Nissan likes to say their innovation for their vehicles is based on their “SHIFT.”

What that means to them is that they say they are constantly shifting gears and looking at new designs and styles.

They do have a hybrid, the 2009 Altima, and in the spring of 2009, their all new concept car The Cube will hit the dealer’s showroom, but beyond that, if Nissan is being environmentally responsible about future vehicles, waste, or recycling, we couldn’t find it on their website.

Then again, the website is so busy, you get tired of leaping from page to page.

Nissan has reliable models in both cars and trucks and we compared two of their pick-up trucks for 2009. When buying any Nissan vehicle, don’t forget to purchase that Nissan extended warranty to help resale and trade-in values and for repairs down the road.

2009 Nissan Frontier Extended Cab – The Best

When we thought about the truck line up Nissan has, improvements have been made and the Frontier offers great fuel efficiency at 16 to 21 miles per gallon depending on model.

The models vary from LE, XE, SE and the PRO 4X. You can get one of these with either rear wheel drive or 4-wheel drive and the engines range from a 2.5 liter, 4 cylinder, to a 4.0 liter, 6 cylinder.

The prices are great starting at $17,400 and topping off at $27,600. The only thing consumers didn’t like about the Frontier was the interior materials.

Other than that is has a strong engine, class-leading handling and steering and great off-road suspension packages you can choose from, depending on model. All the dash board controls are within easy reach and logically placed.

This pick-up is great for hauling with a 9,000 pound towing capacity and Nissan pleasantly surprised truck wannabes with this model.

2009 Nissan Titan Extended Cab – The Worst

Neither consumers or the experts are crazy about this truck for all the media it gets, and no matter what model you buy, they only offer a 14 mile per gallon fuel efficiency.

All models have automatic transmission and come in rear-wheel drive or 4-wheel drive. The models range from the XE to the SE to the PRO-4X, and the LE-FFV and every model has a 5.6 liter, 8 cylinder engine.

They range in price from $26,150 to $36,550 depending on models and options. The V8 engine is strong but the interior is average and the window switches are oddly placed.

The PRO-4X offers an off-road package but overall, this Nissan pick-up truck missed the mark and got better reviews for the 2008 model year.

Summing Up Nissan

Nissan Trucks most likely will never match the Big Three auto manufacturers’ models but they did a pretty good job with the Frontier. We still weren’t impressed with their “green” way of thinking, and while they have a lot in their line-up, we’d stick to the sedans or coups and skip the trucks.

If you are set on a Nissan truck, pick up a Nissan extended warranty to ensure you’ll have coverage for repairs past the manufacturer’s warranty, because Nissan has a reputation for loads of miles on their vehicles.

Rate this article

(1 votes)

 Loading ...

Filed under: Best - Worst Cars

Leave a Reply

Name (required)

Mail (will not be published) (required)

Website