2023 Nissan Frontier

Pros

• Excellent quality of riding
• Dependable and risk-free operation
• Places that are good for storing small things
• It’s hard to find a driving position that feels good.

Cons

• Some controls and on-screen menus are set up unusually.
• It’s hard to turn the wheel.
• There is less room in the back seat than in midsize crew cab trucks with the same bed size.

The way the Frontier is driven. The Frontier isn’t the fastest midsize truck. Our test Frontier Pro-4X took 7.8 seconds for a sprint of zero to sixty mph, which is about average for the class. But the engine shines when you drive it every day. There is enough power in the middle range, and the shifts are smooth even when operating at full throttle. The brakes on the Frontier also work well. They are easy to use in city traffic and have enough power to stop the car if needed.

Another good thing about the Frontier is that it is easy to drive. Even with the off-road tires on the Pro-4X, the car feels stable when it turns. On the other hand, it’s hard to understand why the steering is so heavy. It takes a lot of work at low speeds to drive the Nissan through a parking lot or over a trail.

The Frontier Pro-4X has strong skid plates, off-road tires, and a different shock absorber. It also has a rear differential that can be locked by electricity and a 9.8-inch ground clearance to improve traction. The Frontier can handle rough terrain, but it doesn’t have the software and hardware for extreme off-roading that are in the Tacoma TRD Pro and Gladiator Rubicon.

The best thing about the Frontier is how well it rides. At high speeds, it’s easy to ignore big dips and bumps, and the Frontier stays just as calm in areas with lots of people. Other parts of the Frontier could be better made. There are no seat adjustments, and the padding on the front seats is too firm and flat. This could make it hard to find the right place to sit.

The climate control system makes it easy to keep the room at a comfortable temperature, even on a hot day. But we were sad that our Frontier didn’t have air vents for the back seats. On the highway, there was also a lot of wind noise that could be heard.

Nissan’s interior design has come a long way, and the Frontier takes advantage of many of those changes. The big, easy-to-read infotainment touchscreen takes up most of the space inside, but there is still plenty of room for climate control and other buttons. However, some of these buttons are not always easy to find because they need to be set up better. Rethinking the commands and options on the instrument panel that are hard to use because they are on the steering wheel could also be helpful.

Surprisingly, the Frontier doesn’t have a telescopic steering wheel, which may make it hard for some drivers to find a comfortable seat position. Adults in the back seats will also be disappointed because there isn’t much room to stretch out in the Frontier. The outside view of the class is about average. The Frontier has a camera system that lets you see everything around you. On the other hand, the camera images are surprisingly blurry and low-resolution, making it harder to park.

Standard on the Frontier is an 8-inch touchscreen, but you can get a 9-inch touchscreen as an upgrade. The screens are bright, and they are the correct size. Nissan’s default menu layout could be more professional, and it often looks like an old website instead of a new one. The easiest solution is to use Android Auto or Apple CarPlay on your phone, which both look good on the new display. There is an option to charge your phone wirelessly and a 10-speaker Fender music system. Even though the Fender system sounds fine, the subwoofer takes up space under the back seat that could be used for something else.

All Frontier models have driver assistance features like automatic emergency braking, trailer sway control, and a driver attention alert. Our test truck had options like adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, surround-view cameras, and lane departure warning. We found that the systems worked well and didn’t send false alarms.

How well does it use gasoline? The EPA says that a Frontier with four-wheel drive will get 19 mpg in the city and on the highway. This is about average for a midsize truck with four-wheel drive and a V6 engine. Our Frontier test truck got 19.9 mpg on our real-world test route, which is a pretty good confirmation of that number.

The Frontier can carry a maximum payload of 1,610 pounds and a maximum trailer weight of 6,720 pounds. Even though these numbers are lower than the average for the class, they are more than enough to pull a small or medium trailer easily. Extras include:

• Tie-down cleats that can be moved.
• A spray-in bedliner.
• Lighting under the rails.
• A 120-volt power outlet.

There is a lot of storage space inside the cab thanks to the cupholders, the wide tray in front of the shifter, and the area where the optional wireless charging tray is. Also, the central console under the arm has enough room for a few water bottles. Both the front and back door pockets are about average in size.

Is it a good idea to put money into the Frontier? Our Pro-4X test truck was fully loaded and cost around $44,000, which is about the average price for a midsize truck that is well-equipped. The Frontier’s interior is better made and of higher quality than most in its class, but it doesn’t have some of its competitors’ innovative off-road technology. But at this price, it’s hard to look past the lack of a telescopic steering wheel and a power-sliding rear window.

Nissan’s warranty coverage could be better than most of its rivals. It has a warranty on the powertrain for five years, or 60,000 miles and a warranty on everything else for three years, or 36,000 miles. The roadside assistance is only suitable for three years or 36,000 miles and doesn’t come with free maintenance.

The new Frontier is much more comfortable and easy to live with than the last one. This is because it has been polished and improved more than the last one. We also like how the truck stands out without being too much. But some of the sass and charm of the previous generation has yet to be recovered. It was a truck, and I was pleased about being a truck. The 2018 Frontier is like an SUV in some ways.

We recommend the middle-of-the-road SV trim. Even though it doesn’t add many new standard features, it gives users access to helpful option packages. The Convenience package is great because it has heated seats, a spray-in bedliner, and other excellent features.

The Various Nissan Frontier Specs

Both cab and bed configurations of Nissan’s midsize 2023 Frontier are available. A crew cab with four doors and an extended cab with two doors (King Cab). The bed on the crew cab is either 5 or 6 feet long, while the bed on the extended cab is 6 feet long. Every Frontier has a 3.8-liter V6 engine with 310 horsepower and 281 lb-ft of torque and an automatic transmission with nine speeds. Four-wheel drive with a low gear range is an alternative to rear-wheel drive. The Nissan Frontier has three trim levels: S, SV, and Pro-X, but only for the crew cab (Pro-4X with four-wheel purpose).