As for transmissions, a choice of six-speed manual or five-speed automatic is yours for the V-6, five-speed manual or four-speed auto for the four.

The added size bodes particularly well in terms of spread-out room inside. There is newfound space for knees and elbows, and in Crew Cab models anyway, that back seat is actually usable by people, not just purses. The interior also benefits from many truck-market rarities like a double-decker glove box and an available moonroof on Crew Cab models. We love the new instrument cluster, which is sporty, legible and nicely detailed. Likewise the “center stack” controls are easily understood and require no hunting and pecking (in marked contrast to Frontiers past).

Like last year, it is available as a King Cab (with an extended cab, rear-hinged access doors and a kid-size rear seat) or a Crew Cab, with a much larger rear seat that accommodates real people (two comfortably, three in a pinch). The only loss is the long-bed model of the Crew Cab; it must make do with a slightly abbreviated cargo area (which, incidentally, can be protected by an optional protective spray-in bedliner). But in this case, “slightly abbreviated” means a full 5’ in length, which, combined with the aforementioned increase in vehicle width, means there’s considerably more space than in last year’s truck.

In virtually every respect, then, the Frontier is a quantum leap over the any its predecessors, no matter how hard their bodies.

Xterra

Since the funkomatic Xterra shares its fundamental architecture with the Frontier, it only made sense that when the Frontier got redone, so would the Xterra. In this case, the makeover resulted in a truck as significantly improved over the last one as the Frontier is over its predecessor. It doesn’t take a geneticist to notice the styling similarities between the Xterra and the Frontier, although the Xterra stays angular where the Frontier has some roundness, particularly in the fender area. Note the enclosed gear caddy on top of the Xterra, as well as the steps integrated into the side of its rear bumper to make accessing the roof rack a simpler affair. Retained from the last model is the bulge in the tailgate that houses a first aid kit accessible when the tailgate is opened.

The Xterra comes in three arrays, the base S (remember the “everything you need, nothing you don’t” spots?), the more hard-core Off-Road model (which adds skid plates, off-road tires/wheels and some interior enhancements) and the top-shelf SE. Regardless of trim level, the Xterra’s newfound size brings interior accommodations up several notches in both comfort and utility, with back seat riders enjoying the most notable increased legroom. Finally these are certifiable “road trip” vehicles for more than just two adventure-seekers. New cloth upholstery looks both attractive and durable.

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