2010 Nissan Frontier

The 2009 Nissan Frontier introduced a new grille and wheels, as well as a few other styling modifications. For 2010, the addition of the exterior paint color Night Armor is the only styling change.

Its safety changes include side and head curtain airbags, as well as stability control for the V6 models. For SE and LE trims sporting a V6, Active Brake Limited Slip (ABLS) is standard. This feature allows the driver to use the brakes to keep the rear wheels from spinning too much on low-grip surfaces.

Hill start assist and descent control are also made standard for 2010 Nissan Frontier with 4-wheel drive SE and LE models too.

2010 Nissan Titan

There aren’t any new styling modifications for the 2010 Nissan Titan except for the addition of Blue Steel and Navy Blue as new exterior paint colors. Like the 2010 Nissan Frontier, Nissan also made the necessary safety changes such as side curtain airbags and stability control standard on all trims, as well as ABLS.

Nissan also made some changes to the Titan’s option packages. First, they added a Value Truck Package to its SE trim, which includes captain chairs with individual armrests for the driver and front passenger, an 8-way power-adjustable seat for the driver, a Bluetooth hands-free phone system, fog lights, rear sonar sensors for easy parking, rear AC vents and a lot more.

The PRO-4X trim, built for off-road usage, will also get a chrome badge at the tailgate, as well as a standard receiver hitch, 7-pin wiring harness and trailer brake pre-wiring for towing if you avail of the SE Value Truck Package. This package costs $2,450 when the options are purchased individually but the SE Value Truck Package will only set you back $1,350.

Customers who plan to use it as a work truck will also like the new vinyl floors for the 2010 Nissan Titan XE King Cab, which is the entry-level model because it’s supposedly much easier to clean than the previous flooring.

We thought we have seen the last of the Titan especially after Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn reportedly hinted about the end of it in a Newsweek feature and said something along the lines of ‘a smart company only making products that can give them profit’, but it turns out Nissan had other plans for it all the while. Though they wouldn’t release any more details, the Inside Line reported that Nissan will not be giving up on the Titan after all.

They talked to Ghosn and asked about the fate of the iconic truck. “Titan will have a replacement, we are staying in the large pickup truck market,” he said.

In the same report, Inside also mentioned that the new Titan could be redesigned in-house or in collaboration with a third party.

Sales numbers may not have been as strong as preferred, but the Titan has a strong following and I’m pretty sure the Titan enthusiasts out there are pleased with this development.

The 2009 Nissan Titan is offered in 5’6”, 6’6”, 7’ and 8’ beds and 4 trim levels: XE, SE, LE and PRO-4X. The PRO-4X trim is only available in the 4WDs and is the best option for off-road enthusiasts. It has Rancho shocks, all-terrain tires, a push-button locking rear differential and a lower final-drive ratio. Refer to these pages for detailed information about each trim: 2009 Nissan Titan King Cab Features and Specifications and 2009 Nissan Titan Crew Cab Features and Specifications.

Styling
After the 2008 redesign, the Nissan Titan now has a more flashy and commanding style, with the same large grille in the Frontier. It has a tough exterior with the slight differences made on its headlights and grille. Inside the 2009 Nissan Titan, it’s roomy and is equipped with functional interior design with large door handles and armrests well-suited for a full-size truck. It offers comfortable seating and ample headroom and legroom. It also has user-friendly controls and a lot of storage space. If you need more space inside the cab, you can simply fold up the rear seats. The rear doors can be conveniently opened up to 180˚ for the extended cab models so that you can access your bed space easily.

Performance
Unlike their full-size counterparts from other manufacturers, the 2009 Nissan Titan only comes with 1 power train, a 5.6 liter V8 with a 5-speed automatic transmission. It can run up to 317 horsepower and 385 ft-lbs of torque and tow up to 9,500 lbs. Unfortunately, a major drawback is its poor fuel economy. Unless you’re towing or hauling, nobody wants to get just 12 mpg for city driving and 17 mpg for highway driving. Its 5-speed transmission can also be a bit slow to respond, but delivers smooth upshifts and prompt downshifts.

Safety
The 2009 Nissan Titan received very decent crash protection ratings. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gave it a perfect 5 star rating for frontal crash protection and 4 stars for side impact protection. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave it the highest possible “good” rating for frontal-offset crash protection.

The 2009 Nissan Titan starts at $26,150 and is backed with the same 3-year/36,000-mile limited warranty and a 5-year/60,000-mile drive train warranty.

The PRO-4X trim is made specifically for off-roaders. It’s got the 16-inch alloy wheels with rugged tires, locking rear differential, splash guards, underside skid plates and Bilstein off-road shocks, along with fog lights, spray-on bedliner, Utili-track cargo management system, keyless entry, white-faced gauges, leather-wrapped steering wheel, full power accessories and a lot more. Several upgrades are also available for each trim.

Exterior and Interior
The 2009 Nissan Frontier pretty much looks exactly like the Nissan Titan, but only about 2/3 its size. That being said, a lot of people actually like its rugged appearance. It’s the interiors that people are sort of on the edge. While the cabin is well-designed and the seats are pretty comfortable, the materials come off as cheap-looking.

Performance
As far as performance is concerned, it offers best-in-class power, towing and payload capacity. You can choose between a 2.5 liter 4-cylinder engine or a 4.0 liter V6 engine producing 152 horsepower and 171 foot-pounds of torque and 261 horsepower and 281 foot-pounds of torque respectively. It’s a capable truck alright, especially with the Hill Descent Control and part-time shift on the fly 4WD on some trims. It also gives you easy acceleration, as well as solid handling and comfortable ride, even better than some sedans.

If it’s the towing and payload you want, the 2009 Nissan Frontier King Cab V6 4×2 offers an impressive 6,500 lbs towing capacity and 1547 lbs maximum payload.

Safety
The 2009 Nissan Frontier earned 4 stars for frontal driver protection and 5 stars for side impact protection in government crash tests. The King Cab earned 5 stars and the Crew Cab earned 4 stars. Interestingly, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the Nissan Frontier “good” for frontal impact protection, which is the best possible rating and only “marginal” for side impact crash protection.

The 2009 Nissan Frontier starts at $17,460 and is backed with a 3-year/36,000-mile limited warranty and a 5-year/60,000-mile drive train warranty.