Nissan just announced that the all-new Frontier pickup should arrive this summer. The new truck has basically the same bones as the previous generation, but the outside gets a much-needed styling update. However, those of you not wanting to spend new car money on a mid-size truck may want to peek at the used market where great examples of the Froniter can be had for cheap.
The Frontier often plays second-fiddle to the Tacoma and Toyota’s pickup often commands some silly prices in the pre-owned market. I have shopped for a number of used Tacomas for clients only for them to come to the conclusion that sometimes it’s cheaper just to buy a new one. While most people consider the Tacoma to be practically indestructible, that doesn’t mean you are going to have reliability issues if you choose the Nissan. A well-cared-for Frontier can potentially make it a million miles and still keep humming. David Tracy found that the Frontier is an underrated gem among the segment and had a blast taking it off road.
Pricing has not yet been released for the 2022 Frontier but the current truck starts around $29,000 for a two-wheel-drive S model with the PRO-4 trims pushing the $40,000 mark. I would imagine the updated version will stay within a similar price point.
But not everyone wants or needs to spend upwards of $700 per month on a car loan when excellent examples can be had for much less. An Autotrader search for Nissan Frontiers with under 100,000 miles with a price cap of $15,000 reveals about 200 trucks. While a good chunk of these listings are two-wheel drive, four-cylinder models with King Cab configurations (short rear doors), it’s not difficult to find V6 models and full-doors.
If most truck buyers were really honest with themselves they probably wouldn’t buy a monster F-150 that can tow a yacht because a $15,000 Frontier will likely handle almost any #truckstuff job you can throw at it while keeping a lot of cash in your pocket.