STYLING | 7 out of 10
Expert Quotes:
romp-and-stomp styling
Car and Driver
rugged disposition
Edmunds
trying to emulate many of the Titan's styling features
Car and Driver
Compact or mid-size trucks like the Nissan Frontier do casual duty as leisure and commuting vehicles probably more often than they're work rigs; yet the Frontier has changed very little in recent years to meet evolving tastes--especially rapidly-changing expectations about truck interiors. That said, the 2013 Frontier still has charisma, and strikes a sweet spot between spartan and spunky.
It's true, from a styling or design standpoint you can only do so much before you lose functionality. Considering that, the Frontier still manages a buff, brawny look from the outside, and at least from the exterior it's the coolest of the smaller trucks (admittedly, the bar is low, with the only other entry now being the Toyota Tacoma). The Frontier's carlike fenders swell and curve at the wheel wells, while the grille makes a valiant attempt to fair itself into the surrounding metal, although it looks a bit like an afterthought.
We'll call the interior design straightforward, but it's not at all charming, but its dash design and trims feel a decade on (as they are). It's straightforward, rather low-set for the truck, and a little less fluid in layout and somewhat more plasticky compared to the larger trucks.
Conclusion
The Frontier looks handsome and tough on the outside, although inside the design is showing its age.
