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2009 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab

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2009 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab Review

By KBB.com Editorial Staff

The days of the compact pickup are fast closing. Witness the 2009 Nissan Frontier, a once-compact contender that has grown in size, power and weight. Along the way, it has also grown in capability and passenger comfort, placing it in the same general category as the mid-size Dodge Dakota and Toyota Tacoma. The Frontier has much in common with its larger sibling, the Titan, offering a fully-boxed frame, Nissan's adjustable Utili-track Bed Channel System and a spray-in bed liner. With one of the most powerful V6 engines in its class, the Frontier offers superior towing with excellent acceleration. Although bargain shoppers may lament the absence of a standard-cab model, the four-cylinder King Cab is still an affordable truck, priced under $20,000.

You'll Like This Car If...

If you need a truck that hauls, tows and loves to get dirty, but don't want to deal with the mass of a full-size pickup, the 2009 Nissan Frontier will impress you with its capability, utility and refined ride.

You May Not Like This Car If...

Even though the Frontier's V6 is impressively smooth and powerful, if your workload – or playload – absolutely demands a big V8, then you'll have to look elsewhere. Also, the Frontier does not offer a standard-cab model.

What's New for 2009

The 2009 Nissan Frontier receives a revised front end and new grille, as well as new 16- and 18-inch wheels. Also new for 2009 is a PRO-4X model on both the King and LE Crew Cab models. The PRO-4X package adds a long list of goodies including Bilstein shocks, additional skid plates, electronic rear differential locker and off-road tires.

Driving the Frontier Crew Cab

Driving Impressions That we expected more acceleration from the Frontier's V6 says more about our imprudent expectations than it does about the engine. With 261 horsepower and 281 pound-feet of torque, this...

4.0-liter variant of the acclaimed engine found in the company's 350Z, Maxima and Infiniti G37 might be the smoothest, strongest V6 engine ever put in a pickup. In addition, the 2009 Nissan Frontier handles and rides better than some sedans. Big mirrors contribute to a fair amount of wind noise, but overall the cabin is quiet and comfortable, especially for a pickup with such noteworthy capabilities. Our long test drive concluded with some serious rock-crawling on a Texas ranch, which, thanks in large part to its stiff frame and powerful engine, the Frontier negotiated effortlessly.

Favorite Features

Utili-track Bed Channel System
Movable and removable cleats make it easy to transport even cumbersome cargo loads safely.

Fully-Boxed Frame
The Frontier's stiff frame provides the foundation for the pickup's sedan-like ride and handling and its sturdy off-road capability.

2009 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab Details

Interior

The Frontier's purposeful interior is defined by its flexibility. King Cab models feature smaller rear-hinged rear doors that provide access to flip-up rear seats, while Crew Cab models feature traditional rear doors and a more conventional back seat. Both models offer removable storage boxes beneath the rear seats, plus an available fold-flat front passenger seat for increased interior cargo flexibility. The Frontier's cabin features dual stacked glove boxes, multiple 12-volt power points and one-liter cup holders integrated into the front doors. Leather seating is among the Frontier's more indulgent options.

Exterior

With its "angled strut" grille and sharp, pronounced fender flares, the 2009 Nissan Frontier is unmistakable as a direct descendent of the company's daunting full-size Titan pickup, although more athletic looking than its larger sibling. The Frontier offers a number of pickup-truck firsts, such as the Utili-track tie-down system that features moveable cargo hooks located in a five-rail in-bed system. Nissan also offers a spray-in bed liner as well as a number of off-road upgrades, skid plates and wheel options.

Notable Equipment

Standard Equipment

In base XE trim, the 2009 Nissan Frontier is equipped with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 152 horsepower and 171 pound-feet of torque, a five-speed manual transmission, four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes (ABS) with Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD) and 15-inch steel wheels. Five and six-foot bed lengths are available on the Crew Cab, while the King Cab offers only a six-foot bed.

Optional Equipment

Features not included at base sticker price include the 4.0-liter six-cylinder engine, five-speed automatic or six-speed manual transmission, four-wheel drive, Utili-track Bed Channel System, factory-applied spray-on bedliner, single-CD sound system, six-disc in-dash sound system with MP3 playback, air conditioning, power door locks/windows/mirrors, keyless entry, front side-impact airbags, Dealer installed portable navigation unit, Vehicle Dynamic Control stability control system and front and rear side-curtain airbags. The PRO-4X off-road model includes skid plates, Hill Descent Control and Hill Start Assist features, Utili-track system, an on-demand electronic locking rear differential and Bilstein performance shocks. LE trims can be outfitted with power driver's and passengers seats, leather seating surfaces and a power glass moonroof.

Under the Hood

The economical four-cylinder engine is offered only on the two-wheel-drive XE King Cab, which might become an issue if gasoline prices continue to remain volatile. The V6 is plenty powerful and does offer the choice between a manual and automatic transmission, but all that power and performance comes at the expense of fuel economy.

2.5-liter in-line 4
152 horsepower @ 5200 rpm
171 lb.-ft. of torque @ 4400 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 19/23 (2WD, manual), 17/22 (2WD, automatic)

4.0-liter V6
261 horsepower @ 5600 rpm
281 lb.-ft. of torque @ 4000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 16/20 (2WD, manual), 15/20 (2WD, automatic), 15/19 (4WD)

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2009 Nissan Frontier Consumer Reviews

Overall Rating

4.6

Out of 5

Based on 416 Ratings for the 2005 - 2012 Nissan Frontier models.

Review this car

Value

4.5/5

Quality

4.5/5
Reliability

4.8/5

Performance

4.6/5
Comfort

4.3/5

Styling

4.6/5

The more I drive it the more I like it............

By Rus (CA) on Thursday, February 09, 2012

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 46,000

5 4.0

overall rating 4 of 5rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 4/5
Value: 5/5
Reliability: 5/5
Quality: 5/5
Performance: 4/5
Styling: 5/5
Comfort: 4/5

Pros: "Great, solid truck"

Cons: "Bit of a stiff ride on rough roads"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"Plenty of power, 22-23 miles per gallon highway, passengers in the back seat have plenty of room. Took it on a 3500 mile family vacation and was very happy with performance on hills and adverse weather."

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Simply Awesome

By dman (IA) on Sunday, January 29, 2012

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 70,000

5 5.0

overall rating 5 of 5rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 5/5
Value: 5/5
Reliability: 5/5
Quality: 5/5
Performance: 4/5
Styling: 4/5
Comfort: 5/5

Pros: "So fun to drive"

Cons: "No issues at all"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"Best vehicle I have ever owned. Reliable, powerful and fun. Looks awesome. It's 6 years old and still looks new. People say to me "That's my next truck.""

1 person out of 1 found this review helpful

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