The Nissan Frontier is a class leader in the compact pickup truck category, and its Nismo trims were designed for top off-road performance.

The Nismo engine is a 4.0-liter V6 that produces 261 hp and 281 pound-feet of torque. Kelley Blue Book commented that the engine "might be the smoothest, strongest V6 ever put in a pickup." The rear-wheel-drive Nismo King Cab trim configuration offers only a five-speed automatic, which reviewers found quite sophisticated. Overall performance is brisk, and the ride extremely stiff - reviewers recommend the Nismo trim for off-road use only. Gas mileage is a drawback. The EPA rates the V6 with front-wheel drive and the automatic transmission at 15/20 mpg.

The Nismo rear-wheel-drive trims offer off-road suspension and cargo upgrades: Nismo-spec Bilstein off-road performance shocks, electronic locking rear differential, four-wheel Limited Slip, skid plates, BFGoodrich Rugged Trial T/A tires, 16-inch six-spoke aluminum alloy wheels, the Utili-track Channel System, and a factory-applied spray-on bedliner with bed rail caps. (The four-wheel-drive Nismo trims offer even more off-road optimization.)

The Nismo King Cab seats four with two rear jump seats. Reviewers, however, felt the King Cab's jump seats were not really fit for the human bum or adult-length legs. The King Cab comes with the long bed, which measures 73.3 inches.

The front-wheel-drive Nismo King Cab can carry 1,440 pounds and has a maximum towing capacity of 6,500 pounds.