This week I have the 2023 Nissan Frontier, a mid-sized truck that was completely redone for 2022.
Exterior
The truck looks great with front fenders that are built into the new LED headlights. There is a large grill borrowed from the Titan with tow hooks down low, I love the bulging hood, the 17” wheels and meaty tires.
Powertrain
Under the hood you’ll find a 3.8-liter naturally aspirated V6 that is putting out 310-horses and 281-pound feet of torque. It is mated to a strong-shifting 9-speed automatic transmission.
My tester is the Pro-4X, which means it is 4-wheel drive with serious off-road capability. It has Bilstein shocks, shift-on-the-fly, and skid plates under the truck in the front and rear.
Interior
Moving to the interior, the NASA-designed zero gravity leather seats are super comfortable, heated, and the driver gets power controls.
As you sit, there are colorful analog gauges and a driver info center that works from the steering wheel.
High center dash is a large 9” infotainment screen that handles the terrific 10-speaker Fender sound system, navigation, Bluetooth, voice recognition, Wi-Fi hotspot, Sirius XM, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. It will also give you real-time sports scores, traffic, weather, fuel prices, movie times, available parking, and how the stock market is doing.
The center console is well done and has a couple of grab handles, cup holders, a wireless charger, the gear shifter, and USB and USB-C ports.
To the right of the steering wheel is the pushbutton start and 4-wheel drive selector, to the left are buttons for various things including tow mode.
The back seat is roomy, has more USB and USB-C ports, an outlet for a 110 plug-in, and there is a fold down armrest with cup holders. The back seat folds up and has a nice storage area underneath.
This is a 5-foot bed, has a spray-in bedliner, and Nissan’s terrific Utilatrack cargo management system with 4 adjustable tie-downs, and another 110-power outlet in the bed.
Features
This is the top-of-the-line version and is heavily equipped with a power moon roof, heated mirrors, a trailer hitch, keyless entry, remote start, and the full leather seats.
Safety
On the safety side, you get lane departure warning, blind spot warning, rear cross traffic alert, rearview camera, rear parking sensors with automatic braking, adaptive cruise control, and traffic sign recognition.
Ride and Drive
The Frontier Pro-4X is a beast off the road, yet a very good daily driver. The off-road tires make for a bit of road noise, but it is tolerable. The ride is good and acceleration is terrific from the V6.
Two things I noted was the steering feels a little heavy in city driving, but would be good off-road. I also think the turning radius could be shorter, but all in all, it is an enjoyable mid-sized truck.
Fuel economy is rated at 17 city and 22 highway, not bad for a 4800-pound 4-wheel drive truck that will tow over 6,200 pounds.
What You'll Pay
Total MSRP as you see it is $46,380 which hits me as a little high and getting too close to full-sized trucks, but it does have everything you can put on one and is very capable off-road.
- What I liked most: The exterior looks and interior comfort.
- What I would change: It still feels a little antiquated in infotainment.
- MSRP: Base price $38,720. Total $46,380 with transportation charges.
- Fuel Economy: 17 city/22highway/19 combined.
- Odometer reading when tested: 2,000 miles.
- Weight: 4,720 pounds/6,012 GVWR.
- Spare Tire: Full-Sized.
- Length-Width-Height: 218” long/73.8” wide/73.1” high.
- Fuel Tank Capacity: 22 gallons with filler on the driver’s side.
- Official Color: Big Storm.
- Towing Capacity: 6,000 pounds.
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2023 Frontier in a few words: A much improved truck for those that are looking for a pickup that is not too big and not too small.
- Warranty: 3-year/36,000 mile bumper-to-bumper, 5-year/60,000 mile power train warranty with roadside assistance.
- Final Assembly Location: Canton, MS.
- Manufacturer's website: Nissan
