2025 Ford F-150 vs 2025 Nissan Frontier
The Nissan Frontier wins clearly, 91.2 to 84.9, on safety. The Ford F-150 is ahead on fuel & range.
2025 Ford F-150
The 2025 Ford F-150 is sold in the U.S. as a hybrid and gas large pickup truck with 11 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the F150 Pickup 4WD…
2025 Nissan Frontier
The 2025 Nissan Frontier is sold in the U.S. as a gas large pickup truck with 3 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Frontier 2WD, is EPA-r…
2025 Nissan Frontier
Clear winThe Nissan Frontier wins clearly, 91.2 to 84.9, on safety. The Ford F-150 is ahead on fuel & range.
| Category · weight | 2025 Ford F-150overall 84.9 | 2025 Nissan Frontieroverall 91.2 | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricenot compared | No data | No data | |||||||||||||||
| Fuel & rangew 3 | 100 | 90.8 | |||||||||||||||
EPA annual fuel cost and combined mpg / MPGe; EV range when both are electric. | |||||||||||||||||
| Safetyw 4 | 62.2 | 84.9 | |||||||||||||||
NHTSA 5-Star rating, WhichTrim Safety Signal (open recalls by severity), owner complaints, standard driver-assist features (from the press kit, or from what the manufacturer filed with NHTSA where there is none). Open park-outside / do-not-drive advisories cost 25 points. | |||||||||||||||||
| Space & cargonot compared | No data | No data | |||||||||||||||
| Performancenot compared | No data | No data | |||||||||||||||
| Tech & comfortw 3 | 100 | 100 | |||||||||||||||
Standard (1) and optional (0.5) infotainment, convenience, climate and interior features from the manufacturer's press kit. | |||||||||||||||||
| Warrantynot compared | No data | No data | |||||||||||||||
| Overall | 84.9 | 91.2 | |||||||||||||||
Trim vs trim · 3 of 7 categories compared
Ford F-150: base trim XL 4X2 · Nissan Frontier: base trim S King Cab 4X2. Pick a trim in the tool to compare any other trim.
Where the gap is
the biggest differences, from the scorecard's own numbersWhere the 2025 Nissan Frontier wins
- It has drawn fewer owner complaints (10 against 129 filed with NHTSA).
- It has the cleaner recall record (Safety Signal 85 against 30).
Where the 2025 Ford F-150 answers
- It carries 5 NHTSA overall stars against 4.
- It lists 25 standard driver-assist features against 21.
What they share
- The same equipment count.
Ranked by how far apart the two score on each measure, so a price gap and a horsepower gap are compared on the same scale. Every figure is on this page.
Specifications side by side
24 specs · manufacturer press kits| Spec | Ford F-150XL 4X2 | Nissan FrontierS King Cab 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Base MSRP (excludes destination) | — | $32,050 |
| Engine Basics | ||
| Aspiration | — | naturally aspirated |
| Cylinder count | — | 6 |
| Engine displacement | — | 3,779 cc |
| Engine type (full description) | 2.7L V6 EcoBoost / 5.0L V8 | 3.8L V6 DOHC |
| Fuel injection system | — | gdi mpi |
| Valve configuration | — | DOHC 24-Valve |
| Engine Output | ||
| Horsepower | — | 310 hp |
| Torque | — | 281 lb-ft |
| Transmission | ||
| Transmission speeds | 10 | 9 |
| Transmission type | automatic | automatic hybrid |
| Suspension | ||
| Front suspension type | Independent Front Suspension (IFS) | — |
| Rear suspension type | Leaf, Two-Stage Variable Rate | — |
| Steering | ||
| Steering type | Power Rack-and-Pinion | — |
| Brakes | ||
| Front brake diameter | — | 297 mm |
| Front brake type | — | Dual-piston vented disc |
| Parking brake type | Electric | — |
| Rear brake diameter | — | 287 mm |
| Rear brake type | — | Single piston vented disc |
| Wheels | ||
| Wheel diameter | 17 in | — |
| Wheel material | steel | — |
| Tires | ||
| Tire size | 245/70R17 BSW A/S | — |
| Fuel System | ||
| Minimum recommended octane | — | 87 |
| Connected Services | ||
| Connected services brand | FordPass Connect | — |
Green marks the better value where the direction is unambiguous (more room, more power, lower price). Blank rows are specs the press kit does not publish.
Equipment, feature by feature
86 features · differences first, then sharedSafety20 differ · 33 listed
| Feature | Ford F-150XL 4X2 | Nissan FrontierS King Cab 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Intelligent Cruise Control | — | std |
| Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) – Pedestrian Detection | std | — |
| Rear Cross Traffic Alert | — | std |
| Camera Only Evasive Steering Assist | std | — |
| Lane Departure Warning | — | std |
| Lane-Keeping System (Lane-Keeping Alert, Lane-Keeping Aid, Driver Alert, Road Edge Detection) | std | — |
| Driver Alert (Lane-Keeping System sub-feature) | std | — |
| Rear Parking Sensors | std | — |
| Auto Hold | std | — |
| Camera Only AEB Oncoming | std | — |
| Curve Control | std | — |
| Driver and front passenger knee supplemental air bags | — | std |
| Ford Security Package (1-year included with activation) | std | — |
| Intelligent Driver Alertness | — | std |
| Perimeter Alarm | std | — |
| Rear Automatic Braking | — | std |
| Rear Door Alert | — | std |
| Rear sonar system | — | std |
| Reverse Brake Assist | std | — |
| SOS Post-Crash Alert System™ | std | — |
| Intelligent Forward Collision Warning | std | std |
| Front seat-mounted side–impact supplemental air bags | std | std |
| Nissan Advanced Air Bag System with dual stage supplemental front air bags | std | std |
| RearView Monitor | std | std |
| Roof-mounted curtain side impact supplemental air bags | std | std |
| Trailer Sway Control | std | std |
| 4-wheel ABS disc brakes | std | std |
| Blind Spot Warning | std | std |
| High Beam Assist | std | std |
| Hill Start Assist | std | std |
| Vehicle Dynamic Control | std | std |
| Immobilizer | std | std |
| Tire Pressure Monitoring System with Easy-Fill Tire Alert | std | std |
Infotainment14 differ · 16 listed
| Feature | Ford F-150XL 4X2 | Nissan FrontierS King Cab 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| 911 Assist® | std | — |
| FordPass™ Connect – Schedule specific times to remotely start vehicle | std | — |
| AM/FM Stereo with B&O Sound System by Bang & Olufsen with HD Radio™ (8 speakers including subwoofer) | std | — |
| FordPass™ Connect – Locate parked vehicle | std | — |
| Steering wheel-mounted Bluetooth® controls | — | std |
| 7-inch Advanced Drive-Assist® Display | — | std |
| 8-inch color touchscreen | — | std |
| AM/FM/USB with 4 speakers | — | std |
| SiriusXM® with 360L (3-month prepaid subscription) | std | — |
| SYNC® 4 – Conversational Voice Command Recognition | std | — |
| SYNC® 4 – Wireless Phone Connection | std | — |
| SYNC® 4 with Enhanced Voice Recognition – 12" LCD Capacitive Touchscreen, Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ Compatibility | std | — |
| Wired Android Auto™ | — | std |
| Wired Apple CarPlay® | — | std |
| NissanConnect® with Wi-Fi Hotspot | std | std |
| Steering wheel-mounted audio controls | std | std |
Convenience6 differ · 6 listed
| Feature | Ford F-150XL 4X2 | Nissan FrontierS King Cab 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Remote engine start | — | std |
| 120-volt outlet with 400-watt capacity (rear of front center console, bed) | — | std |
| Power Tailgate Lock | std | — |
| S Utility Package (KC): Spray-in bedliner, 120V power outlet in bed, 120V power outlet in rear center console | — | std |
| USB – 2 total (front Type A, Type C) | — | std |
| USB charging ports and power outlets | std | — |
Climate1 differ · 1 listed
| Feature | Ford F-150XL 4X2 | Nissan FrontierS King Cab 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Underseat heating ducts for rear passengers | — | std |
Seating2 differ · 3 listed
| Feature | Ford F-150XL 4X2 | Nissan FrontierS King Cab 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| 6-way manual | — | std |
| 4-way manual front passenger seat | — | std |
| Base cloth | std | std |
Interior3 differ · 4 listed
| Feature | Ford F-150XL 4X2 | Nissan FrontierS King Cab 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Rearview Mirror, Day/Night | std | — |
| Steering Wheel, Black Urethane – Manual Tilt/Telescoping and Manual Locking | std | — |
| Visor, Driver Side; Visor with Mirror, Passenger-Side | std | — |
| Sunglass holder (overhead console) | std | std |
Exterior11 differ · 11 listed
| Feature | Ford F-150XL 4X2 | Nissan FrontierS King Cab 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Daytime Running Lights – LED signature type | std | — |
| Exterior light – cargo/bed illumination | — | std |
| Grille – Black | — | std |
| Halogen headlights | — | std |
| Heated outside mirrors | std | — |
| LED rear lamps | — | std |
| Outside mirrors – Black | — | std |
| Rear bumper – Black | — | std |
| Rear step-bumper with ball hitch provision | — | std |
| Sliding rear cab window | — | std |
| Tailgate Lift Assist | std | — |
Powertrain3 differ · 3 listed
| Feature | Ford F-150XL 4X2 | Nissan FrontierS King Cab 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| 2-wheel limited slip | — | std |
| Selectable Drive Modes: Normal, ECO, Sport, Tow/Haul, Slippery (+ terrain modes by trim) | std | — |
| VQ38 3.8L V6 DOHC 310hp 9-speed automatic | — | std |
Cargo9 differ · 9 listed
| Feature | Ford F-150XL 4X2 | Nissan FrontierS King Cab 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Class IV receiver hitch member | std | — |
| Tow/haul mode switch | std | — |
| Bed rail protectors | — | std |
| Integrated Trailer Brake Controller | opt | — |
| Locking tailgate with dampened opening, closure assist | — | std |
| Spray-in bedliner | — | std |
| Tailgate Step w/ Work Surface (63T) | opt | — |
| Tie-down hooks (4) | — | std |
| Tow/Haul Package (53T) – Integrated Trailer Brake Controller, Electronic-locking rear-axle | opt | — |
Highlighted rows are where the two differ. Wording is the manufacturer's own.
Safety record
NHTSA recalls, complaints, NCAPFord F-150
Top recalls
- critical Steering 25V309000 · 9,181 vehicles
- critical Engine And Engine Cooling 25V198000 · 4,356 vehicles
- critical Power Train 25V164000 · 269 vehicles
- critical Engine And Engine Cooling 24V851000 · 2,490 vehicles
- high Seats 26V655000 · 2,276 vehicles
- high Fuel System, Gasoline 26V578000 · 223,472 vehicles
Nissan Frontier
Top recalls
- high Latches/Locks/Linkages 26V023000 · 26,432 vehicles
- moderate Back Over Prevention 25V324000 · 79,755 vehicles
- minor Exterior Lighting 25V508000 · 13,719 vehicles
Ownership
EPA, manufacturer warranty| Ford F-150XL 4X2 | Nissan FrontierS King Cab 4X2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | — (base trim) | $32,050 (base trim) |
| Price range across trims | — 21 trims | $32,050 – $37,690 12 trims |
| Powertrains | HEV, GAS | GAS |
| EPA configuration compared | F150 Pickup 4WD HEV | Frontier 2WD |
| Combined mpg / MPGe | 23 | 21 |
| EPA annual fuel cost | $2,900 | $3,200 |
| EV range | — | — |
| Basic warranty | 3 yr / 36,000 mi (make terms) | — |
| Powertrain warranty | 5 yr / 60,000 mi (make terms) | — |
| Roadside assistance | 5 yr | — |
Common questions
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsWhich is better, the 2025 Ford F-150 or the 2025 Nissan Frontier?
The Nissan Frontier wins clearly, 91.2 to 84.9, on safety. The Ford F-150 is ahead on fuel & range. On WhichTrim's default weights the 2025 Nissan Frontier scores 91.2 and the 2025 Ford F-150 84.9. The weights are yours to change — move what you care about and the verdict recalculates on the page.
Which has the better safety record, the 2025 Ford F-150 or the 2025 Nissan Frontier?
2025 Ford F-150: 5 NHTSA stars, grade F, 16 recalls (1 filed with no repair available). 2025 Nissan Frontier: 4 NHTSA stars, grade B, 3 recalls. Crash ratings come from NHTSA's own tests; the grade is WhichTrim's read of the recall record, and the two can disagree.
What are the biggest differences between the 2025 Ford F-150 and the 2025 Nissan Frontier?
Where the 2025 Nissan Frontier wins: it has drawn fewer owner complaints (10 against 129 filed with NHTSA) and has the cleaner recall record (Safety Signal 85 against 30). Where the 2025 Ford F-150 answers: it carries 5 NHTSA overall stars against 4 and lists 25 standard driver-assist features against 21. What they share: the same equipment count.