Quick Take: 2022 Nissan Frontier
Midsize trucks are very popular throughout the United States right now, offering a welcome blend of maneuverability and efficiency compared to their full-size counterparts. Nissan’s Frontier has been a mainstay of the midsize pickup market since the late 1990s and is renowned across the world (where it’s called the Navara in some markets) for its dependability. For the 2022 model year Nissan has redesigned the Frontier and added some new features to appeal to even more shoppers. We managed to get behind the wheel for a short time during the Motor Press Guild’s Drive Day event and came away with some positive impressions.
The Frontier we drove was an off-road oriented four-wheel-drive-equipped PRO-4X version with plenty of option packages that showcase the best of what the truck has to offer. The options included the special Tactical Green paint, the off-road step rails, as well as the Pro Convenience Package which brought a spray-in bedliner, heated mirrors, heated steering wheel, heated front seats, and the Intelligent Around-View monitor that comes in handy when driving on tight trails. Other packages on our test truck were the Premium Package which provided a 10-speaker Fender audio system, leather seats, a sunroof, and beadlock-style 17-inch alloy wheels, as well as the Technology Package with lane departure warning, blind spot warning, and intelligent cruise control.
Though our time with the Frontier was largely limited to the winding roads of Malibu, we were impressed with the usability of it, having features that were incredibly handy both on and off the beaten path. With a 310-horsepower V-6 engine paired to a 9-speed automatic transmission, there was plenty of grunt climbing up hills, and with a 4-Wheel Active Brake Limited Slip system along with an electronic locking differential, there was plenty of stability when descending hills. The experience when driving the Frontier was very good and we can only imagine how much customers will appreciate the go-anywhere, do-anything nature of the truck once they try it out for themselves.
