I trust TFL way more than Motortrend or Car and Driver.

It’s such a rugged simple truck. Outdated yes. But I kinda love it. In my opinion it’s really what a small truck should be.

People: Gosh, the engine and transmission are so old school, and it's such a dated chassis! Nissan: Sooo... Keep the truck a truck and a proper workhorse, but give the engine and transmission a refresh. Gotcha. Honestly I like this approach by Nissan. The chassis is beloved by all. The main gripe people had with it other than it "Looking outdated" is Miles/Gallon and the Transmission during towing. This is good stuff.

I'm usually a chevy guy, but I like simplicity. I want a rugged interior, I don't like having a millions sensors. That's why I ended up picking a frontier over every other truck in the market. My first Nissan. A lot of people think it's outdated, but I don't think so. I think it's just not overcomplicated, a little work truck built to do truck stuff.

I have 2018 Pro-4X. This is by far the best truck I've ever owned. My work has me driving 2017 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport - and in direct comparison following are noted. 1. MPG - Pro-4X has the worst - I navigate through LA traffics and highways - average about 80~120 miles per day. Overall I get about 20 MPG with my loads. Toyota is slightly better at 22~24. 2. Weekend outing - Both are good trucks. But Nissan does everything just better - Its rear suspension holds against the roughest terrain that California can throw at it. 3. Ride quality - Better than Toyota. Tacoma feels tight and roof line hampers view (I'm only 5"8 and if you are over 6"2, you will hit your head on roof on off road in Tacoma). I am not saying Tacoma is bad, but Frontier is better. Both are good for long trip driving. 4. Reliability - Both are good - both have same problem of hearing squeaks (easily fixed with lube oil). Tacoma has some bugs with its infotainment system Entune crap, and so did with Pro-4X...Pro-4X actually do not have infotainment system. It will play your MP3 on your phones but don't expect more out of it - which is enough for me. 5. Power - Nissan beats Tacoma hands down. It is very responsive at cost of your MPG. I'm happy with Pro-4X. Its rock solid, hassle free and fast. If you can get it in a right price, get it.

I think Nissan is dropping this engine into the old model just to do a trial run for a year to see what the issues are with it. Real-world testing for the upcoming new model. Pretty slow for a mid-size truck. I wouldn't buy the first year of a completely redesigned engine. Gas mileage seems good. Let's hope they do a good job on the re-design of the Frontier.

The Frontier needed only one update, imo... the interior. That's it!

Last year I rented a brand new frontier SV with the 4.0v6 4x4. Drove it from Missoula MT to Fargo ND and then back to Missoula. Cruise set at 88mph in Montana and 80mph North Dakota.. I averaged 22mpg on the highway and 20mpg in town. The truck had 100 miles on it when I got it I liked it 👍

We LOVE our second Nissan Frontier black midnight edition 4x4, and loved the first also. The most massively underrated truck on the planet for the money. Between the two almost 250k without a breakdown. Oil changes, basic maintenance and tires. Also a complete beast in the snow.

I recently test drove all the mid size pickups except the Ridgeline, with my son who is truck shopping. I was expecting to experience some serious truck envy compared to my 2016 pro4x. Never happened. The only issue I have with my truck is the mpg. The Toyo has much better mpg, and I expected to really want one. But the Toyo also drives like a car, the power and torque requires higher rpm. The Nissan gives it to you right at the start. It's a truck, and it should behave like a truck. Frontier is one of the most underrated vehicles around.

People have to remember this is in higher elevations too. So everything is slower then.

I just purchased the new 2021 Frontier SV last week and I absolutely love it. The engine is very powerful and the transmission is very smooth shifting through the gears effortlessly 👌 anybody sitting on the fence thinking about purchasing this truck should pull the trigger and get it. You definitely won't be disappointed!

I wouldn’t consider direct injection to be an improvement in terms of longevity. The old 4.0 was perfected over the years...practically bulletproof. DI motors universally have the issue of carbon build up in the combustion chamber. Some of the better engineered ones have added fuel injectors for the express purpose of cleaning the valves so this doesn’t happen as quickly...I’m not sure if this new Nissan 3.8 has that design, but let’s be honest...Nissan as of late has a terrible track record with quality on recently designed products.

Just waiting on improved TURNING RADIUS!! Otherwise love this truck!

I’d take one. I’ve had a few 4.0L as rentals and really dig the simplicity.

I bought my 2011 Frontier SV V6 in mid 2011. I needed to haul household garbage and most of all a 105 mile round trip commute for work. It now has 287,000 miles with only regular maintenance. It has good power although the engine sounds “buzzy” when you push it. Downsides? Average MPG has been 16.5 overall. The cargo space is VERY small. Put a 15” tool box on the bed and the most you can carry is two trash cans. Over all I think I got my Money’s worth.

It's exactly this type of video that remaind me why i am subscribed. Just a complete review, great job!

Sounds like Nissan was right about their 10% better fuel economy figure than the outgoing engine. Not bad!

Thanks Andre and to the rest of TFL staff for keeping up the videos..you get a heart today♥

Thanks for the great video! I really like my 2015 Frontier king cab,, 4.0L, SV, 4X4. I bought it new. Yesterday I achieved my best MPG so far on a trip. 26MPG. 49,000 miles on it so far. Never a problem with my truck. Previously Id get 24 MPG on a trip.

I feel like pairing the 9 speed to the 4L would have been easier, and netted the same improvements. Edit: Wish they offered a 6 speed manual with this new engine.

Minimal improvement in the same old truck. I wonder why they had to design a whole new engine just for that. I bet they could get the same results by bolting up that 9-spd to the old 4.0L.

I have the same truck with the VQ, last tank was 21.1 mpg, one before was 19.5. I trend from about 18 to 22 real world. When I drove it back home when I bought it I managed a 26 mpg fill up. All verified at the pump ;)

Has Nissan figured out how to build a radiator that doesn't leak coolant into the trans cooler? Also, it's a brand new truck that looks 20 years old and costs as much as a full size.

Really love how clean the interior looks. This will probably be my next truck.

Speed also depends on drive gears. Everything is geared for mpg. Hence it’s slow.

Keep in mind that CAT Scales are consistently -500 lbs off from true weights! That way, any truck that weighs anywhere near maximum axle weights will show as being overweight. The truck drivers are guaranteed to pass at weigh stations if they are 500 lbs underweight of the maximum 40,000 lbs allowed for normal trucks with 53 ft trailers. I used to run the truck scales at a plant nearby where we kept our scales calibrated to the same weight standards as Georgia weigh stations along the Interstates. I've had many truck drivers compare their CAT Scale printouts with ours and the difference was consistently -500 lbs. So, any time you get weighed at a CAT Scale, add 500 LB to get your true weight!

I owned and sold my 2007. It had and still has what I need in a truck. Seats, speedometer, aircon, reliability.

My favorite Russian. Thank you Andre for this video.

On 9th gear at around 1600 rpm at 70 MPH? That's pretty impressive. Way to go Nissan!!

I'm sooo glad I got my 2019 Pro 4x with a 6 speed manual.

Great job again! Would really like to see a shoot out between the PRO 4X against TRD and all the other brands.

Your 2017 tester got 9+ 0-60 where as my dads 2011 Crewcab long bed, I have personally tested at just over 7 seconds. Man, being 1 mile high sucks.

The Frontier was class leading when it was introduced many, many years ago. I'm pretty sure that is why Ford discontinued the Ranger soon afterward. Not doing a complete redesign but simply updating the tech has kept it relevant and very affordable. I always liked this generation Frontier and it's still excellent value considering the bloated price of the competition. After all, it is just a truck. A great work truck. I really, really can't stand the "Gentleman's Truck" b.s. that is so popular.

26mpg wouldnt surprise me. my 07 frontier 4.0 5auto was getting 21mpg@63mph on the 59 mile drive home from work today. and thats with a ladder rack, a 32 foot ladder, a 20 foot ladder, and a little giant strapped to the top and the bed loaded with roofing material and tools.

My 2020 SV model is not getting those numbers (more like 18-19 MPG) and about 3 MPG less than the trip computer. I am pretty much at sea level. (Florida)

Yet another great review. Always well done. Absolutely nothing wrong with the frontier, great upgrade on the engine and transmission plus a very reasonable price. Will be interesting to see the new model.

We have the frontier in England, it's called the Navara Thing is you Americans get the one that looks the same as 2004, we get an all new truck that came out in 2016 which is also the basis for the mercedes benz x class

I am a nissan fan and owner for years and i have been waiting on this truck

1600rpm at 70miles?! This is cool, very efficient engine

I like that truck. Bought it twice over a Taco. Hope the new one isn’t bloated like all the other brands. It’s the only long bed that can fit in my garage.

I am impressed with the fuel 'mileage' numbers,...and also the cruising RPM numbers too. I also really liked how comfortable my 2010 4.0 was on long drives. I can only hope and wish that the new body style will maintain the comfortable seating etc. as well as be able to keep or improve on those fuel consumption levels. I am not quite ready yet to buy a new daily driver vehicle , so I will be waiting with more than idle curiosity to see what Andre & Company can find out on the 'NEW' Frontier as time marches on. Thanks for this one, Andre!

I drove my v6 2011 Frontier crew cab from Pensacola, Florida to South Dakota. It was great for the long haul. Total mileage for the trip was about 4,500 miles. I got great gas mileage, averaged about 22 mpg’s. Normal everyday driving which is part city and part country I get about 20 mpg. Love this truck. I’ll buy a new one when mine dies, which will be a while.

Love this truck, I own a 2020 pro-4x and love the day to day driving experience. The wide leather seats are a totally under appreciated aspect of driving this guy. Sure, competitors can tow/haul a few more lbs but if we’re talking $$$, new powertrain/older styling for $35k and 0.09% APR, I have zero complaints. Factor in the Covid bump on my used trade-in and I’m more than comfortable to ride my frontier into the sunset.

Great review TFL. I hope the new engine and transmission prove be as reliable as the old combo.

I’m interested. I liked my frontier minus the mpg!

People complain that the truck looks outdated, but it's the most truck-like midsized truck in the market.

When looking at mileage in the real world, you need to take into account 1. MPG decreases with altitude 2. Base mileage testing is without heat or air 3. Testing is done on a dyno, or flat level ground w no wind resistance. 4. Combined is 55% city and 45% highway If you get within 1 MPG of the rating in Colorado, that's pretty darn good.

I have a '16 frontier. I would love to switch out my 5 speed for the new transmission

Great MPG results Nissan should have 9 speed behind the 4.0 l

I see two things. The reason why you didn't see a huge difference in acceleration is due to the torque of the new engine being the same as the old. The extra gears in the transmission did more to help your acceleration as it kept you in the engine's happy place. The extra horsepower is little more than your ability to keep a load moving once it's up to speed on hills. I think you would see more of a difference on the Ike between the old and new engines. As for the discrepancy on the weight. I think you're forgetting that the rating will include passengers. So, two 150ish pound passengers, gives you your approximately 300 pound difference.

I wish midsize trucks were more popular over here in America. I don’t understand the reason that a lot of Americans use full size trucks as daily drivers and say “it’s more capable” but are you really using it up to it’s capable limits driving home from the grocery store?

It would be really interesting to see a leaderboard of 0-60 time, MPG results and weights compared to other trucks in the segment

Not broke? Don’t fix it. Should of left it alone with maybe a slight interior/exterior upgrade.

Thanks for the review I have a 4.0 , 09 and I love this truck, good on gas and the 4.0 has plenty of power, can't beat these trucks for the price.

Just some food for thought. When Andre pumps fuel in the truck, the gallons are 2.659. This is BEFORE the 30 second wait and additional fuel is put in. If you divide 2.659 by 66 miles, that's 24.8 MPG. The truck was showing 24.6 - within 2 tenths. Now yes, I understood the additional fuel is put in after a 30 second wait, but, the accuracy of the pumps and how the truck figures may be more accurate actually. Just throwing it out there.

Nissan couldn’t even change the grille or anything? The Tundra is the king of putting a different color of lipstick on the same old truck. Heck, put on some white wagon wheels, stripes and a headache bar, and resurrect the Hardbody from the 80s. That would sell.

Dang, nice acceleration and fuel economy! They're gonna sell a lot of these trucks if they can keep the prices down!

I dislike push button to start the truck

Definitely not the prettiest truck compared to most 2020 midsize trucks, but for the price and reliable reputation of the Frontier it’s a great value buy.

You want better acceleration? Drop the VK56 into it. :D

I would love to see what the accerlation is at a normal elevation. With the old engine, the truck went 0-60 in about 7.5 seconds or better. Closer to 7.0 seconds if you remove the wide open throttle restriction. Speaking of that, I wonder if this truck still has that WOT restriction. I would guess that it probably does, but who knows.

Hi all. I just purchased a 2020 Nissan Frontier 4x4 Midnight edition and just love it. It has so much power and the 9 speed transmission is just right. I know it's a very dated design but it's just what we were looking for and the price was just right. This truck is for overlanding purposes and I'm sure it will do just fine for several years to come. I can't wait to lift it and make it more off road worthy.

My 2015 frontier did a 6.6 0to60 with afe exhaust and k&n air filter! I am a lot closer to sea level than you! Altitude kills acceleration times! Thanks for the video! Good Job!

Hey can you guys do a comparison of the 2019 f150 5.0 and the ranger 2.3 since there is only 1400 lb difference in the tow capability of these two. Test them on the Ike Gauntlet.

The 4.0 was a stout engine.

GVWR discrepancy isnt unique to Nissan Ford does it too with their 2.7 and 5.0l equipped f-150s. It's just far more complex to figure due to the F-150 having 3 different chassis, two different rear ends, and about three or four coil spring rates for the front. One note, curb weight includes a full tank and a 150 lb driver. Still, that should be a 1200 lb payload rating.

Nissan did this to test if it receives good feedback before they deploy it on their next Frontier model. They're also testing the waters on whether a more powerful gasoline engine could replace a diesel engine. They used a v6 to meet the torque level of a 4cyl diesel engine, all in the effort to give the car a powerful engine in order to be more "relaxed" than a 4cyl gasoline which would surely need a lot of foot digging to ring out the power needed to go about truck duties. Having a more powerful engine allows the driver to receive the output they need without squeezing the throttle too much, taking advantage of useable low-end torque as they intend to do this with the effect of the stoichiometric advantage-- not having to ring out rpms too high. Soon, manufacturers will turn to torqier gasoline engines to replace and avoid the much more complex and nature-bound problem of diesel engines and their problem with emissions, as well as the equipment that do make them more finicky just to meet environmental standards (dpfs, cats, egrs, etc.). As much as I do love diesel engines, it just seems that this is the way the industry is going for the sake of reliability and most importantly, emmissions regulations.

Ranger smokes that

Used Pro 4x with the old motor is a dependable truck and fantastic value...

I think Nissan did the upgrades for the wrong reasons (going with a bigger engine). And a word of advice for TFL trucks review. I think this review and many out there lacks the main components leading a customer to purchases a mid-size truck. I would buy a mid-size truck for its fuel consumption, turning radius, durability (transmission type, engine timing belt vs chain..etc), serviceability, operation comfort and usability. None of these issues were clearly highlighted against its peers. And to a lesser degree for the 4WD the off-road capabilities (clearance, differential lock, etc). Speed of the truck will not cross my mind when buying one.

For those worried about the new transmissions reliability, its not a jatco unit, its a Mercedes 9G-Tronic automatic. Mercedes has a long history of making solid reliable transmissions and selling them to other manufacturers such as the 5G-Tronic that was used across Chrysler vehicles in the 2000s. It's built in jatcos factory but its a mercedes design

I can't wait till 5star performance get their hands on it.

Manual transmission?

That truck is what we in the UK called the Nissan Navara, but the model we had about 10 years ago, they have since changed it twice if I am not mistaken, that interior reminds me of a Nissan my Mother had in 2011, the steering wheel is identical, that's the first time I have not been jealous of a car you have in the US! Seriously, search Nissan Navara UK spec and see for yourselves.

I've had 2 frontiers. 1 extra cab 2008 on 33s its was really sweet looking off road like a champ. Then got married puppies bought a 2012 crew cab left it stock. I could creep on highway get 25 mpg, but avg 22. They are billy goats off road very torque rich at least with old engine. Fun to drive around, but dang, that interior was dull and cheap as crap. Seats are actually very wide and great for very long trips, back..... well sitting in a church pew Congress to mind. Need to make them recline lol more. Hopefully nissan can get out of the tail spin they've been in. And get their truck line ups more ad space and keep a fresher face then 16 years, frontier, and 6 years late titan. Great work Andrea, you bring the excitement every time

It seems like a sidestep to me, it's not really much of an improvement.

How is that thing HEAVIER than my full size, Supercab, V8 F-150? AND significantly slower?

Wow they squeezed a whopping 2 more horsepower over the 3.6 in the Colorado/Canyon for this engine for the crown title of "class leading". Bravo Nissan.

Didn't even consider a Frontier until this video...now researching. Ty TFL & Andre

I still like its simpleness

Slow for that motor size. Was that yellow Bilstein shocks on that truck ?

I have a 2021 King Cab S. I just did a trip from Baton Rouge to Jackson,MS. I was able to achieve 25.82 mpg through the hand calculation. I kept speeds at around 65mph, and didn't really use A/C. The truck was empty except for me and a 50lbs tool box in the cab. Definitely happy with the mpg. I'm looking forward to maybe getting 26-27 mpg once the truck is broken in.

I love TFL, but I still have to stick with the 4.0L v6.

Hey Nissan! Toss that power unit in a nice mid sized 2 door coupe add a simple 5 speed transmission manual and you will make good!

Weren’t they supposed to update the body and interior of the Frontier like 5 years ago? They’re just mailing it in over at Nissan lol

Excellent video. You guys are the best. Considering getting a 2019 Pro4x used. Sold my 13 4x4 Tacoma and regret it, but I have always liked the Frontier. These are such a good value. Just hope it's not too much smaller inside. Have two little ones riding in the back. (Booster seats)

Good video, lets see the Ike Gauntlet and Rugged Snow Test.

New engine and trans is possibly lighter? And the stickers are for the old model and Nissan hasn't updated it since maybe?

Gonna visit my local Nissan Dealership see about this one. I'm in the market for a midsize truck for daily use.

Great review..... Having more gears is nice, but the performance numbers aren't much better. Hook them tail to tail with a chain and see which one has more grunt. I bet the 4.0 would win that.

Disappointed Nissan has cut out the extra gauges below the speedo and tach, I always loved how they gave that extra information. I guess oil pressure and voltage aren’t important to know, they will give you a light when something is wrong.

Andre its probably an axle limit. You can't add a ton of payload weight to the front axle and so the 1007 number is probably what you can add in passengers and cargo without exceeding the GAWR of either the front or rear axle individually. Edit: did some numbers - The rear axle alone with no driver can handle 1354 additional lbs fully wet like this. However, the front axle can take only an addition 716. Looking at these numbers I would guess that the front axle is the limiting factor, as it is with a lot of these trucks. I would guess that 5 x 200 lbs passengers would put more than 716 lbs on the front axle, even if you weren't close to the rear axle rating or the theoretical payload of GVWR - weight. I'd also guess that the additional weight on the front axle is the reason for the GVWR increase so they could at least keep their old payload rating. That new 9 speed must be heavy. The good news is that if you load the bed or the hitch with weight you should have a fairly good margin of safety so long as its just you driving.

Most Nissan computer MPG readings lie. My Armada is off by the same amount.

Seems like an interesting improvement to me. Increased HP and MPG.As for the haters ain't nothing Nissan does gonna be good enough for them. Although if their favorite brand did the same they would be loving it. Now hopefully they sell it at a somewhat/relatively affordable price.Then sell enough to stay in the truck business. Competition in the market is good for consumers.

In my experience (I have a 2016 SV), the difference between the All-terrain tires on the frontier and the all-season tires is worth about 2 mpg. I had the BF Goodrich Rugged Terrain tires for a while, OEM were the Long Trails, then went with the Hankook Dynapro all-seasons. Get this in the SV instead of the Pro-4X, which is good enough for most people, and you'll get closer to 24-25 highway mpg.

At first I thought I read 2002 nissan!

I want it in a diesel

I have owned 3 nissan frontiers. A 95 with 4 cyl and auto. A 97 v6 auto 4wd. A 98 or 99 (i forget) supercharged v6 auto, 4wd. And loved them all.

My 5.7 350 V8 with a 4-speed automatic and 3.73 geared rear end runs about 1700rpm at 70mph