V-6 Gas Mileage, Performance

One of the disappointing elements of the V-6 Frontier — and one that many people in the market for a smaller truck will likely be concerned about — is its gas mileage. With an automatic transmission and four-wheel drive, it gets an EPA-estimated 14/19 mpg city/highway, which is similar to what the full-size Ford F-150 and Chevrolet Silverado pickup trucks achieve with V-8 power. If you're looking for better gas mileage, rear-wheel-drive Frontiers come with a standard four-cylinder engine that gets up to 19/23 mpg with a five-speed manual.

Aside from its gas mileage, I like the V-6 drivetrain. The 4.0-liter V-6 makes 261 horsepower (the most of any midsize six-cylinder pickup) and offers strong acceleration when merging on the highway or pulling away from a stoplight.

The V-6 Frontier I tested had the optional five-speed automatic (a six-speed manual is standard), and the transmission is a smooth-shifting unit. However, it likes to run in a high gear, even when cruising at midrange speeds, to keep engine rpm low and save fuel. This didn't prove detrimental to performance because the V-6 is so powerful.

    See also:

    Tire pressure
    Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) This vehicle is equipped with the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). It monitors tire pressure of all tires except the spare. When the low tire pre ...

    Backing up on a steep downhill
    Backing up on a steep downhill When backing up the vehicle down a hill, the distance guide lines and the vehicle width guide lines are shown further than the actual distance. For example, the ...

    Preventing the Intelligent Key from being left in the vehicle
    If you lock all doors using the power door lock switch with the Intelligent Key in the vehicle, all of the doors unlock immediately and the buzzer will warn you when the door is closed. ...