By Tim Plouff

Nissan and Toyota used to own the small truck class, selling more reliable compact pickups than everyone else combined. Nissan’s Datsun brand created the class in 1959, followed quickly by Toyota’s Hilux truck.

Ford and Chevrolet put their muscle into the class with the Ranger and S-10 pickups in the early ’80s. Previously, these Big Three automakers relied on re-badged trucks from Mazda and Isuzu before developing trucks themselves. It took only a few years and the new pickups from Chevy and Ford swept the sales momentum away from the import-branded pickups.

But the last 18 months have seen big changes in the small truck class. Dodge rolled out a new Dakota, a truck that has always been a bit of a mid-size package. Toyota introduced a new Tacoma, still built in California, but now with the space and features that make it a close rival for its larger Tundra brother.

Then GM rolled out its new Colorado and Canyon series of small trucks. Sales sputtered at first, but now the GM twins lead the class in overall volume with Toyota close behind while the former dominant seller, the Ranger, watches its sales fall off a cliff.

This year, changes continue as the small truck class gets a whole new Nissan Frontier plus another rival from Honda, which is making its first pickup ever, the Ridgeline. Buyers have never had so many choices in pickup trucks.

The new Frontier is head and shoulders above the model it replaces. The foundation is a beefy frame borrowed from the full-size Titan. Downsized to fit altered dimensions, the strong Titan chassis gives the new Frontier uncommon rigidity, the kind of rugged stiffness that real off-roading truck buyers appreciate. This strength also allows the engineers to improve on-road ride compliance as the suspension can now do the work it was intended to do while the frame supports the body and cabin.

The 2005 Frontier has 10 more inches between the wheels (up to 126 in Crew Cab layout) plus the overall length is up over a foot. Width grows a modest 1.5 inches while height increases by three inches. By comparison, a four-door Frontier Crew Cab is slightly larger than a Chevy Colorado but slightly smaller than a comparable Toyota Tacoma.

As buyers have demanded more refinement, more features and more capabilities from their small trucks, their size expectations also have changed. Nissan has dropped the basic, regular cab design and will offer only two versions of the Frontier: four-door King Cab and four-door Crew Cab. Think of the new Frontier as a Pathfinder SUV with a small pickup bed attached instead of an enclosed cabin. And the bed is well appointed, too, with a factory applied spray-on bedliner, multiple anchor points and sliding bed rails.

Besides space, the new Frontier has gained weight. At 4,500 pounds, the Crew Cab weighs about 330 pounds more than a like-sized Tacoma.

When Nissan looked at the previous Frontier, it saw what customers saw: a solid stone-cold reliable truck that was slow, crowded inside and maybe a little short on the amenities and refinement that buyers seek in today’s hotly contested new vehicle market.

To remedy these shortcomings and not give up any of the brand’s record of solid service, Nissan used the groundbreaking Titan as a template. You could say that the Frontier has been to finishing school and has a whole new set of manners.

First, the Frontier comes with a 4.0-liter version of Nissan’s ever-popular VQ V-6 engine. This motor pumps out 265 horsepower, which is 55-hp more than last year’s V-6. Mated to either a six-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission, the Frontier’s four-wheel-drive models also feature four-wheel disc brakes with antilock, traction control and dynamic stability (a class exclusive), Hill Descent Control (another exclusive) plus side airbags and a host of interior pieces that just aren’t found on other competitors’ small trucks. This accounts for some of the weight gain yet Nissan can also boast that the new Frontier is probably the best-equipped truck in the class.

Buyers who do venture off-road appreciate a truck that has a solid feel. A compliant suspension on-road is also necessary, but the truck that performs well in each area is a stronger performer. The Frontier delivers.

A spirited drive over some deserted dirt roads and along some old woods trails clearly demonstrated the Nissan’s newfound attributes. Throw the Frontier into a fast turn littered with loose stones and gravel and the electronic systems insure that you exit the other side with the shiny side still upright. The stability system allows a limited degree of slide, however, the combination of limited slip axle, antilock brakes, stability control and traction control keep you moving forward at a pace that will unnerve your riding companions. Ground clearance and low-speed traction is also superb, as the Frontier didn’t meet any challenges that it couldn’t handle. Just imagine how good this stuff will work in the snow.

Back on pavement, the V-6 engine provides plenty of exciting get-up-and-go; something that you could never say about the previous engines.  The automatic in my Crew Cab was admirable in its performance and mileage hovered around the EPA estimates despite my heavy-handed use. The on-road ride is firm, not punishing, but noticeably stiff over our less than perfect secondary roads. The weighted steering gear is decidedly more responsive both on- and off-road while the seating positions and interior comfort levels are much improved, too. You can say that the new Frontier looks a lot like the older version, but this is a whole new truck from stem to stern.

The cabin in my test truck was plush for a small pickup. Sunroof, heated leather seats, six-disc CD changer, Rockford-Fosgate stereo and much more illustrated how serious Nissan is about this class, again. Cabin noise levels are pleasingly low up to elevated highway speeds.

The Frontier beats the Tacoma in off-road ground clearance yet the Nissan’s cabin is lower and easier to access than the Toyota. In fact, the tubular side steps are only for show; you don’t need them to get in or out and they will probably get pretty banged up during your off-road excursions anyway so skip this option.

If you’re serious about a small truck over a full-size pickup — and many buyers can still make a clear distinction between the virtues of each — know that the Frontier’s smaller exterior dimensions are easier to manage on the trail and at the mall. But don’t expect your mother-in-law or your best friends to enjoy the rear seat accommodations as this space is best used for the kids, the dogs or someone you don’t really want to ride with you all of the time. The bottom cushion is too short and the seatback’s near vertical arrangement is less than passenger-friendly for adult-sized occupants. Our friends indicated as such but we’re still friends.

A year ago, the Frontier was a marginal player in the small truck class and Nissan didn’t have an entry in the full-size class. Now, the Titan is taking names and making in-roads in the domestic-dominated end of the industry. The changes rendered to the new Frontier should have the same effect on the smaller end of the pickup class.