2008 Nissan Frontier

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By  Marty Padgett, Executive Editor

2008 Nissan Frontier XE
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 2008 NISSAN FRONTIER STYLING | [7 out of 10]

ConsumerGuide: "carves out a nice niche for itself"
Car and Driver: "romp-and-stomp styling"
Edmunds: "top pick in the midsize pickup class"
Cars.com: "relatively unchanged"

TheCarConnection.com found that there's nothing spectacular about the 2008 Nissan Frontier's styling, but it still manages to have a lot of appeal.

Although it is often referred to as compact class, the 2008 Nissan Frontier is truly a mid-size pickup, offering a six-foot bed and two extended cab lengths, including a King Cab and a Crew Cab. Crew Cabs offer the standard five-foot bed, but the six-foot bed is available on the SE and LE models of this size 2008 Nissan Frontier. Automobile observes, “Despite this, the Frontier is at the smallish end of the new mid-size range,” while also includes the Dodge Dakota and Toyota Tacoma. The 2008 Frontier is what ConsumerGuide refers to as a "middle-of-the-pack size"; with its design and style, it "carves out a nice niche for itself in the compact-pickup market."

Edmunds likes its “rugged disposition.” Car and Driver appreciates the Frontier’s "romp-and-stomp styling." Cars.com took notice of its “grille with angled chrome inserts and chrome-plated bumpers” and “short front and rear overhangs and large geometric fender flares.”

Edmunds is one of the few sources to describe the interior. “The roomy cabins offer straightforward controls, comfortable front seats and an attractive design,” they note.

TheCarConnection.com’s editors have driven the Frontier. Nissan’s style is a good mix of straight struck lines and some carlike curves around the large chrome-bar grille and at the lower edge of the side-rear windows. Grey plastic and orange markings trim the interior, and though the plastics and fabrics look inexpensive, the design is straightforward and logical.

Conclusion: The 2008 Nissan Frontier offers a style that mid-size truck buyers are looking for.

2008 NISSAN FRONTIER PERFORMANCE | [7 out of 10]

Edmunds: "good highway ride"
ConsumerGuide: "strong from a stop"
Car and Driver: "drives better than expected"

The 2008 Nissan Frontier offers performance that is to be expected of a rough-and-tumble mid-size truck.

The 2008 Nissan Frontier is available with a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder that creates 152 hp coupled with 171 pound-feet of torque, “making it a decent choice only for those who need a low-cost, light-duty work truck,” Edmunds says.

The optional engine is a 4.0-liter V-6 that builds up 261 hp and 281 pound-feet of torque. ConsumerGuide makes note of the fact that the automatic V-6 "kicks down quickly for good midrange passing punch." Car and Driver says, “the Frontier stands out in its segment, thanks to its excellent 261-hp V-6 engine and its stellar steering and on-road handling.” Automobile says the V-6 Frontier “launches the 4x4 Crew Cab from 0 to 60 mph in just over eight seconds.”

A five-speed automatic transmission and a six-speed manual transmission are both available on the 2008 Frontier, depending on the trim level and engine size. Edmunds says the six-cylinder’s “automatic transmission delivers perfectly timed shifts whether you're maneuvering in traffic or flinging the truck around in the sand.”

Fuel economy ranges from 19/23 mpg with the four-cylinder manual versions to 14/19 mpg with the big V-6, automatic Frontier. The V-6 engine is also available in a four-wheel-drive option, and as Edmunds says, "Frontier 4x4s are capable off-road, thanks to a maximum 10.1 inches of ground clearance and plenty of suspension travel."

The 2008 Nissan Frontier’s ride is also better than that of most pickup trucks, and ConsumerGuide calls the ride "absorbent," pointing out that passengers notice bumps, but they don't jar like they do in some off-road vehicles. Car and Driver also points out that the 2008 Nissan Frontier’s “structure is extremely solid,” and “the steering is tight and accurate.” Edmunds reports that “ride quality on pavement is surprisingly good for a compact/midsize pickup truck, and the steering is tight and communicative.”

Conclusion: The 2008 Nissan Frontier has unexpectedly reasonable performance with the optional V-6 engine; four-cylinders are best left to work-truck duty.

2008 NISSAN FRONTIER COMFORT AND QUALITY | [8 out of 10]

Edmunds: "spacious interior"
ConsumerGuide: "Hard plastic abounds"
Car and Driver: "Four-door is short on bed size"
Cars.com: "has grown on the inside"

Most reviewers think the room in a 2008 Nissan Frontier is fitting for its size, but some want a higher-quality interior.

The 2008 Nissan Frontier comes in four-door King Cab and Crew Cab versions. The former configuration includes front-hinged rear access doors and flip-up backseats, while the latter comes with conventional rear-hinged doors and a full-sized bench seat.

Reviewers mostly agree on the interior roominess and quality of the Nissan 2008 Frontier. The interior is called "spacious" by Edmunds, and ConsumerGuide says there is "good six-footer headroom and legroom" in the front seat. This is because, with the extended bed options, the interior of the truck has grown, making it more of a mid-size pickup than a compact truck. The Crew Cab has more interior space than the King Cab, but even in the Crew Cab, the backseat is considered too small or uncomfortable for adults to ride in.

Thoughts on the quality of the interior of the truck are mixed. As Car and Driver states, "Interior quality is above average for the segment, as many of the Frontier's interior pieces are shared with the Nissan Xterra sport-utility vehicle," while ConsumerGuide explicitly believes that the interior "all looks low-buck" due to hard plastic on most surfaces.

TheCarConnection.com adds that there is also quite a bit of storage space available, both in the bed and the cabin of the Nissan 2008 Frontier. The availability of options on bed length (with five- or six-foot choices available) allows the buyer to choose the proper bed depending on the space they need. The rear seats in the extended cabs can flip up, providing storage space on the inside, as well as security and protection for important items.

A "high-utility" pickup bed includes both a factory-applied spray-in bed liner and a "Utili-track" cargo tie-down system. The longest bed, though, is six feet long, which limits somewhat its workhorse utility. The 2008 Nissan Frontier can tow up to 6,500 pounds.

Conclusion: The 2008 Nissan Frontier has comfortable front seats, but utility depends on how many doors or how much bed capacity you need.

2008 NISSAN FRONTIER SAFETY | [8 out of 10]

IIHS: Highest overall rating of "good" for front impacts; "marginal" for side impacts
Cars.com: "All-disc antilock brakes are standard"
NHTSA: Four stars for front impacts; five stars for side impacts

TheCarConnection.com finds that the Nissan Frontier 2008 model offers many safety specs and features, which helped it earn high ratings in government crash tests.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) rates the 2008 Nissan Frontier at four stars for front impacts and five stars for side impacts. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gives the Frontier its top rating of “good” for front impact tests, and "marginal" for side impact tests.

Standard safety features on the 2008 Nissan Frontier includes anti-lock brakes and front airbags. Stability control and side airbags are available as options, as are curtain airbags.

Car and Driver notes that additional safety features that come standard on all trim levels include "active headrests for the front seats" as well as a tire pressure monitoring system and seatbelt pretensioners.

Conclusion: The 2008 Nissan Frontier performs well in crash tests, but many safety features are options on the base version.

2008 NISSAN FRONTIER FEATURES | [9 out of 10]

Edmunds: "innovative bed features"
Jalopnik: "beds more than 13 inches longer than standard models"
Car and Driver: "offers a Technology package"

The 2008 Nissan Frontier has many different features to appeal to a wide range of buyers.

Some features in the 2008 Nissan Frontier are completely off the menu, like a regular-cab version, many reviews note. Other features, like the utility bed package, make up for that omission. As Cars.com points out, the utility bed package is "now standard on Nismo-equipped King Cab Frontiers." This feature supplies the truck with a spray-in bed liner, as well as a "Utili-track" tie-down system.

There are also other features available, including a choice of wheel sizes going all the way up to 17 inches.

A limited-slip differential, leather seats, a high-powered Rockford Fosgate audio system, and a choice of either XM or Sirius Satellite Radio can be ordered. For 2008, Nissan's Frontier also offers Bluetooth.

Edmunds observes that "options packages get automatically lumped together," which forces buyers to spend more money on an entire package even if there is just one single option they are interested in.

Conclusion: There are many features available for the 2008 Nissan Frontier, particularly utility features for the bed.