2020 Nissan Frontier vs 2021 Ford F-250 Super Duty

The 2020 Nissan Frontier retained a design reminiscent of its 2005 model, which had aged gracefully. The PRO-4X trim stood out with its tube-style roof rack, unique 16-inch alloy wheels, knobby white-lettered tires, standard spray-in bedliner, and cool bedside graphics. Available in King Cab and Crew Cab styles, the Frontier offered various trims and packages, including the Value Truck Package, Midnight Edition Package, and Special Edition Package. The PRO-4X Crew Cab, priced at $38,745, featured a set of floor mats and a $1,095 destination charge.

Inside, the Frontier's cabin was a nostalgic trip to mid-2000s Nissan design, characterized by symmetry, modularity, and silver plastic. Despite the hard plastic materials, the interior was solidly built, with no squeaks or rattles. The PRO-4X’s leather upholstery added a touch of refinement, and the truck's overall build quality was impressive, a testament to Nissan's long-standing production consistency.

Ford's 2021 Super Duty trucks took the blocky and muscular aesthetics of the F-150 to a more robust level. These heavy-duty trucks featured larger dimensions, long bed lengths for better cargo hauling, and a tall ride height for superior ground clearance. The exterior boasted giant grilles, heavy-duty bumpers, and durable bodywork designed to withstand daily wear and tear. The Super Duty's cabin varied from utilitarian in the base XL trim to luxurious in the higher trims like the Super Duty Limited, which offered leather and upscale finishes.

The Super Duty's interior space depended on the cab configuration, with the base XL trim providing ample headroom and legroom but minimal amenities. Higher trims offered more comfort and luxury, with options like leather upholstery and advanced tech features. The truck's size made it more suitable for job sites than city streets, with challenges in parking, maneuvering, and visibility. However, features like a clever tailgate design with steps and a handle made bed access easier.

The 2020 Nissan Frontier featured a new 3.8-liter V6 engine and a nine-speed automatic transmission, replacing the old 4.0-liter V6 and 2.5-liter four-cylinder engines. This direct-injected V6 produced 310 horsepower at 6,400 rpm and 281 lb-ft of torque at 4,400 rpm, offering 49 more horsepower than the previous V6. Fuel economy improved by 1 mpg for RWD models and 2 mpg for 4WD models, with a maximum tow rating of 6,720 pounds. The new engine was smooth and refined, with strong acceleration and quick, clean shifts from the nine-speed automatic. During testing, the Frontier averaged 19.3 mpg, surpassing the EPA estimate of 19 mpg.

However, the Frontier's driving dynamics were less impressive. The steering was slow and heavy, and the turning radius was wide. The PRO-4X trim's high-pressure Bilstein off-road shocks absorbed trail ruts and speed humps but allowed road surface irregularities to reverberate through the truck. Despite its age, the Frontier's truck-like driving character and new powertrain added to its charm.

The 2021 Ford F-250 Super Duty offered three powertrains: a 6.2-liter V8 with 385 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque, a 7.3-liter V8 with 430 hp and 475 lb-ft of torque, and a 6.7-liter Power Stroke diesel engine with 475 hp and 1,050 lb-ft of torque. All engines were paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. The Super Duty came standard with RWD, with 4WD available as an upgrade. The F-350 could be ordered with a dual-rear-wheel configuration for better towing capacity, with a maximum payload capacity of 4,060 pounds and towing capabilities exceeding 36,000 pounds with a gooseneck setup. The turbodiesel V8 offered the best performance for heavy-duty tasks.

The Super Duty could be equipped for off-roading with the Tremor models, featuring factory lift kits, beefy tires, and muscular styling. While the EPA did not provide fuel-economy ratings for heavy-duty trucks, it was expected that fuel efficiency would drop significantly during towing or hauling heavy loads.

The 2020 Nissan Frontier's center console might have seemed like wasted space, but the truck offered ample storage elsewhere, including dual glove compartments and a bin under the center armrest. The PRO-4X trim featured an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, providing a tall and supportive position, though it wasn't one of Nissan’s Zero Gravity designs. After three hours, occupants might need a break to stretch. The front passenger seat lacked height adjustment but was high enough off the floor. Rear seat room was tight, with a flat bench seat and minimal backrest angle, and there were no rear air conditioning vents or USB ports.

The Frontier PRO-4X came with a standard spray-in bedliner, bed-rail caps, and a Utili-Track channel system with adjustable tie-down cleats, ready to haul up to 1,020 pounds of payload. The bed was 18 inches deep and had a total volume of 27.1 cubic feet up to the side rails.

The 2021 Ford F-250 Super Duty, despite its focus on utility, offered plenty of creature comforts. The front seats came in a 40/20/40 folding bench setup, providing a comfortable armrest with cupholders. Crew Cab and Super Cab models had generous rear seats with easy access through large doors. However, the truck's size made it more suitable for job sites than city streets, with challenges in parking, maneuvering, and visibility. The flat hood and towing height could make it feel like driving a bulldozer, and loading child seats or entering the truck could be difficult despite the running boards.

Ford's heavy-duty pickups featured a clever tailgate design with optional steps and a handle for easy bed access, though it wasn't as elaborate as the tailgate functions on Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra trucks.

The 2020 Nissan Frontier PRO-4X was equipped with a 5.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, which included NissanConnect Apps, satellite radio, a navigation system, voice recognition, and a 10-speaker Rockford Fosgate premium sound system. However, it lacked Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Pairing an iPhone to Bluetooth allowed the use of Siri Eyes Free voice assistant, a more natural alternative to the Frontier’s voice recognition technology. The limited technology in the Frontier was both refreshing and revolting, given the truck's age.

The 2021 Ford F-250 Super Duty featured Ford's Sync 3 infotainment system, known for its intuitive and easy-to-use interface. Menus were clearly labeled and required fewer taps to navigate, making it less distracting. The base XL trim had a non-touch display, but higher trims offered a larger touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Upgraded audio systems were available on higher trims. The Super Duty also offered a variety of tech options, including a WiFi hotspot, heated and ventilated seats, adjustable upfitter switches, and a rapid heating unit for diesel-equipped trucks.

The 2020 Nissan Frontier's crash-test scores were a significant drawback. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave it an overall safety rating of four stars, but the frontal-impact protection was rated three stars for the driver and two stars for the front passenger. The RWD model had a three-star rollover resistance rating. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) rated the Frontier "marginal" in the small overlap frontal-impact test, and the headlights received a "poor" rating. The Frontier's safety features included a reversing camera, antilock brakes, traction control, and stability control, but it lacked modern safety technology.

The 2021 Ford F-250 Super Duty offered a variety of safety features, though many were available as added-cost upgrades or on higher trims. A trailer tow package included special camera views and Ford's Pro Trailer Backup Assist feature. Other available features included blind-spot monitoring, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and forward collision alerts. As a commercial vehicle, the Super Duty was not crash tested by the NHTSA or IIHS, so no official safety scores were available.