New '05 frontier...briefly looked at in person...

**CaliforniaTitan** · 12-31-2004, 02:23 PM

Well just a quick thought and initial impressions.

Saw two of them at the dealer when we took the Titan in for the brake TSB.

The two they had were the Nismo 4WD CC and a 2WD SE KC.

While I did not drive them, I did walk over and give a quick look around at both.

Gotta say they were both nice looking trucks...both inside and out. The dash and interior are very nice in appearance. The KC is small in the back so any long treks with a teenager would probably be out of the Q. But, like the Titan, I like the KC look better than the CC.

Outside they do have the mini-Titan look to them and I liked it.

One of these could definately find a place next to its big brother in the future in the garage...Would be a nice way to keep some of the miles off big brother then and since it is only the two of us most times the KC would work well. I would love to go test drive one with the 4.0L but if I did right now I could be in trouble...LOL

Chris

TOK · 12-31-2004, 03:03 PM

Nissan and Toyota truck owners generally like to rip on each others rides, but I'm in the unique position of owning both. I still have a 99 Tacoma, and when I was in buying my Titan, they had a new NISMO Frontier in and I was checking it out. I guess it was their only one, because it was marked "Do Not Sell".
Seems like Toyota has been whipping Nissan's butt in the compact market since the 80's, so it's about time Nissan picked up the slack in this really important segment. I liked the Nissan "Hardbody" era pickups, but was never impressed by the Frontier. At one point, they had a supercharged V6 making about the same power as Toyota's normally aspirated 6, which you have to admit is pretty darn pathetic regardless of your loyalties.

The NISMO still looks like a bit of a street-sled to me, but it might not be a huge disadvantage since the TRD Tacoma just seems to have been a bit de-balled for 05. The 98-04 TRD with the electric locker is an awesome trail truck, in my opinion only exceeded by Jeep Wranglers. Just look at other mid-sized and compact trucks, like the Ranger and Dakota, the way they have all the crap like shock mounts hanging at or below differential level. The Tacoma has all that stuff tucked up high. The center of the diff is the lowest point of the underbody. Since you were giving up a heck of a lot of utility by getting a Wrangler, the Tacoma was my only consideration in the compact truck market.

I think the Titan smokes the Tundra, and as a new Nissan fan, I hope the new Frontier can give the Tacoma a run for supremacy. Nothing like some competition to make both trucks better!

TYTAIN · 12-31-2004, 03:52 PM

The Frontier is a heck of lot better looking this year, much better than the Taco, with leather and the 260hp 4.0 liter I may be considering one a little later on, but the Frontier should really put Nissan on a roll. Is a great looking ride, I like the NISMO pkg.

SmokenTitan · 01-01-2005, 01:32 AM

I also got to look at one on my trip back from oklahoma...

SE smoke crew 6-speed, dealership was closed, but no one locked the doors on this one...

I really liked it, I didnt understand why the SE did not have power windows though? I also lowered the tailgate to see if it was assisted like the `05 Titan, I dont recall if it was or not, but it would not go back up. Well it would go up, it just wouldnt click in, I fiddled with it for awhile and had to end up leaving it down...

I loved it, if I knew now what I didnt know when I bought the titan, I might have bought one. At the time of the Titan purchase I needed a full size v8 truck for work, now I switched jobs and I dont

Oh well, I love the Titan, it blows everything my family (close and extended) has away. I've got a cousin looking at a Silverado SS though, oh well I'll just add a supercharger...

HEMI-SMOKER · 01-01-2005, 08:29 AM

I got to see one yesterday. WOW!! I like it alot! I also seen the nismo version but it was 2WD. It had BFG rugged trails and similar wheels has my off road titan.I too loved the interior. Very nice. It was a KC and it is small int the back but I too like the KC look. One thing that stood out to me< besides the 265 hp 4.0> was it had E-lock differential and it was a 2WD! I wonder how that works, seeing that my E-lock only works in 4-LO up to 12 MPH. I didnt have time to talk to anyone. Any one know??
MY wife has 99 tacoma and it would just be too cool to have a Little TITAN instead!!!