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:

    All-Wheel Drive (AWD) lock switch operations
    The AWD LOCK switch located on the lower side of the instrument panel. This switch is used to select the AUTO or LOCK mode depending on the driving conditions. Each time you push the lower pa ...

    How It Drives
    Like most entry-level cars, the Versa has adequate power for most situations, even with the air conditioning on. The continuously variable automatic transmission picks up engine revs quickly enoug ...

    Readiness for Inspection/Maintenance (I/M) test
    A vehicle equipped with All-Wheel Drive (AWD) should never be tested using a two wheel dynamometer (such as the dynamometers used by some states for emissions testing), or similar equipment. M ...