TFLtruck recently reported February 2014 sales figures for pickup trucks and commercial vans. One piece of data stood out from the rest. The 2014 Nissan Frontier sold 5,791 units and grew February 2014 sales 111.7% over the same month last year. This midsize pickup kept huge sales momentum and more than doubled its sales without any redesign, refresh, or facelift. What could be the secret sauce behind this success?
TFLtruck reached out to Nissan with the question. The answer revolves around the engine, more specifically the good-old 2.5-liter four cylinder gas burner. The dealerships identified the increased interest in the more affordable, lighter, and more efficient four cylinder Frontier. Nissan listened and adjusted the supply chain with a higher concentration of four bangers.
The 2.5-liter produces 152 hp @ 5,200 rpm and 171 lb-ft @ 4,400 rpm. This power is not something to write home about, but the engine comes with many benefits.
- $17,900 starting price for the Frontier S model
- available 5-speed manual transmission
- 19 MPG city and 23 MPG highway for the 4×2 King Cab model with the manual.
- Curb weight of 3,708 lbs
This basic configuration has a maximum towing of 3,500 lbs and a maximum payload of 971 lbs. This is not a lot, but it turns out that customers still appreciate a small, light weight, efficient, and affordable pickup truck.
Take a look at the 2014 Nissan Frontier PRO-4X take on TFLtruck’s Ike Gauntlet extreme towing test.
