No excitement for Frontier?
- Thread starter testerdahl
- Start date
GMT 900
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Top is the older interior like the one I test drove in 2020 (new engine, old body, after a price increase, Nissan had to do deep discounts, was $25K for a CC 4X4). Bottom is the new Frontier interior.
Fightnfire
Moderator
Everyone has areas of a new truck they really care about. "Interior materials" seems to be a big one these days. Interior is down the list for me, I have no need/want for a large screen TV in a pickup.
TheDo114
Well-known member
It's might be slightly behind for ''nice'' materials, but I don't think it's by as much as people make it out to be. It's also way more usable and practical.
TheDo114
Well-known member
Agreed. I want the interior to last and space for me to put my stuff. I also want easy access to controls that still work in the cold.
Compared to other trucks on the market.
TheDo114
Well-known member
Is it really that bad? You spent way more time than the average Jo in each truck so you probably have a much better idea than me. I can only spend what the dealer lets me in each one of them...
Except my truck of course. Here's what I think of the front interior of each:
New Chevy Colorado Z71: looks nice at first, but when you get in, everything feels not bolted down properly, not sure if it was the specific truck I was in, but a lot of rattle and some basic functions such as headlight and trip information are buried in the infotainment. Severely lacks storage and the seat comfort is lacking. I really like the HVAC controls and hard button feel.
New GMC Canyon AT4: Same as Chevy, but everything was a bit softer. Suffered from the same problems even the rattles.
Ford Ranger: Full disclosure, I own a 2021 Ford Ranger Tremor XLT. Better storage than the twins but could have more especially in the doors and the glove box. Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING is hard plastics in that truck, good for wiping down but sucks when resting your elbows on it. No rattle. The HVAC is a combo of hard buttons and infotainment that I've grown to dislike. Seats are very comfortable.
Toyota Tacoma (2023 Old): Easy HVAC controls, no rattles, mix of soft and hard, ok storage, but the seating was atrocious. Poor visibility as my head was into the headliner all the time with no real adjustment possible on the seat.
Nissan Frontier (2024): Easy HVAC controls, no rattles, mix of soft and hard, good storage, super comfy seats, good sight lines. Didn't like the hard plastic where I rest my elbow, small sun visors and the handle near your knees upfront.
Waiting on the new Tacoma and Ford Ranger to hit dealership near me so that I can take them out for a spin.
I'd wait for sure to check out the new Tacoma and Ford Ranger. They literally addressed 90% of your criticisms. Big improvements on both.Is it really that bad? You spent way more time than the average Jo in each truck so you probably have a much better idea than me. I can only spend what the dealer lets me in each one of them...
Here's what I think of the front interior of each:
New Chevy Colorado Z71: looks nice at first, but when you get in, everything feels not bolted down properly, not sure if it was the specific truck I was in, but a lot of rattle and some basic functions such as headlight and trip information are buried in the infotainment. Severely lacks storage and the seat comfort is lacking. I really like the HVAC controls and hard button feel.
New GMC Canyon AT4: Same as Chevy, but everything was a bit softer. Suffered from the same problems even the rattles.
Ford Ranger: Full disclosure, I own a 2021 Ford Ranger Tremor XLT. Better storage than the twins but could have more especially in the doors and the glove box. Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING is hard plastics in that truck, good for wiping down but sucks when resting your elbows on it. No rattle. The HVAC is a combo of hard buttons and infotainment that I've grown to dislike. Seats are very comfortable.
Toyota Tacoma (2023 Old): Easy HVAC controls, no rattles, mix of soft and hard, ok storage, but the seating was atrocious. Poor visibility as my head was into the headliner all the time with no real adjustment possible on the seat.
Nissan Frontier (2024): Easy HVAC controls, no rattles, mix of soft and hard, good storage, super comfy seats, good sight lines. Didn't like the hard plastic where I rest my elbow, small sun visors and the handle near your knees upfront.
Waiting on the new Tacoma and Ford Ranger to hit dealership near me so that I can take them out for a spin.
The thing for me is the industry actually moves pretty fast and I'm always on to the next thing. Posts like this help keep me grounded to what customers are actually seeing when they go shopping instead of the latest whatever I just got out of.
TheDo114
Well-known member
Thanks Tim and keep up the good work!
I don't know why but Nissan always seemed to be behind everyone else for tech or drivetrain. Like just a generation behind so they were never competitive. For example, the wife has an SL Rogue, their best luxury model, but no heated wheel and you still have to manually flip the rearview mirror when somebody comes up behind you. Same with the Frontier, fine today but it'll be noncompetitive as these new ones keep arriving. When the 2022 arrived, it should have been innovating and new, not just "keeping up" with what was already out there.
TheDo114
Well-known member
What feature is the frontier missing vs the new competition?
Only the highest tech items that the others offer. For the average buyer, it doesn't mean crap, but it separates them. GM, Ford, and Toyota have the biggest screens, advanced 4wd systems with throttle control and multi-cameras. They have heated/cooled seats. Most offer both wireless Android and Carplay. Again. most trucks sold won't have any of these features as they will only be on the high-end models. But it's the perception that Nissan has less to offer and nothing unique. Like Toyota's tailgate, Ford's outside lighting, or GM's suspension.
TheDo114
Well-known member
Yeah it's true that they don't have a unique feature, even the utilitrac is similar to what you can get on a taco.
I think Nissan is just not marketing the truck enough. It has all of the features you listed as missing except the cooled seats and the modular pedal. The advance 4wd system is actually always on so you don't have to push a button. It has wireless apple car play/android auto and multiple camera views but with poor resolution
.The bigger screen are a moot point as it really depends on how the car manufacturer implemented it and if you actually get to use the full real estate or not. Doesn't matter if the screen is bigger if it needs to always display the HVAC controls and thus makes it effectively smaller than another manufacturer aka Ford,s vertical screens, or GM with car play and android auto on certain models.
They told me it does not have wireless Android, one of the reasons I scratched it from my list. Only Apple. The camera views are really crap compared to the others. My wife's 2015 Rogue literally has the same system that is available today on the Frontier. And the 4wd system I was referring to was the one like Toyota and Ford has, basically cruise control in 4wd. Nissan cannot do that, but neither can GM.Yeah it's true that they don't have a unique feature, even the utilitrac is similar to what you can get on a taco.
I think Nissan is just not marketing the truck enough. It has all of the features you listed as missing except the cooled seats and the modular pedal. The advance 4wd system is actually always on so you don't have to push a button. It has wireless apple car play/android auto and multiple camera views but with poor resolution
The bigger screen are a moot point as it really depends on how the car manufacturer implemented it and if you actually get to use the full real estate or not. Doesn't matter if the screen is bigger if it needs to always display the HVAC controls and thus makes it effectively smaller than another manufacturer aka Ford,s vertical screens, or GM with car play and android auto on certain models.
I remember when I almost bought a 2008 Titan Pro-4x over 10 years ago. So innovative. No one was really offering what they were. Locking diff, bed rails, storage box on the bed, big rear window retracted down, etc. All great and unique features, but then they just gave up and stopped any innovation.
TheDo114
Well-known member
They added wireless android auto to the 23 and up frontiers.
Agreed that Nissan is going downhill as a whole but I still think that the frontier is a solid offering in the mid size segment.
Hey Tim! I’d like to put a controversial post in here about the Frontier.
Long story short, I think the Frontier will emerge as one of if not the most reliable midsize pickup truck deals of 2024.
First and foremost, I love the innovation automakers are committing to on trucks of all ranges. It gives brands the ability to appeal to a wider audience with more features without sacrificing the essence of what makes a truck, a truck (also a controversial opinion I have).
However, given the 2023 Colorado/Canyon software issues, screen failures, and TFL’s recently broken Tacoma while conducting some pretty light off-roading, I’d wager that the Frontier will be the go to buy for the 2024 model year.
To my knowledge there have only been minor reliability issues since the 2022 redesign was released based off of NHSTA and Carcomolaints.com, Nissan has historically had competitive pricing and pricing incentives when compared to competitors, the Frontier has better than average MPG while maintaining a “traditional” V6 and nine speed transmission, the interior mixes physical buttons with a screen that isn’t too large, has 4WD, a locking differential and to top it off Nissan has a 100k mile bumper to bumper warranty that would have (potentially) covered all of the forementioned reliability issues.
Im excited to see what the 2024 Ranger offers and I know manufacturers will fix the issues on their trucks, but I think for the foreseeable future the Frontier will be the underrated answer for most midsize pickup truck buyers.
Looking forward to the conversation!
This could turn into the same thing that used to be a big selling point for the Frontier - cheap, reliable with naturally aspirated engines.
Well the models that sell the most units also receive the most scrutiny and have the highest reported amounts of failure as well. I'm not up on mid size sales but I suspect the frontier is dead last and I don't know of any youtuber that owns one and is testing one.
It could be a great buy though for all the reasons you listed, but I doubt it will sell all that well.
