The New Nissan Frontier Hardbody Is a Good Old Fashioned Pickup

Not every pickup truck has a movie named after it.“Hands on a Hardbody” is an award-winning 1997 documentary about a contest at a Texas car dealership that gave away a Nissan Hardbody truck to the person who could keep touching it for the longest time. Twenty-four people entered, short scheduled breaks were allowed and the winner lasted 77 hours.‘Hands on a Hardbody’, a 1997 documentary that later became a Broadway musical, immortalized the pickup. Ideal EnterprisesThe story was later adapted into a stage musical, with music co-written by Trey Anastasio of the band Phish. It debuted at La Jolla, Calif., in 2012 and made it all the way to Broadway, where it earned three Tony nominations.The productions helped cement the popular compact pickup’s place in American culture. The Hardbody name was descriptive, as it referred to the truck’s double-wall bed, which was an uncommon feature on small, cheap pickups in the day.The original Nissan Frontier Hardbody which dates back to the late 1980s. Courtesy Nissan.The new Hardbody (foreground) contains many features of its predecessor (background), but packs a lot more power. Courtesy NissanCoincidentally, the Hardbody’s decade-long run ended the same year that the film debuted in 1997, when it was replaced by the Frontier. But the two worlds have now collided.Nissan has introduced a Frontier Hardbody Edition for 2024 that pays homage to its predecessor. Priced at $45,710, it is far from a budget model, but is loaded with throwback features.They include a retro decal package, a set of unique tri-spoke wheels modeled on a design that was offered on the original Hardbody, all-terrain tires, a tubular sport bar over the bed, a front off-road skid plate, black exterior trim and the choice of white, black or red paint. The last of those was the Hardbody’s signature color.The now-midsize truck comes in a four-door crew cab body style with a 310 hp V6 engine, a nine-speed automatic transmission and four-wheel-drive, as the “4×4” decals on the rocker panels proudly announce. It is also something of a living legend.The bed of the new Nissan Frontier Hardbody. Courtesy NissanThe Frontier was last updated in 2022, but its frame dates back to 2005. That makes it the longest-running new truck model still on sale. In fact, its three closest competitors — the Ford Ranger, Chevrolet Colorado and Toyota Tacoma — have all been fully redesigned over the past year. So it is the elder statesman, however you look at it.This seems especially appropriate when it is wearing the Hardbody costume. The old-school feel continues into the cabin, which is snug and sparsely appointed by today’s standards. There is a touchscreen-controlled infotainment system, but it’s a basic setup, and the instrument cluster features analogue gauges with a small digital display between them. The large number of knobs and buttons scattered across the dashboard will be appreciated by analog aficionados.Among the high-tech equipment that’s bundled with the Hardbody Edition package is radar adaptive cruise control, which seems a little out of place, but is welcome on long highway drives.The Frontier is surprisingly refined on the open road and you’ll find lots of rubber seals and insulation under the hood keeping things quiet. It is not the smoothest truck in its class, but it’s also not rough.The interior of the new Nissan Frontier Hardbody. Courtesy NissanOne piece of hardware that’s on the endangered list is the Frontier’s hydraulically assisted steering. Nearly every light duty vehicle has switched to electric power assist, which is more efficient, but can feel numb and disconnected. The Frontier’s steering is direct and heavy enough that you need to adjust to it when jumping in from another vehicle, but it adds to the vintage flavor.Pull off the pavement and, as the name implies, the Frontier is very much at home. It is an extremely capable off-roader in this specification and can tow more than 6,000 pounds, which isn’t bad at all for a little old guy.The next time someone tells you they don’t make them like they used to, feel free to correct them.

The New Nissan Frontier Hardbody Is a Good Old Fashioned Pickup

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