2022 Nissan Frontier Vs. Toyota Tacoma, Ford Ranger, Chevy Colorado, Jeep Gladiator
The 2022 Nissan Frontier is arriving into a midsize pickup truck market that's hotter than it has been in years, arguably decades. And it's taking an interesting approach with just one engine option and a platform derived from its ancient predecessor. We won't know exactly how it fares until we get a chance to drive it for ourselves, but Nissan did provide us with quite a few juicy technical specs, and you know what that means: it's time to compare the numbers with the competition.
We've rounded up basically all the small pickup players here. We've got the Frontier's homegrown rival, the Toyota Tacoma, as well as the current crop from America, the Ford Ranger, Chevy Colorado and Jeep Gladiator. We've got all the raw numbers in the spreadsheet below. Following that you'll find highlights and analysis of each category including powertrains, size and capability, and pricing.
The Nissan has abandoned the four-cylinder engine altogether for this generation, opting for a standard 3.8-liter V6, the largest displacement engine of the group. The only other automaker to offer a single engine is Ford with the Ranger's turbocharged four-cylinder. Both of these trucks lay claim to bests in class for engines. The Frontier makes the most horsepower, and the Ranger has the most torque for a gas engine. The Ranger also gets to claim the best combined fuel economy for a gas engine. The Chevy Colorado deserves some mention, though, as its V6 makes nearly as much power and torque as the Nissan.
If, for whatever reason, you prefer a naturally aspirated four-cylinder, only Toyota and Chevy still offer one. The Chevy's offers the most power and torque, and it's also more efficient than the Toyota engine. The Chevy can also be paired with four-wheel drive, whereas the four-cylinder Tacoma is only available with two-wheel drive.