Finally, the firm suspension translates unsurprisingly into a harsh ride, which spoils comfort a bit. It's a pickup after all.

Big powerful 4.0L V6 felt livelier in a previously tested 2005 Xterra.

Powerful and thirsty
The 261 horsepower of the 4.0-liter V6 puts the Frontier ahead of its rivals; even the Dakota equipped with its 'high-output' 4.7-liter V8 is lower, at 260 ponies (it's got more torque, however). The engine is a little rough, and I don't feel all that power because it's slow to rev. The automatic transmission is perfectly suited, as its reflexes are as slow.

Ironically, the same powertrain in the Xterra I drove in 2005 felt much snappier. In general, let's say that the engine and tranny accomplish their duties well.

I'm disappointed of the fuel consumption, since my average is 17.6 L/100 km while being conservative on the right-side pedal. I must say that the week behind the wheel of the Frontier wasn't easy, with snowstorms and extreme cold temperatures. And with all-season tires, I drove pretty much all week with four-wheel drive engaged. In normal conditions, I'm sure the average should drop to about 15.0 L/100 km, which still isn't great.

And, despite the absence of winter tires, the 4WD setup of the Frontier pleased me by its capability. The rear doesn't step out under acceleration, something I've noticed in other pickups. The drivetrain mode switch is easy to use, since you can flip from 2WD to 4WD and vice-versa while driving.

The Frontier's 4WD setup proved to be very capable in snowy conditions.