Nissan Frontier

Last redesigned in 2005, the compact Frontier pickup truck is a dated design that lacks polish. In our tests we found the Frontier to be quick and relatively nimble, but it has a very stiff ride. The previous V6 revved smoothly and felt very strong, but fuel economy was a decidedly unimpressive 15 mpg overall. Only crew- and extended-cab body styles are offered, but rear-seat room is tight even in the crew cab. The Frontier scored a Marginal in both of the IIHS small overlap front crash tests. Key advanced safety and driver assist systems are unavailable.

The strong 4.0-liter V6 revs smoothly and feels like a V8. We chalked up an unimpressive 15 mpg overall. Base models are powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder. Transmissions include five- and six-speed manuals and a five-speed automatic. All Frontiers of this generation are either crew- or extended-cab, but rear seat room is tight in both. Side- and curtain-airbags, along with stability control are standard equipment. An optional longer (six-foot) bed arrived for 2007, but the tailgate is quite heavy. There were no major changes to the Frontier after that.