- the 2020 nissan frontier gets a new 3.8-liter v-6 engine with 310 horsepower and 281 lb-ft of torque. it mates with a standard nine-speed automatic transmission.
- there are other minor changes to the 2020 frontier, but it's mostly the same truck as before.
- an all-new 2021 frontier is coming soon with this engine, as nissan says it will arrive next year.
nissan is not quite ready to show an all-new version of its ancient frontier mid-size pickup, but the new truck's engine and transmission are making their way into the outgoing 2020 frontier for its last year on the market.
the new direct-injection 3.8-liter v-6 engine makes 310 horsepower and 281 lb-ft of torque, an improvement of 49 horsepower but the same amount of torque as the previous 4.0-liter v-6. this new v-6 also replaces the previously standard 2.5-liter inline-four, as all 2020 frontiers now come with the 3.8l engine and a nine-speed automatic transmission. we're somewhat sad that this means there's no more manual-transmission option for the frontier.
rear-wheel drive remains standard, with four-wheel drive optional. the same extended-cab and crew-cab body styles continue on, and the crew cab is offered with either a short or a long bed. the trim-level lineup is a bit simpler, as the sl is now gone, leaving s, sv, and pro-4x trim levels.
the only other changes for the 2020 frontier are a few new standard features. push-button start is now included across the board, and all frontiers now come with a tilt steering wheel, power window, and power locks—remember, this truck has been on sale since 2005 without a major redesign.
a new model is coming next year, nissan says, but for now frontier customers will have to settle for the new engine in an old truck.
