2003 Nissan Frontier Interior Review at Automotive.com
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2003 Nissan Frontier Review: Interior

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2003 Nissan Frontier Review

Still out front in the compact-pickup field.
Interior
Nissan Frontier's interior is comfortable and effuses an industrial look that complements its exterior.

Front seats are comfortable and supportive. Leather is available in the Crew Cab. The leather seats are truly excellent. Long trips are comfortable for front-seat occupants.

The console layout is tidy and handsome. The 2003 center dash and instrument panel represent a big improvement over the silver plastic used two years ago. The instrument panel is striking with a two-tone titanium-colored background. At night the numbers illuminate, but because they're outlined in white instead of being bold, they're difficult to read. The digital clock is positioned so it's virtually impossible to read in the sunlight, and the little green lights indicating air conditioning are too dim and tiny.

The CD changer holds six CDs, which can be selected with the six radio-station buttons. There are two cool buttons for the emergency flashers and rear window defogger, rectangular and totally flat on the face of the panel. The heater controls are three big switches with wings, easy to operate while wearing gloves.

There are front and rear auxiliary DC outlets in addition to the cigarette lighter. Big fixed cup holders are provided front and rear. The front cup holders on the center console work well. There's another tray ideal for a cell phone forward of the shift lever. Three grab handles are provided for climbing in and out, and available running boards make the step up easy. Radio and cruise controls are located on the leather-wrapped steering wheel, with wide spokes positioned at 3, 9, 5 and 7 o'clock. The whole padded center of the wheel is a horn button, the best and safest arrangement because of the quick access it provides.

Technically, the Crew Cab is a five-seater, but don't count on it. Don't count on even two adults being comfortable for long in the back seat if they're taller than five-foot-two. Getting in and out of the back seat is awkward for adults, as they have to swing their feet around the B-pillars behind the front seats. The rear seat space is tight in terms of leg room and knee room, but there is good head room and elbow room, and children seem to find the space comfortable enough. There are provisions back there for the installation of a child safety seat, something that can't always be found in extended cabs.

A rear-window defogger is standard in the Crew Cab; so is privacy glass for the rear side windows. An optional flip-up sunroof provides some ventilation but doesn't open fully to the sky.

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2003 Nissan Frontier