First Drive: The 2022 Nissan Frontier Is More Than Just a New Look

Update: Since this first drive was originally published in August, 2021, we finished testing the Nissan Frontier.

See the complete Nissan Frontier road test.

Since the second-generation Nissan Frontier went on sale in 2005—back when YouTube was officially launched and 3G cell service felt speedy—the compact truck market has seen radical changes. Segment mainstays such as the rudimentary Ford Ranger and the Chevrolet Colorado have gone on multiyear hiatuses and been reintroduced laden with technology. All that time the Frontier remained fundamentally unchanged—a dial-up option in a high-speed world.

But Nissan has redesigned the Frontier for the 2022 model year, giving the old analog truck a makeover for the digital era.

Demand for small trucks is rapidly building, spawning traditional, rugged body-on-frame options like the Frontier and Ranger, as well as new car-based models such as the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz.

Nissan’s goal for the redesigned 2022 Frontier is relatively simple. It aims to rekindle interest in the model from consumers shopping for a compact pickup without compromising the functionality and capability the Frontier is known for.

Although the 2022 Nissan Frontier uses updated versions of its predecessor’s steel frame and basic body structure design, key structural and suspension modifications were made to improve ride and handling characteristics. The revised architecture is walled in modern, angular sheet metal and houses a fully redesigned interior with contemporary convenience, connectivity, and critical active safety systems, including forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection.