Motoring: 2024 Nissan Frontier is a stylish workhorse

Nissan’s Frontier is a powerful mid-size pickup truck, one that would be a perfect fit for those in the trades, hauling gear, off-roading, or running errands in town. With multiple cab and bed variations, it handily does actual truck stuff when you don't need the payload of a full-size.

For the 2024 model year, Frontier offers an extended king cab and a larger crew cab. A 5-foot bed of 40 cubic feet is standard with the two-door king cab, but one can opt for the crew cab’s longer 6-foot one bed with an additional 10 cubic feet of cargo space. The new Hardbody Edition ($3,890) available on the SV Crew Cab 4x4 bestows a starting price of $42,095. Built in Canton, Mississippi, with 86 percent American parts, the base price is a relatively low $32,020.

Essentially, the Hardbody Edition is a loaded SV Crew Cab featuring 17-inch Heritage Alloy Wheels, Hankook Dynapro AT2 all-terrain tires, fender flares, black front and rear bumpers, black outside mirrors and door handles, and black grille and lower fascia side rails.

The cargo bed rail system, replete with changeable tie-downs, makes it easier to secure bulky furniture, refrigerators and lumber. There is a sports bar mounted behind the cab. Fitted with step rails, entry and egress are easy for adults and even more accessible for children.

Under the hood, we find a naturally aspirated 3.8-liter V-6 engine flowing 310 horsepower to a nine-speed automatic transmission with a further choice between Rear-Wheel Drive or Four-Wheel Drive. EPA mileage estimates are less-than-stellar at 18 mpg per city gallon and 24 highway.

Maximum towing capacity is a capable 6180 pounds, enough to pull a modestly sized camper. In comparison, the max payload in the bed is a whopping 1,610 pounds. Frontier takes nearly eight seconds to accelerate from zero to 6 mph, which is a little slow.

Early on in this story, I mentioned off-roading, more precisely, off-roading lite. This rough-and-tumble capability is possible thanks to the front aluminum skid plate and companion steel rock rails protecting the oil pan and undercarriage.

On the dashboard resides a modest 7.0-inch color display. Truth be told, who needs a bigger screen? The Frontier I drove boasted leather upholstery and a 10-speaker Fender stereo system that, to my ears, sounds at least as clear as a Bose. Heated front seats and a steering wheel are a worthy option. Typical for a pickup of this class, it's a tight squeeze in the back while seated on the 60/40-split flip-up rear bench. Do not underestimate the dashboard-accessible bin and under-seat storage area in the rear, which is good for securing valuables from prying eyes.

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Finally, Frontier is outfitted with the Nissan Safety Shield 360 system/driver-assistance technology, though only as an option, except for the automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection. Additional safety features — must-have items — include lane-departure warning and adaptive cruise control.

Purchase of a Frontier includes a three-year trial of NissanConnect Services. This connected feature works with the MyNissan app and allows drivers to remotely lock and unlock doors, remotely start or stop the engine, view a vehicle health report, make emergency calls, and add Nissan Skill for your old buddy Amazon Alexa.

Finally, the Frontier Crew Cab's NHTSA four-star rating, includes a four-star rating in the front crash test, a five-star rating in the side crash test, and a three-star rating in the rollover evaluation.

Automotive journalist, Tim Banse, wrote The Gazette’s Motoring car review column from 1989 to 2013 and has published stories in Popular Mechanics and Yachting magazine. He’s toured carmaker factory floors in the U.S. and Japan and raced cars at Riverside, Watkins Glen, and Michigan International Raceway press events. He’s stood close enough to a crash test to feel the shock wave reverberate off his chest. His first car was a vintage ‘56 Chevy Belair.