LIKES
- Chunky styling
- Strong V-6 engine
- Refined and quiet cabin
- Decent towing capacity
DISLIKES
- Lousy fuel economy
- Cramped rear seat
- Already feels a little old…
- … because its bones still date back to 2005
BUYING TIP
- The 2023 Nissan Frontier works well enough in base S trim, but its most appealing options require stepping up to the SV.
The 2023 Nissan Frontier fills the gap for now, but its competition promises big steps forward over the next couple of years.
What kind of vehicle is the 2023 Nissan Frontier? What does it compare to?
The 2023 Nissan Frontier is a mid-size pickup worth shopping against the Ford Ranger, Toyota Tacoma, Chevrolet Colorado, and GMC Canyon.
Is the 2023 Nissan Frontier a good truck?
The 2023 Nissan Frontier is a good overall choice among mid-size pickup trucks, but may feel outdated as soon as updated Chevy, GMC, and Ford models start rolling into dealers soon. For now, it’s a 5.2 out of 10 on our scale, helped by its strong engine and its good tech.
What's new for the 2023 Nissan Frontier?
After a fairly heavy revamp last year, the 2023 Frontier adds a new Midnight Edition trim level with blacked-out bits outside.
Inside, look for an 8.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus a simple design and plenty of spots for the kind of tech we carry with us today.
The 310-hp V-6 delivers Infiniti-grade refinement, and it works well with the standard 9-speed automatic transmission. A part-time four-wheel-drive system is optional across the line. Pro-4X versions toss in an off-road suspension that works well on pavement, too.
The Frontier has a more refined feel than its cramped interior and simple spec sheet would otherwise suggest. It’s quiet, rides well, and exhibits terrific control on bumpy roads. Fuel economy is a low point, though, with most versions rated at an unimpressive 19 mpg combined.
Plush front seats give a good first impression, but your passengers won’t be as happy in row two. The high step-in and cab floor mean a knees-up seating position even in bigger crew-cab trucks.
Standard automatic emergency braking is a win, while a reasonably priced package adds adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitors, and lane-departure warnings, plus a host of other safety bits.
How much does the 2023 Nissan Frontier cost?
This year, Nissan wants about $30,500 for a base Frontier S with an extended cab and rear-wheel drive. Add the crew cab and four-wheel drive, and you’ll spend around $35,000 for 16-inch steel wheels, LED headlights, an 8.0-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility, and automatic emergency braking.
Where is the 2023 Nissan Frontier made?
In Canton, Mississippi.
Styling
Nissan builds plenty of toughness into the 2023 Frontier’s styling.
Is the Nissan Frontier a good-looking car?
By pickup standards, it’s a pretty good effort. We land at a 7 out of 10 thanks to the Frontier’s interior and exterior upgrades over the outgoing model.
The 2023 Frontier comes in either extended- or crew-cab forms, with a choice of bed lengths. It’s well-proportioned even in crew-cab form with the 6-foot bed bolted onto the rear. Muscular fenders and a chunky front end with high-mounted LED headlights help it look fresh and modern. Nissan sweats the small stuff, too, with modern-looking exterior badges and even chunkier looks for the off-roady Pro-4X model.
Performance
The 2023 Nissan Frontier scores highly for its strong powertrain.
The 2023 Nissan Frontier is a formidable off-roader, and it’s more refined on-road than its retro underpinnings might suggest. We rate it at 7, with points above average for its ride and its acceleration. It’s a 7 on the TCC scale.
Is the Nissan Frontier 4WD?
It can be. A part-time four-wheel-drive system is optional on all trim levels. The Pro-4X trim adds a locking rear differential and a high-riding suspension with Bilstein shocks.
The 3.8-liter V-6 under the Frontier’s hood churns out a solid 310 hp and 281 lb-ft of torque. It’s smooth and responsive, and it works well with the standard 9-speed automatic transmission. While there’s not the rush of power you’ll find from the Ford Ranger’s turbo-4, the Frontier’s V-6 wins out for its impressive tuning. It’s almost luxury-grade in its refinement.
Properly equipped, the Frontier can lug up to a 6,570-lb trailer and it can handle 1,480 lb in its bed.
The Frontier sticks with an independent front suspension and a leaf-sprung solid axle out back. In Pro-4X guise, it’s fairly comfortable, aided in part by its big tire sidewalls.
Comfort & Quality
There are better choices for family hauling than the 2023 Nissan Frontier.
Though reasonably quiet at highway speeds, the 2023 Nissan Frontier’s interior is nothing special when it comes to space or fit and finish. Our 5 out of 10 weighs a cramped back seat against a pair of open pickup bed choices.
All models have comfortable enough front seats that offer standard power adjustment for the driver on all but the base S trim. Rear-seat riders had better be of the four-legged or inanimate type on extended-cab trucks. Even crew cabs have a tight second row for taller adults. Two can fit in a pinch, but that middle seatbelt is wishful thinking.
Extended-cab models come with a 6-foot bed, which is also optional on the crew cab. Most crew cabs that hit the road will stick with a more garage-friendly 5-foot bed, though.
Safety
The 2023 Nissan Frontier is an old-school truck with old-school crash-test ratings so far.
How safe is the Nissan Frontier?
What data we have so far points toward a so-so crash-test record for the 2023 Nissan Frontier. The truck has scored a disconcerting four-star rating from the NHTSA, though it has yet to be crashed by the IIHS.
Offsetting that low figure is a good array of standard features, including automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, while blind-spot monitors, lane-departure warnings, adaptive cruise control, a surround-view camera system, and rear automatic braking are options.
Features
The 2023 Nissan Frontier comes reasonably well equipped, though it’s no longer a downright bargain.
Starting at $30,485, the 2023 Nissan Frontier S comes standard with 16-inch steel wheels, LED exterior lighting, power windows and locks, a 7.0-inch screen in the instrument panel, and an 8.0-inch touchscreen for infotainment with a host of USB ports and smartphone compatibility.
That’s not bad, but Nissan wants $1,300 more for a crew cab or $3,200 more for four-wheel drive. That puts a crew cab with four-wheel drive at nearly $35,000.
A basic 3-year/36,000-mile warranty is amplified somewhat by a 5-year powertrain warranty.
Our 6 out of 10 score here comes courtesy the Frontier’s decent infotainment system.
Which Nissan Frontier should I buy?
The mid-level SV adds alloy wheels and nicer exterior trim, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, and grants access to that reasonably priced safety package.
Another $2,190 buys heated front seats and steering wheel, LED bed lighting, a tie-down system for the bed, a bedliner, and a few other niceties.
Leather, a sunroof, and Fender audio cost $2,790 more.
How much is a fully loaded Nissan Frontier?
Grab the off-road Pro-4X and add all the available option packages and you’ll wind up with a $46,400-or-so Frontier.
Fuel Economy
The 2023 Nissan Frontier offers full-size fuel economy in a mid-size package.
Is the Nissan Frontier good on gas?
Not especially. The big V-6 guzzles at a rate of 17 mpg city, 22 highway, 19 combined in four-wheel-drive configurations, and 18/24/20 mpg with rear-wheel drive.
That’s not great by mid-size truck standards. It’s a 1 on our scale.
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