Nissan has redesigned its Frontier midsize truck for the 2022 model year. The new version is more expensive than rivals like the Toyota Tacoma and Ford Ranger. But there’s a justification for the price – the Frontier’s base engine is as powerful as the optional engines its competition charges extra for.
Pricing on the 2022 Frontier starts at $27,840 (plus a $1,175 fee for handling and delivery), a $650 bump over 2021. That price will get you a King Cab (Nissan’s term for a 2-door cabin with a small backseat) rear-drive model in base S trim. It climbs as high as $37,240 for a 4-wheel-drive, 4-door Pro-4X Crew Cab model.
A Higher Price, but A Standard V6
For a starting price, that low-end is rather high. It’s more than $1,000 over the price of a similarly-equipped base model Tacoma. It’s more than $2,500 over the starting price of the Ranger or the Chevy Colorado.
But every Frontier comes equipped with a 3.8-liter V6 putting out 310 horsepower. Its major rivals all come with less-powerful 4-cylinder engines and make you pay extra for the V6. When you upgrade its rivals to their 6-cylinder setups, the prices get similar. (The Ranger comes only with 4-cylinder power.)
Rugged Good Looks and a Smooth Ride
That makes the Frontier a genuine rival to the best trucks in its segment. Our test drive found that it offered a ride so comfortable it “far surpasses that not only of the previous model but of some of the Frontier’s fiercest competitors.”
Its rugged new look is blocky but crisp. Nissan has resisted the urge to give it an oversize grille, which makes it stand out in a truck market increasingly dominated by huge, fierce grilles that overawe everything else about a truck’s styling. The Frontier looks tailored, not just aggressive.
It’s also a bit smaller than most of its competition. In most recent redesigns, midsize trucks have inched closer to the dimensions of full-size pickups. But there is a market for trucks that can easily maneuver in a parking lot.
Hyundai and Ford are both bringing out new compact trucks this year to fill that niche. Nissan’s smallest truck just pulled the simpler trick of not growing much in the first place, making the Frontier a reasonable choice for those who want a truck that isn’t hard to handle in traffic.
The new Frontier will be in showrooms late next month.
2022 Nissan Frontier King Cab Pricing
| Trim Level | Price |
| S King Cab 4×2 | $27,840 |
| S King Cab 4×4 | $31,040 |
| SV King Cab 4×2 | $30,540 |
| SV King Cab 4×4 | $33,740 |
2022 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab Pricing:
| Trim Level | Price |
| S Crew Cab 4×2 | $29,340 |
| S Crew Cab 4×4 | $32,340 |
| SV Crew Cab 4×2 SWB | $32,140 |
| SV Crew Cab 4×4 SWB | $35,140 |
| SV Crew Cab 4×2 LWB | $34,040 |
| SV Crew Cab 4×4 LWB | $37,040 |
| PRO-X Crew Cab 4×2 | $34,240 |
| PRO-4X Crew Cab 4×4 | $37,240 |
