The 2022 Nissan Frontier is arriving right into a midsize pickup truck market that is hotter than it has been in years, arguably many years. And it is taking an fascinating strategy with only one engine possibility and a platform derived from its historic predecessor. We can’t know precisely the way it fares till we get an opportunity to drive it for ourselves, however Nissan did present us with fairly a number of juicy technical specs, and what which means: it is time to examine the numbers with the competitors.
We have rounded up mainly all of the small pickup gamers right here. We have got the Frontier’s homegrown rival, the Toyota Tacoma, in addition to the present crop from America, the Ford Ranger, Chevy Colorado and Jeep Gladiator. We have got all of the uncooked numbers within the spreadsheet under. Following that you will discover highlights and evaluation of every class together with powertrains, dimension and functionality, and pricing.
Engines and transmissions
The Nissan has deserted the four-cylinder engine altogether for this technology, opting for the standard 3.8-liter V6, the biggest displacement engine of the group. The one different automaker to supply a single engine is Ford with the Ranger’s turbocharged four-cylinder. Each of those vehicles lay declare to bests at school for engines. The Frontier makes probably the most horsepower, and the Ranger has probably the most torque for a gasoline engine. The Ranger additionally will get to assert the very best mixed gas financial system for a gasoline engine. The Chevy Colorado deserves some point out, although, as its V6 makes almost as a lot energy and torque because the Nissan.
If, for no matter purpose, you like a naturally aspirated four-cylinder, solely Toyota and Chevy nonetheless provide one. The Chevy’s presents probably the most energy and torque, and it is also extra environment friendly than the Toyota engine. The Chevy may also be paired with four-wheel drive, whereas the four-cylinder Tacoma is just accessible with two-wheel drive.
The Colorado and Gladiator are distinctive in providing diesel engines, and the Jeep has the extra spectacular one. A turbocharged V6, it makes considerably extra energy and torque all whereas delivering superior mixed gas financial system. It even pulls this off whereas being paired with four-wheel drive solely. The Colorado does squeak out a pair additional mpg on the freeway with two-wheel-drive in comparison with the Gladiator, although.
Should you’re a devotee of the guide transmission, your solely remaining guide choices reside with Toyota and Jeep. They every provide six-speed manuals with their gasoline V6s. Each vehicles solely provide it with four-wheel drive, however you possibly can have it with both the prolonged cab or crew cab on the Tacoma.
Towing and payload capacities
After all a number of the most talked about specs on any truck are those about towing and hauling, which is sensible since that is why vehicles exist. The towing champion is the Jeep Gladiator, however simply barely. The Colorado is just 50 kilos behind it, and the Ranger is just 100 kilos behind the Colorado. The Ranger does have a bonus in that each model has the identical 7,500-pound tow score. On all the different vehicles, the utmost tow score does not apply to all fashions. When shopping for a truck, be sure you verify your particular instance’s score. It will possibly differ relying on engine, drivetrain and physique configuration. On the backside of the towing listing is the brand new Frontier, carefully adopted by the Tacoma, which may tow solely 80 extra kilos than the Frontier.
The Ranger walks away because the payload grasp, and it manages to high the next-highest Gladiator by 160 kilos. The Colorado really has the bottom payload, but it surely’s not far behind the Frontier or Tacoma. Once more, like with towing capacities, payload varies based mostly on engine, drivetrain, trim and cab configuration. So verify the numbers to your particular mannequin earlier than planning on an enormous hauling mission.
Measurement, cab and mattress choices
The time period “midsize” has been more and more used to described this section of pickups that was as soon as described as “compact.” Actually on the skin, the Nissan Frontier is nearer to the “compact” finish of the spectrum, very carefully adopted by the Ford Ranger. The Tacoma and Colorado are shut to one another, and are a pair inches longer than the Frontier and Ranger. The most important is actually the Gladiator. Technically, the Frontier, Tacoma and Colorado have longer variants than the Gladiator, however these are the comparatively unusual crew cab and lengthy mattress mixtures.
Talking of cab mixtures, all however the Gladiator can be found with an prolonged cab or crew cab. As beforehand talked about, the Nissan, Toyota and Chevy allow you to possibility a protracted mattress with the crew cab. The Ford and Jeep solely provide the brief mattress with the crew cab.
The scale of the Chevy and Jeep do repay inside. They’ve probably the most spacious cabs, and when you care about your rear passengers, you may need to go along with the Jeep. The Toyota presents probably the most cramped lodging for each prolonged and crew cab configurations. Nissan hasn’t launched inside dimensions but, however contemplating the truck’s wheelbase has remained the identical and the width has elevated by 0.5 inches, we do not anticipate main good points. For at the very least some reference, the outgoing Frontier’s rear legroom is listed at 33.6 inches for the crew cab. That is lower than all however the Tacoma. Once more, although, we do not know the official dimensions for the ’21 truck.
Pricing
Nissan hasn’t supplied pricing for the Frontier, so it is a thriller the place it’s going to land. For now, the Ford Ranger has the bottom base value, which is sort of spectacular contemplating it comes with an engine that is comparable with different firm’s non-compulsory engines. Proper behind it’s the Chevy, adopted by the Toyota after which the Jeep.
The Jeep has a very excessive price ticket, however a few of that’s because of the considerably restricted choices. All Gladiators come customary with four-wheel drive, the V6 engine and the crew cab association. The opposite vehicles’ base costs are for two-wheel-drive, prolonged cab configurations.
