touch. Noteworthy
is that Nissan dropped the standard cab body style from its Frontier lineup. So
every new Frontier is either a king cab or a Crew Cab. Unlike the extended cab
models from GM or Ford, the Frontier King Cab has no access doors helping you
into the area just behind the front seats. But the Crew Cab does feature four
real doors if people moving is as important as cargo hauling. Just know that even
in that configuration, legroom is limited. On
the brighter side, both models feature cool dashboards and excellent optional
sound systems, and the Crew Cab is the only "4-door" compact that offers
a long bed version, so you don't have to give up cargo space just to add people
space. Powering
the base King Cab Frontier is a 142-hp 4-cylinder engine, matching Toyota in offering
the most powerful 4-cylinders in this class. And at under $13K, this is the cheapest
new extended cab truck you can buy. Still, upgrading to the 170-horse 3.3-liter
V-6 is a popular choice. If too much is not enough, a supercharged version of
that engine is also available, although you can't get one for under $20K. It's
quick, though, and responsive, making it one of the sportiest small trucks on
the road.
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