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Overview:
Following the 2001 Frontier’s dramatic restyling and addition
of the first available factory-installed supercharged V6 in the
compact truck class, the 2002 model adds two new major enhancements
– a completely upgraded interior with an available Rockford
Fosgate powered audio system (Crew Cab only) and the Frontier Crew
Cab Long Bed, with the longest bed in the compact crew cab truck
class. The new 2002 Frontier lineup goes on sale at Nissan retailers
nationwide in early August.
The
2002 Frontier will be available in a choice of 19 different models,
including King Cab, Desert Runner, Frontier Crew Cab and Frontier
Crew Cab Long Bed, 4x2 and 4x4 drive configurations and XE, SE and
S/C (supercharged) trim levels.
Body
style choices on the 2002 Frontier compact truck lineup include
the King Cab, which offers front bucket seats and additional seating
for two passengers in fold-down rear jump seats. This Frontier comes
with a 143-horsepower 2.4-liter inline 4-cylinder and 5-speed manual
or 4-speed automatic transmission.
The
next model is the Desert Runner, a 4x2 King Cab powered by a 170-horsepower
3.3-liter SOHC V6 that features the same heavy duty chassis, ride
height and stance as the rugged Frontier 4x4. At roughly 500 pounds
lighter than a 4x4 Frontier King Cab V6, Desert Runner offers the
best power-to-weight ratio of any Frontier pickup. Special badging
distinguishes Desert Runner from other Frontier models as do fender
flares, skid plates for the engine and fuel tank, a full-size spare
and 4-channel / 3-sensor / 4-wheel Anti-lock Braking System (ABS).
Desert
Runner is available in XE, SE and S/C models, which includes a supercharged
3.3-liter V6 engine, which produces 210 horsepower and 246 (A/T),
231 (M/T) lb-ft of torque.
Frontier
King Cab is also available in a 4x4 model with three different trim
levels - XE, SE and S/C.
The
“biggest” improvement made to the 2002 Frontier lineup
is the introduction of the Frontier Crew Cab Long Bed, which adds
a 74.6-inch full-size bed to the four forward-hinged full-size door
cabin. The standard Frontier Crew Cab offers a 56.3-inch bed.
Frontier
Crew Cab broke the mold of traditional compact trucks when it was
introduced as a 2000 model, with innovative looks and innovative
uses – with seating for five adults and the versatility of
an open bed. It is available in 2-wheel and 4-wheel drive and all
Frontier Crew Cabs are built on the heavy-duty 4-wheel drive Frontier
chassis.
The
interior of the Frontier Crew Cab combines the comfort and convenience
of the 2002 2-door Frontier pickup with many qualities of a sedan
or SUV. Frontier Crew Cab offers provisions for the installation
of a child safety seat in the rear passenger area, something lacking
in today’s extended cab compact truck market.
Standard
equipment on Frontier Crew Cab is the SOHC 3.3-liter V6 engine,
with a 5-speed manual (XE only) or 4-speed electronically controlled
overdrive automatic transmission (SE, S/C, opt. XE). Also offered
is the factory-installed supercharged engine. All Frontier Crew
Cabs come standard with a 4-wheel Anti-lock Braking System (ABS).
Frontier
also comes with a full array of revised option packages for 2002,
including the Utility Package, Basic Gear Package, Value Truck Package,
Power Package, Sport Package, Sunroof Package and Audio Package.
A Leather
Package, which includes factory-installed leather-appointed seats,
pop-up sunroof and Vehicle Security System, is available on all
S/C and SE Frontier King Cab, Frontier Crew Cab and Frontier Crew
Cab Long Beds.
Exterior
Design:
The Frontier’s provocative exterior was created at Nissan Design
America (NDA), in La Jolla, Calif., and offers a simple, tough,
“modern industrial” look with a powerful front grille
and bumper, tall hoodline, oversized headlights and large fender
flares featuring visible divot holes and rivet-type caps. Additional
exterior features include round fog lights, substantial tailgate
and standard tailgate lock.
Interior
Design:
The
Frontier’s interior enhancements, which are shared with the
improved 2002 Xterra sport utility vehicle, include a new instrument
panel with three “cockpit-style” round gauges, new HVAC
controls and a new console with side map pocket. A 25 percent larger
glove compartment and up to three interior power points make Frontier
even more practical than before.
Another
major change and ergonomic improvement is the replacement of the
dash-mounted pull-and-twist parking brake with a more traditional
foot-operated pedal system.
Optional
on Frontier Crew Cab and Frontier Crew Cab Long Bed is a 300-watt
9-speaker audio system with an in-dash 6-disc CD player. This system
has been designed by world renowned high-performance audio system
innovator Rockford Fosgate.
Powertrain:
This Frontier comes with a base 143-horsepower 2.4-liter inline
4-cylinder and 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission.
A more
powerful 170-horsepower 3.3-liter SOHC V6 is next in the engine
lineup.
Finally,
a supercharged version of the 3.3-liter V6 round out the available
powerplants. The supercharged engine produces 210 horsepower and
246 (A/T), 231 (M/T) lb-ft of torque. It uses a Roots-type blower
developed in conjunction with Eaton Corporation and is fully warranted
by Nissan.
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