The
2011 Nissan Frontier is a compact pickup truck that comes as a king cab with two doors or a crew cab with four doors. Powered by either a four cylinder engine offering with a 2.5 liter 16 valve engine or a 4.0 liter 24-valve V-6 offering derived from the VQ series, the Frontier is sold with either a five- or six-speed manual transmission or a five-speed automatic gearbox.
Coming with either of two drive configurations, including 4WD and 2WD, the Nissan Frontier 4WD has a shift-on-the-fly system encompassing 4L0, 4H, and 2WD modes. The Frontier has a fully boxed, F-Alpha ladder frame and a durable platform that has a 125.9 inch wheelbase, an all steel control arm front, and a solid axle leaf spring rear suspension. Most safety systems are standard on the Frontier, and EPA fuel economy is rated at 19 mpg city/23 mpg highway.
New for 2011
For 2011, the Nissan Frontier's new SV trim replaced last year's SE and add an exclusive Navy Blue exterior paint color. The short-wheelbase S and PRO-4X crew cabs now come with a six-speed manual, while SV, PRO-4X, and SL trims received a vehicle immobilizer and bed rail caps.
Essentials
Engines: 2.5L I-4, 4.0L V-6
Transmissions: 6-speed manual, 5-speed manual, 5-speed automatic
Body Style: Truck
Trims: S Extended Cab Pickup, S Short Bed Crew Cab Pickup, SL Short Bed Crew Cab Pickup, SV Extended Cab Pickup, SV Short Bed Crew Cab Pickup, SV Long Bed Crew Cab Pickup, PRO-4X Extended Cab Pickup, PRO-4X Short Bed Crew Cab Pickup
On the Outside
The Nissan Frontier has a distinctive design marked by an angled strut grille, big bumpers, short overhangs, and prominent fender flares. Offered optionally is a bed that includes a factory-applied spray-on liner and Nissan's Utili-track tie-down system.
From the Inside
The Frontier's versatile interior includes flip-up rear seats on the king cab, removable storage boxes under the backseat, a dual glove box, plentiful cup holders and power points, and an optional fold-flat front passenger seat.
Driving Performance
The Frontier's top-line engine is a 4.0-liter V-6 engine that delivers 261 horsepower and 281 pound-feet of torque, while the standard 2.5-liter engine I-4 generates 152 horsepower and 171 pound-feet. The V-6 is coupled to a five-speed automatic or six-speed manual transmission, but the I-4 can be configured with a five-speed manual or automatic transmission. A front control-arm/rear solid-axle leaf-springs suspension is standard on all Frontiers.
Safety Equipment
Standard on every Nissan Frontier pickup truck are front, front-side, and side curtain airbags. Also standard are front-seat active head restraints, stability control on the V-6, and a tire pressure monitoring system.
Gas Mileage
Nissan Frontier Pickup Truck: 14-19 mpg city/19-23 mpg hwy
Plusses
- King or crew cab configurations
- Optional 4WD
- Optional long bed
- Brawny good looks
- Plenty of power
Minuses
- New model on the horizon
- Choppy ride
Rating
Compact pickup truck that's a top pick for power and ruggedness
People Who Like the 2011 Nissan Frontier Also Like
- Chevrolet Colorado
- Ford Ranger
- GMC Canyon
- Suzuki Equator
- Toyota Tacoma