2026 Ford F-150 vs 2026 Nissan Frontier
The Nissan Frontier wins clearly, 94.1 to 79.7, on tech & comfort, space & cargo, price. The Ford F-150 is ahead on fuel & range and performance.
2026 Ford F-150
The 2026 Ford F-150 is sold in the U.S. as a hybrid and gas large pickup truck with 12 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the F150 Pickup 2WD…
2026 Nissan Frontier
The 2026 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…
2026 Nissan Frontier
Clear winThe Nissan Frontier wins clearly, 94.1 to 79.7, on tech & comfort, space & cargo, price. The Ford F-150 is ahead on fuel & range and performance.
| Category · weight | 2026 Nissan Frontieroverall 94.1 | 2026 Ford F-150overall 79.7 | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricew 4 | 100 | 84.8 | |||||||||||||||
Base MSRP of the trim (or the model's lowest trim). Lower is better. | |||||||||||||||||
| Fuel & rangew 3 | 87.5 | 100 | |||||||||||||||
EPA annual fuel cost and combined mpg / MPGe; EV range when both are electric. | |||||||||||||||||
| Safetyw 4 | 89.5 | 75.8 | |||||||||||||||
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 & cargow 2 | 100 | 60 | |||||||||||||||
Seats, cargo volume behind the 1st and 2nd rows, rear legroom. | |||||||||||||||||
| Performancew 2 | 87 | 100 | |||||||||||||||
Horsepower, torque and horsepower per ton. | |||||||||||||||||
| Tech & comfortw 3 | 100 | 57.6 | |||||||||||||||
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 | 94.1 | 79.7 | |||||||||||||||
Trim vs trim · 6 of 7 categories compared
Nissan Frontier: base trim S RWD · Ford F-150: base trim XL 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 2026 Nissan Frontier wins
- It has drawn fewer owner complaints (11 against 20 filed with NHTSA).
- It has the cleaner recall record (Safety Signal 92 against 52).
- It lists more comfort and tech equipment (29.5 points against 17 on the press-kit count, standard = 1, optional = ½).
Where the 2026 Ford F-150 answers
- It carries 5 NHTSA overall stars against 4.
- It turns out 400 lb-ft of torque against 281.
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
48 specs · manufacturer press kits| Spec | Nissan FrontierS RWD | Ford F-150XL 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Base MSRP (excludes destination) | $33,550 | $39,585 |
| Engine Basics | ||
| Aspiration | naturally aspirated | twin turbo |
| Cylinder count | 6 | 6 |
| Engine displacement | 3,779 cc | 2,700 cc |
| Engine type (full description) | 3.8L V6 DOHC | 2.7L EcoBoost V6 |
| Fuel injection system | gdi mpi | PFDI |
| Valve configuration | DOHC 24-Valve | DOHC |
| Engine Output | ||
| Horsepower | 310 hp | 325 hp |
| Torque | 281 lb-ft | 400 lb-ft |
| Fuel Economy | ||
| MPG (city) | 19 mpg | — |
| MPG (combined) | 21 mpg | — |
| MPG (highway) | 24 mpg | — |
| Transmission | ||
| Final drive ratio | 3.692 | — |
| Transmission speeds | 9 | 10 |
| Transmission type | automatic | automatic |
| Dimensions Exterior | ||
| Ground clearance | 9.3 in | 8.3 in |
| Overall height | 71.8 in | 75.4 in |
| Overall length | 210 in | 228 in |
| Overall width | 73 in | 79.9 in |
| Wheelbase | 126 in | 142 in |
| Cargo | ||
| Total interior volume | 100 cu-ft | — |
| Seating | ||
| Passenger seating capacity | 5 | 3 |
| Headroom | ||
| Front headroom | 39.9 in | 40.8 in |
| Second-row headroom | 38.6 in | — |
| Legroom | ||
| Front legroom | 42.3 in | 43.9 in |
| Second-row legroom | 33.2 in | — |
| Weights | ||
| Curb weight (maximum) | 4,466 lbs | — |
| Curb weight (minimum) | 4,466 lbs | — |
| Gross vehicle weight rating | 6,012 lbs | — |
| Payload capacity | 1,490 lbs | 1,775 lbs |
| Suspension | ||
| Front suspension type | Independent double wishbone | Independent double-wishbone with coil-over shock and stamped lower control arm |
| Rear suspension type | Overslung multi-leaf with Dana axle | Leaf spring with solid axle |
| Steering | ||
| Steering type | Engine speed-sensitive power rack-and-pinion | Electronic power-assisted |
| Turning radius (curb-to-curb) | 42.7 ft | 46.4 ft |
| Brakes | ||
| Front brake diameter | 297 mm | 350 mm |
| Front brake type | Dual-piston vented disc | Sliding-caliper, dual-piston, vented disc |
| Parking brake type | Mechanical, foot operated | Electric integrated parking/emergency brake |
| Rear brake diameter | 287 mm | 336 mm |
| Rear brake type | Single piston vented disc | Sliding-caliper, single-piston, vented disc |
| Wheels | ||
| Wheel diameter | 16 in | 17 in |
| Wheel material | alloy | steel |
| Tires | ||
| Tire size | 265/70R16 | 245/70R17 |
| Fuel System | ||
| Fuel tank capacity | 21 gal | 23 gal |
| Minimum recommended octane | 87 | 87 |
| Connected Services | ||
| Connected services brand | — | FordPass Connect |
| Connected services trial (standard tier) | — | 12 months |
| Shoulder Room | ||
| Front shoulder room | 58.2 in | 66.7 in |
| Second-row shoulder room | 58.3 in | — |
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
119 features · differences first, then sharedSafety28 differ · 36 listed
| Feature | Nissan FrontierS RWD | Ford F-150XL 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Blind Spot Warning | std | — |
| Intelligent Cruise Control | std | — |
| Rear Cross Traffic Alert | std | — |
| Lane Departure Warning | std | — |
| RearView Monitor | std | — |
| Rear sonar system | std | — |
| Advanced Security Pack | — | opt |
| AdvanceTrac™ With Roll Stability Control™ (RSC®) | — | std |
| Auto Hold | — | std |
| BLIS® with Cross-Traffic Alert and Trailer Tow Coverage | — | std |
| Curve Control | — | std |
| Driver and front passenger knee supplemental air bags | std | — |
| Electronic Brake force Distribution | std | — |
| Ford Co-Pilot360™ Assist 2.0 | — | std |
| High Beam Assist | std | — |
| Intelligent Driver Alertness | std | — |
| Intersection Assist 2.0 | — | std |
| Lane-Keeping System | — | std |
| Perimeter Anti-Theft Alarm | — | std |
| Post-Collision Braking | — | std |
| Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking | — | std |
| Rear Automatic Braking | std | — |
| Rear Door Alert | std | — |
| Reverse Sensing System | — | std |
| SOS Post-Crash Alert System™ | — | std |
| Tire Pressure Monitoring System with Easy-Fill Tire Alert | std | — |
| Vehicle Dynamic Control | std | — |
| Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) | — | std |
| Forward Collision Warning | std | std |
| Airbags - Front, Driver and Passenger | std | std |
| Airbags - Front, Driver and Passenger Seat-Mounted Side | std | std |
| Airbags - Safety Canopy® Side Curtains | std | std |
| Trailer Sway Control | std | std |
| Four-Wheel Anti-Lock Brakes | std | std |
| Hill Start Assist | std | std |
| SecuriLock® Passive Anti-Theft System | std | std |
Infotainment15 differ · 17 listed
| Feature | Nissan FrontierS RWD | Ford F-150XL 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| FordPass™ Connect 5G LTE Wi-Fi Hotspot | — | std |
| 12" Capacitive Touchscreen | — | std |
| 4" Cluster Display | — | std |
| 8-inch color touchscreen | std | — |
| AM/FM/USB with 4 speakers | std | — |
| Bluetooth® hands-free phone system | std | — |
| Ford Connectivity Package (1-Year Incl.) | — | std |
| Siri® Eyes Free | std | — |
| SiriusXM® Radio with advanced audio features | std | — |
| SiriusXM® with 360L (3-Month Prepaid Subscription) | — | std |
| Streaming Audio via Bluetooth® | std | — |
| Sync® 4 | — | std |
| Voice recognition for navigation and audio | std | — |
| Wired Android Auto™ | std | — |
| Wired Apple CarPlay® | std | — |
| Steering Wheel-Mounted Bluetooth Hands-Free | std | std |
| Steering Wheel-Mounted Audio Controls | std | std |
Convenience11 differ · 11 listed
| Feature | Nissan FrontierS RWD | Ford F-150XL 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| 12-volt power outlet (1 on instrument panel) | std | — |
| 120-volt outlet with 400-watt capacity (rear of front center console, bed) | opt | — |
| Cruise control | std | — |
| Easy Fuel® Capless Fuel Filler | — | std |
| Power door locks | std | — |
| Power windows with driver one-touch auto-down | std | — |
| Push-button start | std | — |
| Rear power windows | std | — |
| Remote keyless entry | std | — |
| Remote Keyless Entry System | — | std |
| USB – 2 total (front Type A, Type C) | std | — |
Climate3 differ · 3 listed
| Feature | Nissan FrontierS RWD | Ford F-150XL 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Dual-Zone Electronic Automatic Temperature Control | — | opt |
| Manual Air Conditioning, Single Zone | — | std |
| Underseat heating ducts for rear passengers | std | — |
Seating8 differ · 8 listed
| Feature | Nissan FrontierS RWD | Ford F-150XL 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| 6-way manual | std | — |
| 2-way manual lumbar | std | — |
| 4-way manual (front passenger seat) | std | — |
| Front seat Active Head Restraints | std | — |
| Rear seats – 60/40 split back cushion flip-up with adjustable headrests | std | — |
| Seating – Base cloth | std | — |
| Seats - Front - 40/20/40, Cloth | — | std |
| Seats - Rear - 60/40 Flip Up Split Bench with Elongated Cushion (SuperCrew®) | — | std |
Interior7 differ · 7 listed
| Feature | Nissan FrontierS RWD | Ford F-150XL 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| 7-inch Advanced Drive-Assist® Display | std | — |
| Console Work Surface | — | opt |
| Driver's seatback pocket | std | — |
| Rearview Mirror, Day/Night | — | std |
| Steering wheel switch illumination | std | — |
| Steering Wheel, Manual Tilt/Telescoping | — | std |
| Color-Coordinated Carpet with Carpeted Floor Mats | — | std |
Exterior18 differ · 18 listed
| Feature | Nissan FrontierS RWD | Ford F-150XL 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Headlamps - LED Projector with Dynamic Bending | std | — |
| 16-inch aluminum-alloy, center cap, painted finish wheels | std | — |
| 265/70R16 all-season tires | std | — |
| Cargo bed lights – stop lamps | std | — |
| Center high mount stop lamp | std | — |
| Daytime Running Lamps | — | std |
| Exhaust - Dual with Dual Tailpipes Under Rear Bumper | — | opt |
| Exterior light – cargo/bed illumination | std | — |
| Intelligent Automatic headlights | std | — |
| LED Box Lighting | — | opt |
| LED Mirror-Mounted Spotlights | — | opt |
| Outside mirrors – Folding | std | — |
| Skid plate – Front composite | std | — |
| Skid Plates - Fuel Tank, Transfer Case and Front Differential (4x4) | — | opt |
| Sliding rear cab window | std | — |
| Tailgate spoiler | std | — |
| Taillamps - LED | std | — |
| Autolamp - Automatic on/off Headlamps with Rainlamp Wiper Activated Headlamps | — | std |
Powertrain8 differ · 9 listed
| Feature | Nissan FrontierS RWD | Ford F-150XL 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| 4x4 | — | opt |
| 2-wheel limited Slip | std | — |
| 9-speed automatic transmission | std | — |
| Axle Upgrade | — | opt |
| Drive configuration – Rear-wheel drive (4x2) / Part-time 4-wheel drive (4x4) | std | — |
| Electronic-Locking Rear Differential | — | opt |
| FX4 Off-Road Package (4x4 Only) | — | opt |
| Selectable Drive Modes | — | std |
| Auto Start-Stop Technology | std | std |
Chassis2 differ · 2 listed
| Feature | Nissan FrontierS RWD | Ford F-150XL 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Front suspension – Independent double wishbone with twin tube shock absorbers | std | — |
| Rear suspension – Overslung multi-leaf with Dana axle, twin tube shock absorbers | std | — |
Cargo8 differ · 8 listed
| Feature | Nissan FrontierS RWD | Ford F-150XL 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Class IV Trailer Hitch | — | std |
| Tow/Haul Package | opt | std |
| Bed rail protectors | std | — |
| Hitch ball provision on rear bumper | std | — |
| Integrated Trailer Brake Controller | — | opt |
| Locking tailgate with dampened opening, closure assist | std | — |
| Spray-in bedliner | opt | — |
| Tie-down hooks (4) | std | — |
Highlighted rows are where the two differ. Wording is the manufacturer's own.
Safety record
NHTSA recalls, complaints, NCAPNissan Frontier
Top recalls
- high Latches/Locks/Linkages 26V023000 · 26,432 vehicles
Ford F-150
Top recalls
- critical Power Train 26V576000 · 37 vehicles
- high Structure 26V689000 · 30,123 vehicles · filed unfixed
- high Electrical System 26V653000 · 102,159 vehicles · filed unfixed
- high Seats 26V655000 · 2,276 vehicles
- high Suspension 26V577000 · 17 vehicles
- high Fuel System, Gasoline 26V578000 · 223,472 vehicles
Ownership
EPA, manufacturer warranty| Nissan FrontierS RWD | Ford F-150XL 4X2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $33,550 (base trim) | $39,585 (base trim) |
| Price range across trims | $33,550 – $41,870 6 trims | $39,585 – $79,005 25 trims |
| Powertrains | GAS | HEV, GAS |
| EPA configuration compared | Frontier 2WD | F150 Pickup 2WD HEV |
| Combined mpg / MPGe | 21 | 24 |
| EPA annual fuel cost | $3,200 | $2,800 |
| EV range | — | — |
| Basic warranty | — | 3 yr / 36,000 mi |
| Powertrain warranty | — | 5 yr / 60,000 mi |
| Roadside assistance | — | 5 yr |
Common questions
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsWhich is better, the 2026 Nissan Frontier or the 2026 Ford F-150?
The Nissan Frontier wins clearly, 94.1 to 79.7, on tech & comfort, space & cargo, price. The Ford F-150 is ahead on fuel & range and performance. On WhichTrim's default weights the 2026 Nissan Frontier scores 94.1 and the 2026 Ford F-150 79.7. The weights are yours to change — move what you care about and the verdict recalculates on the page.
Which is cheaper, the 2026 Nissan Frontier or the 2026 Ford F-150?
The 2026 Nissan Frontier starts lower — $33,550 against $39,585, a gap of $6,035 at the trims compared here. Both are manufacturer MSRPs before destination, options and dealer charges.
Which has the better safety record, the 2026 Nissan Frontier or the 2026 Ford F-150?
2026 Nissan Frontier: 4 NHTSA stars, grade A, 1 recall. 2026 Ford F-150: 5 NHTSA stars, grade F, 9 recalls (2 filed with no repair available). 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 2026 Nissan Frontier and the 2026 Ford F-150?
Where the 2026 Nissan Frontier wins: it has drawn fewer owner complaints (11 against 20 filed with NHTSA), has the cleaner recall record (Safety Signal 92 against 52), and lists more comfort and tech equipment (29.5 points against 17 on the press-kit count, standard = 1, optional = ½). Where the 2026 Ford F-150 answers: it carries 5 NHTSA overall stars against 4 and turns out 400 lb-ft of torque against 281.