Finally, the Ford Ranger and Toyota Tacoma are both competitively redesigned.
The current Nissan Frontier, which was introduced in the second term of George W. Bush’s presidency, is an old car. The midsize pickup market has seen more changes than American politics. Its entrants now serve as family vehicles, off-road vehicles, and work trucks. The truck was unable to fulfill its original role. But don’t worry, the redesigned 2022 Nissan Frontier has arrived.
These updates are more than just a new exterior and interior design. A new suite of safety features and technology features is included in the update, including standard forward collision warning, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto connectivity and Android Auto connectivity. A standard 3.8-liter V6 engine and nine-speed automatic transmission deliver 310 horsepower (and 281 pound-feet) to the rear, or all four wheels depending on the configuration. That engine was introduced in 2020. It is the previous generation Frontier’s only major update over its 17-year-long production run.
Nissan claims that the 2022 Frontier is based on the Hardbody compact truck, which it sold from 1986 to 1997. Except for the truck’s new flared front fenders, we aren’t sure what they mean. The 2022 pickup is distinctively Nissan-like thanks to its front grille and kick-up beltline, which tie it to its sibling, the Titan. The Frontier uses a notched headlight design and vise-shaped LED accents, just like the updated 2021 Armada.
This truck, a Pro-4X model, features a high-clearance front bumper that has unusual vertical slashes at the wheel arches. It is a Pro-4X model. We can draw comparisons to the current Chevrolet Silverado 150. The front fenders are replaced by Titan-like rear skins and rear bumpers. These bulge out from the bed to the cab, resulting in C-shaped taillights which somewhat echo the headlight design. The tailgate is stamped with the “FRONTIER”, wordmark, and a subtle ducktail spoiler. This invites more Titan inspiration.
The 2022 Frontier is quite a departure from the 2022 Frontier. We are therefore somewhat surprised that it uses the basic chassis and cab structure of the older truck. This is evident in the design of the windshield, roof and rear windows, as well the openings for the doors. The Nissan stylists made sure that the new truck looks much more modern and attractive by making almost every square inch of sheet metal or glass different from the one before.
The shared bones are more obvious when you look at the spec chart. The wheelbase of the King Cab (Nissan term for “extended”) as well as crew cab short beds trucks is 126.0 inches. This is a slight increase of 0.1 inch relative to 2021. The crew cab’s 139.8 inch wheelbase is now 0.1 inches shorter than it was before. The standard pickup 2022 is 210.2 inches in length. This extends to 4.7 inches from bumper to bumper. The same goes for the 2022 crew-cab long bed, which measures 224.1 inches. The width is also up by 0.2 inches to 73.0.
Interior Decorating
The new, techno-chic styling hides a similarly-new interior. This is especially true considering the Pro-4X’s Lava Red accents. The instrument cluster is housed in a beam-like structure that appears to cut through the center stack. It then emerges as a stitched fascia panel in the front of the passenger. The front seat occupants have identical HVAC outlets. A climate control binnacle is flanked by a 12-volt outlet as well as the four-wheel drive selector. This creates visual symmetry and an attractive design.
The Frontier will be equipped with an 8.0-inch infotainment screen, which is the largest available from any pickup manufacturer. Only the Titan’s base display of the same size matches it. The midsize truck will have a 9.0-inch screen. This gives it the all-important best in-class distinction. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard features, along with a USB-A or USB-C port at the front. An optional wireless charger, WiFi hotspot and surround-view monitor are available. Nissan claims that the center console weighs almost twice as much as midsize trucks at 4.0 liters. Additionally, there are rear pockets to improve stuff storage.
Although the exterior looks very different from the original truck, the interior is more like the 2005 theme. For example, the door panels look almost identical to the 2005 theme. Hard plastics will be a common feature of the new truck’s interior, including the glove box, top of the dash and door panels. If our eyes are correct, padding is visible on the dash fascia, armrests, and console-mounted grab handle. The Rubbermaid-spec interiors of the Toyota Tacoma, Ford Ranger and Chevrolet Colorado are also available in the Frontier.
Brawn and brains
The 2022 Frontier includes some structural components as well as a carryover powertrain. This is a standard 3.8-liter V6 that was introduced last year. The V6 is a great option for pickup buyers. It has class-leading power and plenty of low-end torque. A nine-speed automatic transmission makes it easy to select the right gear. The 2020 Frontier Pro-4X was tested. We found it to be more manageable than either the wheezy 3.5-liter V6 in the Toyota Tacoma, or the high-strung, 3.6-liter found within the Chevrolet Colorado. Both engines require more revs to gain momentum.
Its hulking engine is not able to generate large payload or towing numbers for the Frontier 2022 Frontier. The Nissan mid-size can tow up 6,720 pounds or haul 1,610 pounds of payload. For example, the Tacoma can carry 1,620 pounds of stuff and tow a 6,800-pound trailer. The Ranger, on the other hand, can tow 7,500 lbs and tow 1,920 pounds. The Chevy Colorado can tow 7,000 pounds with its gas engine, while the available diesel increases that number to 7,700. However, the Frontier is more capable of hauling 1,569 pounds than its Bow Tie rival. In both metrics, it also outperforms the Honda Ridgeline.
2022 Nissan Frontier |
2021 Chevrolet Colorado |
2021 Ford Ranger |
GMC Canyon |
2021 Honda Ridgeline |
2021 Toyota Tacoma |
|
Maximum Towing |
6,720 pounds | 7,000 pounds (gas), 7,700 pounds (diesel) | 7,500 pounds | 7,000 pounds (gas), 7,700 pounds (diesel) | 5,000 pounds | 6,800 pounds |
Maximum Payload |
1,610 pounds | 1,550 pounds | 1,920 pounds | N/A | 1,583 pounds | 1,620 pounds |
The new Frontier has a bigger front stabilizer and a wider rear stabilizer bars. They also have class-exclusive urethane bumpers that improve handling performance on bumpy roads. The 2022 Frontier will also get hydraulic cab mounts that reduce vibrations and harshness up to 80 percent, according to Nissan. The hydraulic rack-and pinion steering system has been retuned to improve the response time at the helm.
The Final Frontier of Safety
The 2022 Nissan Frontier is more advanced than its less-equipped predecessor. Forward collision warning is standard. However, automatic emergency brake and intelligent cruise control can be added as an option. The Frontier’s Nissan Safety Shield 360 technology suite includes blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning and class-exclusive rear automated emergency braking. The Frontier’s Nissan Pro-Pilot Assist technology doesn’t exist. This means that there is no navigation-linked cruise control or lane centering. However, it is a vast improvement on its predecessor.
The Frontier base model is still behind the Ranger and Tacoma which offer automatic emergency braking, collision monitoring, and collision monitoring. The Frontier is better than the Chevrolet Colorado or GMC Canyon which do not have any collision warning or intervention features. GM’s midsize trucks don’t offer adaptive cruise or automatic emergency braking. This includes the Canyon Denali, which is luxury-oriented.
Off-Road Ready
The 2022 Nissan Frontier will feature the rugged and stylish Pro-4X version, just like its predecessor, the Titan. The Pro-4X will feature a Lava Orange interior, exterior accents and an electronic locking rear differential. It also has underbody skid plates and Bilstein shock absorbers. The 2022 model will include an Off-Road mode that engages at low speeds if the transfer case is set to 4-Low. The forward-facing camera assists the driver in spotting obstacles on the trail and prevents damage and scrapes.
The 2022 Nissan Frontier’s off-road capabilities should be surprising if it is anything like the previous truck. The 2020 Pro-4X’s performance on rough terrain is comparable to the more expensive Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro thanks to the well-tuned Bilsteins. We hope Nissan didn’t forget about the Frontier, which is a hidden gem among factory offroaders.
Dealin’ and Wheelin’
The 2022 Nissan Frontier will be available in four grades: S, SV and Pro-4X and Pro-X. There will also be two cab styles and two bed lengths. King Cab pickups come with either a two- or four-wheel drive in the S or SV trims, paired only to a 6.1 foot bed. The Pro-4X will have four-wheel drive as standard, and the crew cab will be available with either two- or four-wheel drive in both the S and SV trims. The Pro-X crewcab has many styling updates similar to the Pro-4X but with two-wheel drive. The Frontier SV crew cab offers either a 5.0 or 6.1-foot bed. All other four-doors have the shorter box.
The 2022 Frontier should have fuel economy ratings similar its predecessor. This means that it should get 18 miles per gallon in city, 24 highway and 20 combined with two-wheel drives, 17 city, 23 highway and 19 combined four-wheel drive. There has not been any official announcement regarding efficiency and pricing. We expect the Frontier to be a compelling combination of value and features. Prices will only rise slightly starting in 2021. For a two-wheel-drive S King Cab base model, expect to spend about $28,000, and $40,000 for a Pro-4X crew car.
Dealers will soon be able to purchase the 2022 Nissan Frontier this summer.