2026 Nissan Frontier
Gas Pickup truck
The 2026 Nissan Frontier is sold in the U.S. as a gas pickup truck with 3 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Frontier 2WD, is EPA-rated at 21 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of A. Owners have filed 7 complaints, most often about power train. NHTSA crash-tested it at 4 stars overall.
Specs & fuel economy (EPA)
| Configuration | Powertrain | Drive | Engine / motor | City | Hwy | Comb | Annual fuel* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frontier 2WD | Gas | RWD | 3.8L 6-cyl | 19 | 24 | 21 | $2,950 |
| Frontier 4WD | Gas | Part-time 4WD | 3.8L 6-cyl | 17 | 21 | 19 | $3,300 |
| Frontier 4WD PRO4X | Gas | Part-time 4WD | 3.8L 6-cyl | 16 | 20 | 18 | $3,450 |
*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year and EPA reference fuel/electricity prices. Source: fueleconomy.gov vehicle records.
Insure it for less
Insurers price the 2026 Frontier very differently. A two-minute comparison across 100+ carriers is the cheapest ownership win there is.
Compare insurance →Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Data on this page is never influenced by that.
Recalls (1)
Latches/Locks/Linkages
highProblem: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2025 Altima, Sentra, 2025-2026 Frontier, and 2026 Kicks vehicles. The door strikers may have been improperly welded and break, allowing the door to open while moving. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 206, "Door Locks and Door Retention Components."
Risk: A door that opens unexpectedly while the vehicle is in motion increases the risk of injury or a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the door strikers, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 17, 2026. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 800-647-7261. Nissan's numbers for this recall are PD185 and PMA61. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning January 28, 2026.
Owner complaints
7 complaints filed
0 involved a crash, 0 a fire, 0 injuries, 0 deaths reported by owners.
Filed by year — 2025: 1 · 2026: 6
Most-cited components
- Power Train — 2
- Fuel System, Gasoline — 1
- Structure — 1
- Interior Lighting — 1
- Unknown Or Other — 1
Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.
Crash ratings
| Configuration | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PU/CC 4WD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | 20% |
| PU/CC RWD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | 20% |
| PU/EC 4WD | not rated | not rated | not rated | ★★★☆☆ | 20% |
| PU/EC RWD | not rated | not rated | not rated | ★★★☆☆ | 20% |
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking.
Other Frontier model years
2025 Frontier
3 recalls · 7 complaints
C2024 Frontier
3 recalls · 21 complaints
A2023 Frontier
1 recalls · 64 complaints
F2022 Frontier
6 recalls · 110 complaints
B2021 Frontier
2 recalls · 17 complaints
B2020 Frontier
2 recalls · 23 complaints
A2019 Frontier
1 recalls · 28 complaints
B2018 Frontier
2 recalls · 25 complaints
A2017 Frontier
1 recalls · 38 complaints
B2016 Frontier
1 recalls · 43 complaints
Sources & method
Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.
EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records (ids 49833, 49838, 49839). Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.