Photo: Nissan
The mid-size pickup truck segment is increasingly big business in the United States, and even though Nissan offers the Frontier at a hard-to-resist price, the truth of the matter is that this workhorse is very old. Not only old, but the oldest of its kind.
Nissan confirmed at the beginning of September that “Canton Vehicle Assembly Plant will build the next-generation Nissan Frontier” in Mississippi, though the automaker’s higher-ups refused to offer a timeline. Considering that suppliers announced multiple investments in and around Canton, there’s no denying the newcomer will go into production in 2018 for the 2019 MY.
The timing is mirrored by a report from Wards Auto, and as per senior vice president of product planning Michael Bunce, “a new Frontier is on its way, and a V6 is more geared toward that segment.” Just what kind of six-cylinder engine Nissan has in mind, it’s hard to guess right now. Bearing in mind the Titan will get more affordable thanks to the same engine, it’s highly likely that Bunce is talking about a good ol’ naturally aspirated V6 focused on reliability.
“You know our dealers see opportunities (with a V6), particularly for the work-truck application,” added the official, and based on his wording, the half-ton Titan will add the entry-level six-cylinder engine just before or immediately after the arrival of the new Frontier in the latter half of '18.
Based on the Navara NP300 that’s in production since 2014, the 2019 Nissan Frontier will share most of its body shell with the Navara. The U.S.-spec model is also expected to borrow the six-speed manual and seven-speed automatic transmission from the Navara, but there’s not much of a case to be made for the Renault-sourced 2.3-liter turbo diesel engines that are offered in Europe.
Changing the platform also means the starting price will increase from $18,990 for the 2018 Nissan Frontier to a Chevrolet Colorado-rivaling $20k. The body-on-frame platform also paves the way for the return of the Xterra, which is called Terra in China. With the Ranger-based Ford Bronco just around the corner, it’s clear that Nissan won’t say no to the return of the Xterra.
The timing is mirrored by a report from Wards Auto, and as per senior vice president of product planning Michael Bunce, “a new Frontier is on its way, and a V6 is more geared toward that segment.” Just what kind of six-cylinder engine Nissan has in mind, it’s hard to guess right now. Bearing in mind the Titan will get more affordable thanks to the same engine, it’s highly likely that Bunce is talking about a good ol’ naturally aspirated V6 focused on reliability.
“You know our dealers see opportunities (with a V6), particularly for the work-truck application,” added the official, and based on his wording, the half-ton Titan will add the entry-level six-cylinder engine just before or immediately after the arrival of the new Frontier in the latter half of '18.
Based on the Navara NP300 that’s in production since 2014, the 2019 Nissan Frontier will share most of its body shell with the Navara. The U.S.-spec model is also expected to borrow the six-speed manual and seven-speed automatic transmission from the Navara, but there’s not much of a case to be made for the Renault-sourced 2.3-liter turbo diesel engines that are offered in Europe.
Changing the platform also means the starting price will increase from $18,990 for the 2018 Nissan Frontier to a Chevrolet Colorado-rivaling $20k. The body-on-frame platform also paves the way for the return of the Xterra, which is called Terra in China. With the Ranger-based Ford Bronco just around the corner, it’s clear that Nissan won’t say no to the return of the Xterra.
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