Nissan Frontier as family expedition vehicle?

[ne_dan]

I currently drive a 2wd expedition, but I want to get something that I can have ready to go at a moments notice, all loaded up. I plan on longer camping trips in the summer and winter camping here at home, south Florida, this winter.

If you have a full-size now get a Tahoe or Suburban.

 

[kootenay]

We have used our Pro4x for huge multiweek camping road trips as well as weekend getaways. My two daughters are 10 and there is plenty of space for them, right now, including the yellow lab or a friend in the back. My wife wants a bigger family road tripper, but wont give up her Tiguan. The space is good in my mind, its more a problem with my wife's packing style. Lots of last minute bags that need to be in the cab. When partnered with a small trailer it was awesome. Previously we had a Chevy Avalanche and the space was better in that, and so were the seats. The rear seats in the Avalanche fit 3 Adults comfortably, I can't say the same about the Frontier.

If your idea is mostly road trips or gravel roads a 1/2ton is hard to beat. If you want to explore more on technical trails I love the size of the Frontier. My biggest complaint with the stock Pro4x is the rear springs, get old man EMU dakars right away. My second complaint was the seats, I replaced mine with some from a Titan, they are crazy comfortable. Take a look at my instagram account if you want to see some of the places we have gone with ours. @kootsfrontier . When we were down in Sedona this spring we hiked the broken arrow trail, and saw lots of Pink Jeep tours going around, this peaked my families interest, the next day we drove it in the Frontier and they loved it. I do not want to think about dragging a 1/2 ton around that trail.

 

[IAm_Not_Lost]

I love my Frontier. In my opinion based on the comparison between Frontier and Tacoma you are getting more for your money with the Frontier. The backseats are cramped for adults but fine for children. Very comfortable to drive, better seating position than the Tacoma. Payload is standard midsize capacity, about 1000-1200 or so depending on trim.

Only downside I have run into with the Frontier is the lack of accessories when compared to the Tacoma. Not that there isn't enough, just that the Tacoma get's all the aftermarket love.

 

[Munga Brown]

I'm with IANLost.

 

[AbleGuy]

I do suggest the 4 door with the 6 foot bed. It is not available in the Pro4X model, just SV.

Just one stupid reason why Nissan continues to lurk around towards last place in truck sales.

There’s absolutely no reason for canceling the KingCab ProX model. They made them until recently. But now their suicidal business model is to severely limit customer choices.

 

[docwatson]

There’s absolutely no reason for canceling the KingCab ProX model. They made them until recently. But now their suicidal business model is to severely limit customer choices.

What are you talking about? I am sure they are few and far between but they exist and can be purchased new

 

[justbecause]

I doubt eliminating any frontier model is going to be suicide for nissan. The ex-cab pro4x probably makes up a tiny portion of their overall sales. I have never even seen one in person...

 

[mybigwarwagon]

I rented a Frontier recently and was pleased with it. If ai had to buy a new small truck it would get my vote. Easy to get in and out of, comfortable, and not horrible back seat room for kids.

 

[AbleGuy]

I doubt eliminating any frontier model is going to be suicide for nissan. The ex-cab pro4x probably makes up a tiny portion of their overall sales. I have never even seen one in person...

In referring to limiting consumer choices, I'm talking additionally about the sad, single engine choice in the new model of the Titan. I'm not knocking the actual Frontier...I've actually been trying to buy one. I'm knocking management. Their truck sales continue to decline dramatically. In 2019, the Frontier sales while making a brief uptick, were down the last quarter over the same period the previous year by about 14% and the Titan sales slid almost 50%! Clearly, management is not doing things right...

BTW, my local dealer told me I could not get the 2020 ProX in a king cab LB. Supposedly I would have to get a crew cab SB if I wanted the Pro-X trim. Supposedly..... And unfortunately I can’t find any clear, reliable info on that online either (Many of the articles I’ve found on the 2020 lineup are comically badly auto- translated and don’t even start to make sense!).

The(and if I could get this GD worthless POS Ipad to work properly, maybe I could get some more info on this...but ever since I installed the most recent Apple IOS, it won load web pages without crashing....if you have an iPad, don’t load the newest update!)

 

[IAm_Not_Lost]

In referring to limiting consumer choices, I'm talking additionally about the sad, single engine choice in the new model of the Titan. I'm not knocking the actual Frontier...I've actually been trying to buy one. I'm knocking management. Their truck sales continue to decline dramatically. In 2019, the Frontier sales while making a brief uptick, were down the last quarter over the same period the previous year by about 14% and the Titan sales slid almost 50%! Clearly, management is not doing things right...

I am only speaking to the Frontier, but it's sales have been very high considering how long it has been the same truck. Sales over the past few years have been the highest they have literally ever been, beating out the first few years when it was brand new. Nissan is just coasting on a product that continues to sell and not having to spend money on new R&D, equipment, training, exc.

2010: 40K sold
2011: 51K sold
2012: 59K sold
2013: 62K sold
2014: 74K sold
2015: 62K sold
2016: 86k sold
2017: 74K sold
2018: 79K sold
2019 ytd: 62K sold (still needing november and december numbers, should finish the year at about 74-76K thousand sold)

 

[AbleGuy]

I am only speaking to the Frontier, but it's sales have been very high considering how long it has been the same truck. Sales over the past few years have been the highest they have literally ever been, beating out the first few years when it was brand new. Nissan is just coasting on a product that continues to sell and not having to spend money on new R&D, equipment, training, exc.

2010: 40K sold
2011: 51K sold
2012: 59K sold
2013: 62K sold
2014: 74K sold
2015: 62K sold
2016: 86k sold
2017: 74K sold
2018: 79K sold
2019 ytd: 62K sold (still needing november and december numbers, should finish the year at about 74-76K thousand sold)

Despite those otherwise impressive numbers, after peaking three years ago, the Frontier sales seem to have been steadily declining for these past three years.

this year...

 

[AbleGuy]

But again, I’m not slamming the boring, old Frontier. As I said, I’ve been trying to buy one (lost out recently on a pretty nice deal on a low mileage King Cab Pro X due to an unresponsive seller).

The total annual sales figures aren’t anything to brag about compared to other brands, but I think one of the main reasons that these Frontiers have continued to sell probably is because, compared to all of the other brands, they’re remaining somewhat affordable.


Still, overall though, one has to wonder if this brand is going to stay viable in the US as in 2019 once again, it’s suffered pretty constant consecutive model wide monthly sales declines.

 

[utherjorge]

I have my eye out for a either a solid Pro-4x with the black leather interior or a long-bed SV with the same from 2013 or so onward. It may sound somewhat lame, but this is why I bought my 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan new, and I would buy the same model (still makin' it, it appears) with no hesitation. They have had a lot of time to sort out the boogers and gremlins, and I'm happier as analog as I can be.

 

[colodak]

I have a '15 Frontier CCLB with the Value truck package, which adds some nice creature features. The biggest downside is aftermarket, however, there are still a lot of great sources: Nisstec Lifts, Shrockworks, HeftyFab Works, Fat Bob's, and others. I have 115K on mine and still love it, the only parts of my suspension that are still stock are the lower control arms. I'm currently running OME HD shocks/springs in the front with a 2" spacer, and OME regular duty rear springs with Nisstec adjustable shackles, currently I'm about 3/4 on my lift, I could easily drop the rear by .5". Unladen, or lightly laden, mine does ride rough over expansion joints, but I've gotten used to it. In my case, it's the wife, dog and I, no kids. But, one thing I hear a lot, I use mine to drive for Uber and Lyft on the weekends, I get a lot of Tacoma people commenting about how roomy the Frontier is. One area where I will give props to Toyota, there is significantly more aftermarket items for customizing the interior, as well the dash and door panels don't feel as cheap, since the Frontier is all plastic. Recently I got a quote of $800 to make custom fabric door panel inserts, haven't done it yet, but still might.

 

[SnowedIn]

The all plastic interior is a lot more weather resistant and dries faster, I wouldn't trade it for fabric.

The only regret I have about my short bed is that I didn't get a cargo rack over the bed (Frontrunner, in my case) sooner.

Short bed with a rack will hold much more stuff for trips than a long bed without one. Long bed with a cap may hold more overall, but access is lousy and it's (obviously) longer. Long bed without a rack or cap is just inferior all around unless you need to move really large objects.

Road trips present pickup beds with security issues if you're stopping at hotels; the solution to this with a rack is to carabiner and cam buckle strap/net the most or all of the luggage you intend to bring inside the hotel on top of the rack in dry bags, and have your other cargo in the bed inside containers that are too large to pull out from under the rack. (helps to size the rack fairly close to the bed size) This also works well for weight distribution.

You can smash out a cap window fairly easily, but a rack and be installed with tamper-resistant hardware and would require a sawzall.