The Standard Bed is about 6 ft. long; the Long Bed runs an additional 15 in. Both beds are available with either the Regular of King Cabs.
Whether they?re Regular or King, Nissan cabs are comfortable and attractive. A car-like dashboard holds gauges for the driver (the minimum three for speed, fuel and water temperature are standard; some versions add a tachometer) and a glove box on the passenger?s side. Passive restraints aren?t on the Pickup?s feature list, but 3-point seat belts and side intrusion beams are.
Depending on the model - we did our driving in a V6-powered SE - cabin trimmings range from depressingly utilitarian (stark vinyl) to comfortably attractive (soft cloth). Plastic upholstery is restricted to bench-seat versions - which are rated but not recommended for three riders - and all bucket-seat Pickups get cloth.
A wide range of options is offered to further civilize the cab, although appearance and comfort basics are in place for all but the bare-bones model.
More important to work-oriented customers are the technical differences between the various Pickups. Standard and XE (Regular or King Cab) models are powered by a 2.4-liter, 4-cylinder engine with a 5-speed manual transmission. This is the utility combination, giving away some smoothness and power in return for reliability and low cost.
Long Bed Standard and SE King Cab versions get a 3.0-liter single overhead-cam V6, with a choice of 5-speed manual transmission (standard) or a 4-speed over-drive automatic. The V6 is essentially a passenger-car engine, and is recommended more for its refinement than for its extra power. It?s a quiet engine that never feels strained, one of the best in the business in terms of smoothness and all-around driveability.
If trailer-towing is on the menu, the V6 is a must. Small trailers are within the 4-cylinder?s abilities, but performance with a load nearing the 3500-lb. maximum will be marginal. The V6 is better, but here, too, the ratings are optimistic. Nissan claims a 5000-lb. maximum trailer capacity (as well as a 2000-lb. payload rating) for the V6 5-speed Long Bed version, but progress with the truck so heavily laden will be slow indeed.
The larger engine is also best for use in 4-wheel-drive models. Nissan, like most rivals, uses an on-demand system that allows the driver to engage 4WD while the truck is moving - shift on the fly, as they say. The V6 versions are fitted with automatic locking front hubs, compared with 4-cylinder models that require the driver to get out and engage the front hubs manually before going off-road.
Manual hub engagement is a leftover from an earlier age in 4WD technology, and we expect to see it disappear entirely before long. If you want 4WD, do yourself a favor and get a setup that includes auto-locking hubs.
In all cases, calling for 4WD on the other form also brings along power steering and rear-wheel anti-lock brakes. Next Page