Nissan's 2020 Frontier gets new V6, 9-speed

More transmission gears and greater engine horsepower should enliven the 2020 Nissan Frontier midsize pickup truck. “We're launching a new transmission and new engine in the current Frontier, and this powertrain will be the heart of the next-generation Frontier coming in 2021,” said Tiago Castro, Nissan North America's director of commercial business unit for pickup trucks, SUVs and vans. Castro spoke with Automotive Engineering during the 2020 Chicago Auto Show.

Replacing the current standard 152-hp 2.5-L 4-cylinder and an optional 261-hp 4.0-L V6, the 3.8-L V6's first application is the 2020 Frontier. “We're getting 49 more horsepower with the new V6, which is best-in-class standard horsepower,” Castro said. The new 3.8-L engine's torque, rated at 281 lb-ft (381 Nm), matches the outgoing 4.0-L V.6.