Late But Worth the Wait? The Next Gen 2022 Nissan Frontier is Here

• February 5, 2021
• Story By
  Mike Garrett

The Nissan Frontier isn’t just one of the oldest pickup truck designs still on sale in America, it’s one of the oldest vehicles of any type currently on sale.

With the current Frontier being released back in 2004, to say the truck was overdue for a redesign would be a massive understatement.

But a new version of Nissan’s midsize pickup has finally arrived for the 2022 model year and it comes packing some major updates with the hopes it can regain relevance in the ultra-competitive midsize truck class.

The exterior gets a whole new look, with an aggressive shape inspired by the Nissan Hardbody pickup of the '80s and '90s. It's also hard to not see the resemblance to the rival Toyota Tacoma.

Refinement & Performance

Building on the bones from the existing truck, the new Frontier has gotten some significant improvements under the skin that Nissan says will improve both refinement and performance.

Under the hood sits the same naturally aspirated 3.8L V6 that recently appeared in the outgoing truck. It makes 310hp and comes mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission. 

The new Frontier will be available as either a King Cab or a Crew Cab, with two different bed lengths available. Four-wheel drive will of course be available as well.

Off-road enthusiasts will likely want to go with the PRO-4X model as it offers an electric locking differential, Bilstein off-road shocks, skid plates and some unique exterior treatments. 

New Interior

Finally, the interior of the truck gets some major changes to bring it into the modern era. There's an available nine-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and it can also be spec'd with all of Nissan's latest driver assistance tech.

Will these changes be enough to win over loyal Tacoma buyers or those looking at pickups like the Ford Ranger or Jeep Gladiator? 

We'll find out when the 2022 Frontier starts hitting Nissan dealerships this summer.