2000 Nissan Frontier

By Bob Storck

When Datsun entered the US in the 60s, their pickup was by far their most successful product, far outstripping the popularity of the anemic sedan they offered. They wisely built their first US plant (the first for any foreign manufacturer) to build small trucks.

Now branded as Nissans, the pickup has undergone its fourth redesign, and has finally gained a name, Frontier. Once again Nissan set the pace with the first true four door small pickup to be sold here. While the Crew Cab bed is short, it is more than enough to carry the loads most suburbanites need. While larger, the rear seats will be cramped for adults on all but the shortest trips.

These Smyrna, TN small pickups created a niche. Virtually everything for the US built vehicles is produced here, not assembled with foreign produced parts as with other manufacturers.

Desert Runner was inspired by vehicles that are used by off-road racers to pre-run a desert racing course, such as the Baja 500 or 1000. These 2-wheel drive trucks have a high ride height, skid plates and large tires and wheels capable of traversing the rough terrain. This year Nissan has captured the spirit of these pre-running trucks with Desert Runner.