Nissan's Frontier rides and handles very well, for a truck. It feels nimble in corners, and the steering is responsive. The front wheels stay glued to the road when cornering and the rear end never feels light over bumps. It rides like a truck, and you can feel road vibration through the steering wheel and the seat of your pants.Solid" is the word that kept appearing in our driving notes, along with "tight" and "smooth." Consistent high ratings in every respect, without a single quirk or flaw.
The Crew Cab is a bit heavier than two-door Frontiers. With its standard short bed, its 56/44 weight distribution is marginally better than the King Cab's 57/43, although that advantage disappears when you order the long bed. Two-wheel-drive Crew Cabs also get a rear stabilizer bar in addition to the standard front stabilizer bar. Low-profile tires probably make a significant contribution to the Frontier's handling prowess.
The anti-lock brakes do their job, although the Frontier uses less-expensive drum brakes in the rear.
The four-speed automatic transmission upshifts sharply, but as smoothly as an expensive sedan's when your foot's on the floor. The automatic doesn't hunt a lot when the engine is being challenged on hills.
The standard 3.3-liter V6 accelerates with reasonable lightness, and a steady 70 mph comes at just 2700 rpm. But the engine growls like it's working hard when the automatic transmission kicks down to tackle a hill. The 180 horses pulling this 3989-pound truck will be enough for most people, but more power is always nice.
The supercharged version of this engine improves acceleration performance, but it doesn't make the Frontier a hot rod. Still, the additional 44 pounds-feet of torque should improve towing performance.
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