MIDSIZE PICKUP TRUCK

2020 Nissan Frontier Highlights

May 12, 2020 by admin 1 Comment

Last call on an aging model.

A cut-out of the engine bays shows the new 3.8-liter V6 powering every 2020 Frontier.

We haven’t seen a new Nissan Frontier pickup truck since 2005 and that’s an awfully long time between new models. In the interim, Nissan rolled out new and updated versions of its full-size Titan pickup truck and introduced a special Titan XD version, which fills the white space between light- and heavy-duty models.

We’re expecting a new Frontier in 2021, but in the meantime Nissan has given us an important hint of what’s coming our way, namely an all-new V6 engine paired with a 9-speed automatic transmission. Doubtlessly, Nissan knows that a new Frontier is overdue, so for 2020 it introduced a new powertrain for the current-generation Frontier, one that it says will appear in the next-generation model.

Here are the highlights of the 2020 Nissan Frontier:

New engine. The heart of the 2020 Frontier is an all-new 3.8-liter V6 engine. This one makes 310 horsepower and 281 pound-feet of torque, up from the 261 horsepower and 281 pound-feet of torque delivered in the previous 4.0-liter engine. Nissan says the new engine has best-in-class performance (we confirmed this), improved fuel efficiency, and a better emissions record. The front-wheel-drive version earns 18 mpg in the city, 24 mpg on the highway for a combined 20 mpg. This beats the 16/23/19 mpg city/highway/combined rating of the outgoing engine.

New transmission. Nissan’s powertrain offering is all-new with a 9-speed automatic transmission replacing the previous 5-speed automatic. It is similar to the one introduced in the Titan. Also gone is the 6-speed manual gearbox and the base 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. We think the next-generation model will also offer a four-cylinder engine, but you won’t find one or a manual transmission with the current model.

Five trims for the choosing. Nissan offers the 2020 Frontier in five trims: Frontier King Cab S and SV (4×2 and 4×4), Frontier Crew Cab S, SV (4×2 and 4×4), and PRO-4X (4×4 only). The 2020 Frontier is available in King Cab and Crew Cab body configurations, and in SV Crew Cab Long Bed. It has a standard 59.5-inch Crew Cab bed or an optional 73.3 SV Crew Cab Long Bed. You’ll also find a standard 73.3-inch King Cab bed.

Three package choices. As expected, Nissan offers multiple package choices available with the 2020 Frontier. They are: Value Truck Package( King Cab SV, Crew Cab SV), Midnight Edition Package (Crew Cab SV SWB), Special Edition Package (Crew Cab SV SWB). Among the features of the Value Truck Package are fog lights, heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, a spray-in bedliner, and a sliding truck bed extender.

We’re awaiting driver-assist features. Buyers desiring such driver-assist features as lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, and automatic emergency braking. These items will most likely appear in the 2021 Frontier. What you will find is the usual suite of airbags and the required rear-view monitor.

Light on the standard creature features. It took all these years, but power door locks and power windows are finally standard with the 2020 Frontier. Push-button start, a leather-wrapped shift knob, and tilt steering wheel control are also now standard items. Other creature features of note include air conditioning, a fold-up rear seat, Bluetooth connectivity, a USB port, and Siri Eyes Free. Included among the upgrades are dual-zone climate control, leather seats, navigation, a Rockford-Fosgate audio system, and satellite radio.

Out with the old, in with the new.

The 2020 Frontier is an old truck, no doubt about it. Competing models such as the Toyota Tacoma, Jeep Gladiator, Ford Ranger, GMC Canyon, and the Chevrolet Colorado, have more to offer. What they can’t match is the Nissan’s low starting price, which comes in around $20,000.

We think most buyers will look closely at the four-wheel-drive Frontier SV and admire its circa $30,000 price tag. As for the top-of-the-line PRO-4X, it pulls out all the off-road stops and retails for about $40,000.

2020 Nissan Frontier Specifications

Nissan	2020 Frontier
Segment	Midsize Pickup Truck
Price Range	TBD
Destination Charge	TBD
Standard Engine	3.8-liter, V6
Horsepower	310 @ 6,400 rpm
Torque (lb.-ft.)	281 @ 4,400 rpm
Transmission	9-speed automatic
Seating	Up to 5
Curb Weight (pounds)	From 4,264 to 4,696
Wheelbase (inches)	125.9/139.9
Length (inches)	205.5/219.4
Width (inches)	72.8
Height (inches)	70.1/73.9
Headroom (f,r…inches)	39.9, 38.6
Legroom (f,r…inches)	42.4, 33.6
Shoulder room (f,r…inches)	58.3, 58.3
Hip room (f,r…inches)	55.6, 58.0
Storage (cubic feet)	27.1 (std.); 33.5 (long)
Gross vehicle weight (pounds)	NR
Towing (pounds)	6,720
Payload (pounds)	1,020 to 1,460
Fuel	regular
Fuel Tank (gallons)	21.1
EPA Fuel MPG (city/highway/combined)	18/24/20
Manufacturing Plant	Canton, Miss.

Data compiled by Tom Keegan. Specifications supplied by the manufacturer.

See Also — Style Maker: The All-New Nissan Versa

The 2017 Honda Ridgeline by the Numbers

May 11, 2016 by admin 5 Comments

Following a two-year hiatus, the Honda Ridgeline crossover pickup truck returns.

Beginning in 2006, Honda sought to turn pickup truck convention on its head, by building a car-based model. Early on, sales were quite strong as the Honda Ridgeline siphoned sales from competitors while also attracting a new breed of truck shoppers.

But those initial sales were not sustained. In fact, they began to fall drastically, then after nine years the Ridgeline was discontinued. However, the end was far from final as Honda had a new model in mind. Today, Honda offers the 2017 Ridgeline, an all-new second-generation midsize model in an effort to recapture customer interest. To that end, we’ll examine the important “numbers” defining this model.

4 — Four is the number of doors found on every Ridgeline pickup truck. Four also represents the number of feet between wheel arches in the pickup truck bed, allowing customers to flat haul drywall and plywood. No other midsize pickup truck can boast such a broad width.

19/26/22 — Fuel efficiency and pickup trucks are a tough combination. Few people buy them with maximizing fuel efficiency a top priority, but if your truck isn’t making at least 20 mpg, then you may be in for a world of hurt. For the first time, Honda is offering a front-wheel drive Ridgeline, EPA-rated at a respectable 19 mpg in the city and 26 miles per gallon on the highway, for a combined 22 mpg. Choose all-wheel drive and you’ll see those numbers drop by 1 mpg. The Ridgeline’s numbers are particularly impressive, given that the 2016 Nissan Frontier with a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine delivers 17 mpg in the city and 23 mpg on the highway. By the way, a 19.5-gallon fuel tank is present in the 2017 Ridgeline.

210 — The 2017 Ridgeline is longer, wider and taller than the outgoing model. It measures 210 inches from stem to stern or 3.1 inches longer than the previous model. The big gain is found between the wheels — this model has a 125.2-inch wheelbase, the first-generation Ridgeline was 122 inches long between the wheels. That’s more interior room, making this truck better suited for some owners. The Ridgeline is 78.6 inches wide (a 0.8 increase) and 70.8 inches tall (for a gain of 0.5 inch). Four inches were also added to the bed length, now measuring 64 inches or 5-feet, 4-inches.

280 — The previous Ridgeline made 250 horsepower and 247 foot-pounds of torque, respectable numbers both. The latest edition should be a crowd pleaser as it makes 280 horsepower and 262 foot-pounds of torque. Of big benefit are two things: a new 3.5-liter, direct-injected V-6 engine, variable torque management, and a 6-speed automatic transmission. This combination enables the current Ridgeline to achieve better acceleration and improved fuel economy over the previous model.

400 — The number of watts in the Ridgeline’s AC power inverter is 400. Not only that, but the inverter is part of the first in-bed audio system found in any pickup truck. The inverter is located behind an access panel found in the right bed wall and works with six exciters placed in the bed walls, replacing conventional speakers. The inverter has the capacity to recharge power tools or provide energy for a flat-screen television or a blender. Tailgate parties, anyone?

1,584 — Payload capacity is a big deal with truck buyers. After all, if you can hold ‘em and haul it, then you’re not in the game. The payload numbers come in at 1,584 pounds or 38 pounds more than the old Ridgeline. Comparatively, the GMC Canyon payload is 1,410 to 1,600 pounds; the Chevrolet Colorado offers 1,370 to 1,630 pounds; Toyota’s Tacoma ranges from 1,120 to 1,620 pounds; and the Nissan Frontier ranges from 919 to 1,475 pounds. Clearly, Honda’s engineers did their homework.

5,000 — The main area where the Ridgeline is clearly outclassed by competitors is in towing. Choose the RT AWD model and you’ll hit this truck’s 5,000-pound towing capacity. That’s still a robust number and it matches the earlier Ridgeline. Of course, for truck shoppers in this segment needing more pulling power, then the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon at 7,000 pounds, Nissan’s Frontier at 6,500 pounds, and the Toyota Tacoma at 6,400 pounds towing capacity may be too hard to pass up.

29,475 — The starting price for the 2017 Honda Ridgeline is $29,475. Yes, that’s right: nearly $30,000 for this midsize truck. Available in RT, RTS, Sport, RTL, RTL-T, RTL-E, and Black Edition trims, the top end model will reach just above $42,000. That’s a lot of moolah for a truck in this class. Shoppers looking for value in this segment will have to look elsewhere. A base Nissan Frontier king cab is the price leader here, starting at $18,290. The comparable-to-the-Ridgeline Frontier crew cab starts at $23,500 or nearly $6,000 less than the Honda. Price creep in recent years has made affording a smaller pickup truck more difficult for buyers. Although segment sales are strong, you have to wonder if Honda’s base price is simply too high.

(See Also — Ram Gets a Midsize Pickup Truck)

Honda Ridgeline: Beyond the Numbers

Numbers only tell you part of the story about any vehicle. There are a lot of features about this truck that simply cannot be numerically quantified.

One feature making a return is the nifty in-bed trunk that has always played an important part of the Ridgeline ownership experience. The new model comes with a fully flat floor and as before it is drainable and lockable. Speaking of the bed, it comes with eight 350-pound tie-down cleats.

As for the tailgate, it is a dual action layout as it is hinged both on the left side and on the bottom, making it easier to reach, load, and unload heavy items.

Photos courtesy of Honda Motors America.

Midsize Beast: 2015 Chevrolet Colorado Z71 Crew Cab 4×4

January 20, 2015 by admin 13 Comments

A new generation Colorado dispels an old way of building small trucks.

Chevrolet Colorado

A red hot 2015 Chevrolet Colorado Crew Cab, Z71 edition.

General Motors cancelled the Chevrolet Colorado and the similar GMC Canyon following the 2012 model year, offering vague assurances that they would be back in the game some day with all-new, vastly improved models. The GM pickup duo, along with the Ford Ranger and Dodge Dakota, left a chasm in the small truck segment, one eagerly filled by the two remaining trucks: the Toyota Tacoma and Nissan’s Frontier.

Chevrolet Colorado Restoration

Well, after a two-model-year hiatus, the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon are back and they’re simply superior than before. What you have here is a pair of authoritative medium-sized pickup trucks, with both offering compelling alternatives to the competition. GM could have hit a two-bagger with these models and still succeeded, but they went to the fence and have brought home a pair of winning runs.

This January, GM was gracious to hand over the keys to a 2015 Chevrolet Colorado 4WD Z71 Crew Short Box model for my testing. The only model more expensive than this one is the long bed version. Still, at $34,115 and $36,710 fully equipped, the supplied Z71 pushes the pricing envelope. My test model came with four packages or options: a Bose audio system ($500), Chevrolet MyLink ($495), a spray-on bedliner ($475), and a trailering equipment package ($250).

Just for giggles, I launched the Chevrolet Colorado configurator and added $4,570 worth of options to comprise the components found in my truck, in addition to various supplementary items. These included: a tonneau cover, an exterior convenience package, a divider package, and a sliding rear window. At this point you’re staring at a truck costing $39,860. And that was before destination, taxes and tags were added.

2015 Chevrolet Colorado

Cab Sizes and Trim Levels

You mustn’t allow the lofty valuation to chase you away. Sold in extended cab and crew cab configurations, the base extended cab, long box 4×2 model is priced from $20,995. Crew cab short box models are priced from $25,205 and crew cab, long box editions retail from $26,725. Therefore, if you want a 4×4 with an acceptable amount of standard equipment, an LT edition can be had for $30,095. Chevrolet sells the Colorado in base, WT (work truck), LT and Z71 editions.

What sets the current pickup truck apart from its predecessor is, well, nearly everything. The latest rendition has a fresh face, more akin to Chevrolet’s contemporary design language. The trademark golden bow tie emblem is centered within a multi-slat horizontal grille. Available projector beam headlamps, fog lamps, a lower grille opening and hood creasing give this truck a muscular persona.

That athletic demeanor is further amplified by the Colorado’s strong shoulders, squared wheel wells, upper and lower profile characteristics, a sloping hood and a modernistic rear bumper with side steps. A collection of tire and wheel choices add to the flair. Distinctive Z71 badging on the grille and rear side panels provide emblematic touches.

2015 Chevrolet Colorado Z71

The State of Small Pickup Trucks

It is a pity that no manufacturer offers a regular, two- or three-placement cab in this segment these days. Go back in time when small trucks were true compacts and that is all you got — with the occasional extended cab appended. These days, the extended cab is standard, but manufacturer advertising naturally insinuates that you want a crew cab. They’re probably right too: the extended cab only offers token rear seating and room, while the crew cab model provides room for three.

Up front is where the seating is most comfortable. Bolstered bucket seats offering very good back, hip and leg support are present. That’s not to say that the rear 60-40 folding bench seat is a penalty box, but if you’re talking about adults riding in this truck, then the back seat is tight for three, adequate for two and best used with the armrest folded down and the cup holders at the ready.

Up front, you get available heated and cooled seats, a tilt and telescopic steering wheel column, an instrument panel with four analog displays — two large tachometer and speedometer readouts and two smaller gas and oil gauges. Positioned in the middle of it all is the requisite digital driver’s information center.

2015 Chevrolet Colorado Z71

2015 Chevrolet Colorado

View manufacturer details and pricing

The leather-wrapped steering wheel comes with cruise and auxiliary driver controls. To the left of the steering wheel and fixed to the lower part of the dashboard is the headlamp and drive mode knobs. The latter defaults to “2” for the standard rear-wheel drive. Also, there are two settings for high and low four-wheel drive. Except for the toughest conditions, you’ll probably stick with the higher 4×4 setting.

Underneath the big and brightly link touchscreen Chevrolet MyLink infotainment display are switches and knobs to access audio, media and navigation. Further below are knobs and switches for the climate control system with additional switches controlling trailering, traction control, bed lighting and hill descent. Moreover, for trucks so equipped, seat heating and cooling switches are also at hand.

At the bottom of the console is an open storage compartment, suitably sized to hold your smartphone. USB, auxiliary and 12-volt outlets are also present. Between the seats is the transmission shifter, two cup holders and yet another open storage area for a smartphone. Open the deep armrest and you will find another USB port. Although moderately confined, the storage area was sufficient for holding my camera case. At the rear of the console and facing the back seat is an additional open storage space accompanying a pair of charge-only USB ports.

Chevrolet supplies overhead storage, seat lights and illuminated visors. All four doors have storage compartments with drink holders. The truck bed has four tie-down hooks. A pair of tow hooks are up front.

2015 Chevrolet Colorado Z71

Waiting on Diesel

Passionate Chevrolet fans are cognizant that a 2.8-liter turbo diesel four-cylinder engine will be offered in the Colorado, beginning in 2016. For now, the choices are a pair of gasoline engines. First, you have a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine making 200 horsepower and 191 foot-pounds of torque. Second, you can upgrade to a 3.6-liter, V-6 engine making 305 horsepower and 269 foot-pounds of torque. Both direct injection engines are paired with a six-speed automatic transmission.

For the test model, the Z71 was outfitted with the V-6 engine. That motor offers very good off the start acceleration and imbues confidence on the road. For much of the time I operated the Colorado in 4×2 mode, switching to 4×4 while traversing gravel roads and for one all-to-brief mud slough passage. There was no quagmire here: the Colorado trampled through the fen with authority — I didn’t need to shift to a lower gear to traverse the moor.

On the road, the Z71 handles much like any other large truck and that’s a marvelous thing: the Colorado behaves more like a junior Silverado with its high profile, energetic engine and assured handling. The suspension system is aided by an independent arrangement up front and by leaf springs at the rear.

2015 Chevrolet Colorado Z71

Pickup Truck Quandary

Small pickup truck owners are extremely brand loyal, therefore Toyota Tacoma and Nissan Frontier owners aren’t likely to transition to Chevrolet in significant numbers. What this truck does is augment Chevrolet’s current offerings, to apprehend previous Colorado and S10 owners, while making a play for Ford Ranger and Dodge (Ram) Dakota owners who no longer have a new model to consider.

Perhaps the most significant question any prospective Colorado owner will ask is this one: should I purchase the Colorado or make the step up to the Silverado? At least with the current models that step is a much smaller one as the two pickup trucks are more alike than they are not.

2015 Chevrolet Colorado

Sticker price from $34,115
Price as tested: $36,710
Seats 5 occupants
3.6-liter 24-valve V-6 gasoline engine
305 horsepower @ 6,800 rpm
269 foot-pounds of torque @ 4,000 rpm
3.7 inches bore by 3.37 inches stroke
Engine compression ratio: 11.5-to-1
6-speed automatic transmission
Wheelbase: 128.3 inches
Length: 212.7 inches
Width: 74.3 inches
Height: 70.6 inches
Passenger volume: NR
Storage volume: 41.3 cubic feet
Towing capacity: 7,000 pounds
EPA: 17 mpg city, 24 mpg highway
Regular grade gasoline
Fuel tank: 21 gallons
Curb weight: From 4,380 pounds
IIHS safety rating: Not Yet Rated
Limited vehicle warranty: 3 years/36,000 miles
Powertrain warranty: 5 years/100,000 miles
Corrosion warranty: 6 years/100,000 miles
Vehicle assembly: Wentzville, Missouri

See Also — Chevrolet Silverado Z71: Top-End Pickup

Will Fiat Chrysler Rescue Mitsubishi?

September 23, 2014 by admin 1 Comment

Mitsubishi will supply pickup trucks to Fiat.

Mitsubishi I200 Pickup Truck — The next generation of this Mitsubishi L200 will also be sold by Fiat.

Fiat and Mitsubishi signed a “memorandum of understanding” or MOU last week, whereby the Japanese automotive manufacturer will supply 170,000 small pickup trucks to Fiat for six years reports Bloomberg. The Mitsubishi L200 is a midsize truck, one that will be sold by Fiat through its commercial vehicle arm in the Americas as well as in Europe. The US, however, is not expected to see the truck — at least not through this deal.

Mitsubishi: Back to the 1970s

The Fiat-Mitsubishi MOU once again involves Chrysler — although indirectly — a company that collaborated with Mitsubishi for decades, starting in the early 1970s when Chrysler purchased a 15 percent stake in the Japanese company. The Mitsubishi Galant got the alliance going when it was sold in America as the Dodge Colt, a full decade before Mitsubishi began selling vehicles stateside under its own banner. The two automakers continued with their relationship, later launching a joint venture in Illinois called Diamond-Star Motors.

Chrysler eventually sold its share of Diamond-Star to Mitsubishi and decreased its stake in the company, but continued to supply engines, transmissions and other parts well into the new century. After Daimler merged with Chrysler to form DaimlerChrysler (DCX), the new company took a 34 percent stake in Mitsubishi in a bid to establish a truly global presence.

See Also — Up Next: Ford-Volkswagen Tie-up?

Mergers, Acquisitions and Divestures

DCX gradually sold off its share in Mitsubishi, ending the relationship two years before Daimler and Chrysler split. During that time Mitsubishi forged other alliances, including with PSA Peugeot Citroen, something it maintains to this day. Mitsubishi is also in collaboration with Renault and has worked with Volkswagen and Proton.

Fiat and Chrysler are expected to complete their merger by the end of the year with the newly-minted Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, N.V. (FCA) establishing its global headquarters in London. Feeling the financial pinch from the pending merger, FCA will not have to devote its scant resources to develop a new truck, relying on Mitsubishi to supply fresh product instead.

A Ram Dakota Replacement?

The agreement could pave the way for the truck to be sold in North America, filling an important hole in the Ram lineup, one that opened when the Dakota was discontinued following the 2011 model year. With Chevrolet and GMC returning to the segment this year in the Colorado and Canyon respectively, Chrysler could follow suit if Mitsubishi amends its MOU to add more trucks and send an additional supply to America.

An amended agreement might also help Mitsubishi gain new found traction in a market where it is averaging fewer than 6,000 sales per month. Mitsubishi sales had been on a downward spiral until this year and are now up 29 percent through August. Although a direct rescue of Mitsubishi by Fiat Chrysler isn’t likely, supplying much-needed product will aid the fortunes of all concerned.

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Photo courtesy of Mitsubishi.