2004 Nissan Frontier XE King Cab review from North America

Cracked bumper from previous owner; dealer paid to fix.

I purchased this truck one week ago. This will be my fourth Nissan product, and my first like-new vehicle. I feel this truck stands up to Nissan's reputation for built-quality and overall reliability. I have no complaints at this time. Here is a list of my likes/dislikes;

The 2.4 liter engine is surprisingly sprite and zippy. Noisy at times, but still acceptable.

The 4 speed Jatco automatic transmission shifts hard at times, may take some getting used to. I have observed harsh shifting in every nissan product I have ever driven (a dozen or so).

Ride is firm, i.e. this is NOT a Toyota Tacoma. This truck actually drives like a truck. Seating is just as upright and "trucky" as the 1987 model I owned. This is a good thing.

Instrument panel is well organized, and dare I say, boldly designed. The instrument cluster is like something out of a video game, took me a while to get used to, now I love it.

Good sounding stereo, for a truck anyway. A definite improvement over previous years.

Road noise has improved over the years. The cab is actually quieter than my mothers Mercedes ML320, if not just as loud.

This truck has more storage compartments than I know what to do with! Bravo! The center console has a felt-lined box specifically designed for cellular phones, and includes a hidden power cord socket.

A bit of advise for prospective buyers; this is NOT a full-size Ford. If you are a carpenter, lumberjack, mason, whatever, this may not be the truck for you. I have read many complaints ranging from poor acceleration to poor load handling. This truck was not designed for heavy hauling or racing. It was intended for everyday driving, tailgate parties, and light hauling ONLY. If you require a truck to haul thousands of pounds of tools and materials, you may opt for a full-size. Again, I have read many negative reviews written by people who are simply abusing or overloading their compact trucks.

This truck uses the same frame, and many other components as the 1987 Nissan D21 series pickup. Therefore, if you are looking to replace your older Nissan truck and are sentimentally attatched to your current truck, this is as close as you are going to get. The 2005 model year Frontier is based on a completely different platform.