Nissan Frontier Crew Cab for 2000 is First Quad-Cab Compact
By Vince Bodiford
Automotive Editor
Take a good look at the body style of the new Nissan Frontier crew-cab
pickup. It is a style you are going to see on many other compact and full-sized
pickup brands - including Ford, Dodge and even a Cadillac sport-utility
quad-cab pickup. It is the shape of things to come in a segment
that is adding more specialized body types.
Sport utility vehicles are fun. They are versatile. But today, the wild
popularity of these vehicles has led the manufacturers to design
- andeven build some body styles and models that are hybrid
breeds. These hybrids are a cross between a pickup and
SUV. The 2000 Nissan Frontier crew-cab is the first such
hybrid in its class to enter the market.
Sport utility vehicles are really
meant to be workhorses - to haul people, cargo, trailers in a variety of on,
and off-road conditions.
Most do the job well, and the Frontier successfully combines the
attributes of both a pickup and enclosed SUV into one package.
The bed is 20 inches shorter
than the standard bed Frontier, but placing a larger passenger
cabin farther aft has improved the center of gravity and
improved driving stability and handling. It does not have the
typical lightweight rear-end feel of a standard compact pickup.
It has far better lateral stability than its Xterra cousin,
and its ride is softer than the standard-cab pickup.
Mechanically heavy-duty, the crew cab is built on a full ladder
frame that provides torsional strength and rigidity that
resists twisting.
Welded dual frame cross members reduce
floor vibration. Front suspension
uses double-wishbone and stabilizer bars, and a rear suspension
rigid axle with multi-leaf springs and stabilizer bar.
Available in both two-wheel drive
and four-wheel drive, the crew cab is equipped with Nissan's proven 3.3-liter
V6 engine. Making 170
horsepower and 200 ft.-lbs. of torque, the engine was developed
to have a broad, flat torque curve, developing 90 percent
of its maximum torque at just 1,500 rpm - where it's most
needed for off-roading and towing.
The four-wheel drive system has automatic
locking hubs that shift-on-the-fly
up to 25 mph. An automatic or manual transmission is available,
and a four-channel, four-sensor, four-wheel anti-lock braking
system stops the Frontier in a short, stabilized distance.
Built at Nissan's Smyrna, Ga. plant,
the crew cab has a base price of $21,190 - ours was equipped with the optional power package
($1,080) and destination charges ($520) bringing the final
sticker to $22,790 without tax, license or dealer fees.
The exterior "tough look"
is offset by a softer, more comfortable
interior with the qualities of a sedan. There is more rear
passenger room than any extra-cab compact pickup, and the
real back doors offer easier access. Inside, there is full
carpeting, front bucket and rear bench seating, child seat
anchors, center console, left and right armrests, four
cupholders, upgraded stereo system and auxiliary 12-volt power
port. At night, the cabin is well lit. The instruments and
controls are large, well marked and easy to use.
The new compact crew cab pickups are among the most exciting new entries
for 2000, and the Nissan Frontier crew cab is the benchmark
for the models to follow. The Nissan line-up for 2000 includes
some popular and innovative models.
The Xterra is the all-new SUV, the Maxima with an all-new design
and 20 more horsepower, the Frontier pickups including
the crew cab, the Frontier Desert Runner, the Altima with
a new look and better performance, and the all-new Sentra
that will debut in January.
