The first new Frontier in 17 years has arrived, but can it match up to the current Ranger?
New Kid
There was a time, not long ago when only Nissan and Toyota bothered to compete in the mid-size truck segment. Then, Ford brought the Ranger back after the Chevy Colorado debuted, and now this space is highly competitive. Regardless, Nissan soldiered on without bothering to redo the Frontier for a whopping 17 years until now. Now, a brand new Frontier is here, and we're going to take a look at how it stacks up to the Ranger.
Photos: Ford
Styling
Styling is subjective, but for the most part, the new Frontier has received universal praise for its angular and modern design. By comparison, the Ranger is still a handsome truck but is admittedly getting a little long in the tooth as this generation has been on sale around the globe since 2011. Regardless, styling is a love it or hate it sort of thing, so we'll leave that decision up to the masses.
Photos: Nissan
>>Come chat about the Ranger vs the Frontier right here in Ford-trucks.com.
Interior - Frontier
Compared to its bold exterior design, the interior of the new Frontier is pretty conservative. The theme here is "outdoor adventure gear," and everything looks like it was designed to hold up to abuse. Otherwise, the highlights here include a 9-inch infotainment touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility, a 7-inch digital gauge display flanked by traditional gauges, and a Wi-Fi hot spot.
Photos: Nissan
>>Come chat about the Ranger vs the Frontier right here in Ford-trucks.com.
Interior - Ranger
The Ranger's interior is likewise status quo for the segment, as designers chose a more conservative approach rather than trying to reinvent the wheel and risk alienating buyers. Here you'll find an 8-inch touchscreen with Ford's SYNC 3 operating system and Android Auto/Apple CarPlay functionality, as well as Wi-Fi connectivity.
Photos: Ford
>>Come chat about the Ranger vs the Frontier right here in Ford-trucks.com.
Variants
Those that like to conquer some lighter off-road trails every now and then can do so with either of these trucks. The Frontier Pro-4X comes with Bilstein shocks, an electronic locking rear differential, skid plates, and other goodies. Meanwhile, the Ranger Tremor offers up a lifted suspension, Fox shocks, multi-leaf rear, and much more for enthusiasts.
Photos: Ford
>>Come chat about the Ranger vs the Frontier right here in Ford-trucks.com.
Power
The Ranger, as it has since it arrived in 2019, makes do with one engine and transmission option - Ford's 2.3-liter EcoBoost V6 making 270 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque, mated to a 10-speed automatic. Meanwhile, the new Frontier utilizes a naturally-aspirated 3.8-liter V6 that makes 310 horsepower and 281 pound-feet of torque and a 9-speed gearbox.
Photos: Nissan
>>Come chat about the Ranger vs the Frontier right here in Ford-trucks.com.
Pricing
The Ranger features a starting MSRP of $24,820, while Tremor shoppers must add $4,290 to the cost of the $28,870 XLT or $32,910 Lariat. Pricing for the Frontier hasn't been announced yet, but the previous-gen model started out at $26,790 for the base model and $37,490 for the Pro-4X. Which one performs better on- and off-road remains to be seen, but we'll be eagerly anticipating a real-world comparison test between the two.
Photos: Ford
>>Come chat about the Ranger vs the Frontier right here in Ford-trucks.com.
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