2020 Nissan Frontier: First Look

June 22, 2020

By Mike Meredith, AutoNXT

2020 Nissan Frontier

On the evening prior to the official Chicago Auto Show Media Preview that begins on February 6, 2020, Nissan debuted the 2020 Frontier pickup truck with an all-new 3.8-liter V6 engine and a 9-speed automatic transmission. The new engine and transmission will power the 2020 model of the current generation Frontier before becoming the powertrain for the next-generation Frontier scheduled to debut next year.

All-New V6 Power

The new 3.8-liter V6 engine for the 2020 Nissan Frontier was developed specifically for the U.S. market, producing 310 horsepower and 281 lb-ft of torque — an increase of 49 horsepower over the outgoing 4.0-liter V6 engine. The previously offered inline 4-cylinder will be discontinued, making the new 3.8-liter V6 the sole engine available for the 2020 Frontier.

New Technology

The new engine features 93 percent new or redesigned parts. Technical highlights include gasoline direct injection, cylinder heads with integrated exhaust manifolds, variable displacement oil pump, variable timing control and variable tumble control valve. The new 3.8-liter V6 will be assembled at Nissan’s advanced engine facility in Decherd, Tennessee, the same facility that produces the 5.6-liter Endurance V8 engine for the full-size Nissan TITAN pickup.

More Powerful, More Efficient

In addition to the more powerful, more efficient 3.8-liter V6 engine, the 2020 Frontier also receives an all-new 9-speed automatic transmission to replace the previously offered 5-speed automatic and 5-speed manual transmissions. According to Nissan, the combination of the new engine and new transmission improves both acceleration and fuel economy, although fuel economy numbers will not be available until a later date. The new 9-speed automatic is similar to the new 9-speed automatic introduced on the 2020 Nissan TITAN and is designed to maximize powertrain efficiency and improve acceleration. The new transmission offers a wider gear range and is designed to offer quick, direct shift response.

Model Lineup

The 2020 Nissan Frontier is offered in both King Cab and Crew Cab versions—King Cab features smaller rear-hinged rear doors and Crew Cab offers larger full-size front-hinged rear doors. Frontier King Cab is offered in S and SV trim levels, while Frontier Crew Cab is offered in S, SV SWB (standard bed), SV LWB (long bed) and PRO-4X. The PRO-4X is only offered in 4-wheel drive—all other trim levels are available in rear-wheel drive or 4-wheel drive with available shift-on-the-fly with 2WD/4HI/4LO modes and electronically-controlled part-time transfer case. The Crew Cab SV LWB bed is more than 13 inches longer than the standard bed.