2021 Ford F-150 vs 2022 Nissan Frontier

The Ford F-Series pickup truck has been the best-selling vehicle in the United States for decades and in Canada for the past 11 years, so a lot is at stake with any redesign. The 2021 Ford F-150 plays it safe, with changes that are smaller in scope than the truck’s previous redesign (for the 2015 model year), but nonetheless significant.

This latest redesign brought an updated version of the previous-generation truck’s bold styling, a revamped interior with more convenience features, and the new Sync 4 infotainment system, as well as an available PowerBoost hybrid powertrain. This is the first time Ford has offered an F-150 hybrid, and the PowerBoost is currently the only full-hybrid powertrain available in a full-size pickup truck.

The F-150’s traditional rivals are the Chevrolet Silverado 1500/GMC Sierra 1500 twins and Ram 1500, along with the slower-selling Toyota Tundra and recently discontinued Nissan Titan.

Ford offers a staggering array of options, including six trim levels (XL, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch, Platinum, and Limited), three cab configurations, three bed sizes, six powertrains, and the choice of rear-wheel drive (RWD) or four-wheel drive (4WD). Our test vehicle was an F-150 King Ranch with the SuperCrew cab, 4WD, and the PowerBoost hybrid powertrain.

As they say, “better late than never.” After 17 years, we can finally call the Nissan Frontier an all-new truck. Mostly. While the 2022 model looks, feels, and drives completely differently from the 2021 model, it still rides on the same platform as that previous-generation truck, albeit an extensively modified version.

Old bones or not, it’s nearly impossible to confuse the 2022 model year Frontier with the old truck. Updated styling, an enhanced powertrain, a comfortable cabin, and real off-road capability combine to give it a notable advantage against a set of aging competitors from Ford, General Motors, and Toyota.