2022 GMC Sierra 1500 vs 2022 Nissan Frontier

The 2022 Nissan Frontier emerged as a key player in Nissan's "Nissan Next" strategy, marking a significant redesign in the midsize pickup segment. With its rugged, blocky styling reminiscent of the classic Nissan Hardbody pickups from the 1980s and 1990s, the Frontier presented a bold new look. The design process, led by Hiren Patel, involved crafting the truck's shape from a solid block of metal, resulting in a robust and distinctive appearance. Available in nine exterior colours, including Tactical Green and Boulder Gray Pearl, the Frontier offered a variety of interior options, with the PRO-4X trim featuring exclusive charcoal leather seating. Slightly longer than its predecessor, the Frontier maintained a manageable size, fitting comfortably in garages and parking spaces. It targeted competitors like the Chevrolet Colorado and Toyota Tacoma, offering configurations such as the King Cab and Crew Cab, with bed lengths varying from 5 to 6 feet. The Frontier also featured practical options like a spray-in bedliner and LED bed lighting, enhancing its utility.

Inside, the 2022 Frontier represented a significant leap forward for Nissan's midsize pickup, boasting improvements in comfort and technology. The front seats featured Nissan's acclaimed Zero Gravity technology, providing exceptional comfort. Enhanced insulation, including an acoustic laminated windshield, reduced noise levels, creating a quieter cabin environment. The redesigned centre console offered ample storage solutions, and the truck's interior was equipped with numerous optional accessories, catering to customization enthusiasts. With over 80 available accessories, including sport bars and off-road steprails, the Frontier embraced the growing trend of personalization in the truck and off-road vehicle market.

The 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 introduced new Denali Ultimate and AT4X variants, expanding on the premium Denali and AT4 trims. With eight trim levels available, the Sierra appeared larger and more aggressive, thanks to an updated grille, front fascia, and headlight design. The Denali's grille featured a "tri-linear" theme, while the Denali Ultimate boasted dark-coloured "Vader bars" inserts. The Sierra's exterior design remained largely unchanged, offering various cab and bed configurations, including a CarbonPro carbon fibre composite cargo bed and a six-function MultiPro tailgate. The interior saw significant updates, with a redesigned dash and premium materials elevating the cabin's luxury. The AT4X trim, designed for off-road driving, featured premium leather, Vanta ash wood trim, and a microsuede headliner, while the Denali Ultimate showcased full-grain leather and open-pore Paldao wood.

The Sierra's interior offered a spacious and comfortable environment, with ample headroom and legroom for both front and rear passengers. The cabin featured numerous storage compartments, although the gloveboxes were on the smaller side. Ergonomics were a mixed bag, with a low centreline for the driver-oriented cockpit and an abundance of knobs and buttons. The AT4X trim's off-road controls were positioned in two different locations, adding to the complexity. Despite these quirks, the Sierra's interior provided a luxurious and functional space, catering to both comfort and utility.

The 2022 Nissan Frontier was powered by a retuned 3.8-litre V6 engine, delivering class-leading power specs of 310 horsepower and 281 lb-ft of torque. This robust powertrain provided strong acceleration and ample passing power at highway speeds. Equipped with a tow mode, the Frontier's nine-speed automatic transmission optimized performance under load, offering a maximum payload of 635 kilograms and a towing capacity of 2,944 kilograms. While not class-leading, these figures were competitive. The Frontier's 4WD system, standard in Canada, included 4-Hi and 4-Lo modes, a 4-wheel limited-slip system, hill start assist, and hill descent control. The hydraulic rack and pinion steering system provided a heavier feel, appealing to traditional truck enthusiasts. The PRO-4X trim offered off-road capabilities with features like an electronic locking rear differential, Bilstein shock absorbers, and steel underbody skid plates. The Frontier's fuel efficiency was estimated at 13.7 litres per 100 kilometres in the city, 10.6 on the highway, and 12.3 combined.

The 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 offered a range of engine options, including a 2.7L turbo four-cylinder, a 3.8-litre Duromax turbo-diesel inline-six, a 5.3-litre V8, and a 6.2L Ecotec3 V8. The turbo-four produced 310 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque, with revised gear ratios for smoother shifts. The diesel engine delivered 277 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque, with a class-leading towing capacity of up to 5,987 kilograms for 2WD models. The V8 engines provided 355 hp and 383 lb-ft of torque for the 5.3-litre, and 420 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque for the 6.2-litre. A 10-speed automatic transmission was standard for the diesel and V8 engines. The Sierra Denali Ultimate 4WD offered a smooth and comfortable ride, while the AT4X trim impressed with its off-road capabilities, featuring Multimatic DSSV dampers, e-locking front and rear differentials, and a high ground clearance. The Sierra's off-road test showcased its capabilities, although the test route was not particularly challenging.

The 2022 Nissan Frontier excelled in combining comfort and capability, particularly in the front seats, where Nissan's Zero Gravity seats provided exceptional comfort. The Frontier offered convenient storage options, surpassing competitors like the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon. While the Crew Cab provided manageable headroom and legroom for backseat passengers, the King Cab's rear seats were more suitable for storage than passengers. The Frontier featured eight cupholders, with four large enough to hold a one-litre bottle, and additional storage beneath the rear seat in the Crew Cab. Overall, the Frontier felt ahead of its competitors in terms of comfort and utility.

The 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 offered a spacious and comfortable interior, with best-in-class cargo capacity even in its short bed. Front headroom measured 1,093 mm, while rear-seat headroom averaged just over 1 metre. Front legroom was 1,131 mm, with double-cab rear-seat passengers enjoying 894 mm of legroom and crew cab passengers having 1,102 mm. The Sierra's cabin featured numerous storage compartments, although the gloveboxes were on the smaller side. Ergonomics were somewhat perplexing, with a low centreline for the driver-oriented cockpit and an abundance of knobs and buttons. The AT4X trim's off-road controls were positioned in two different locations, adding to the complexity. Despite these quirks, the Sierra's interior provided a luxurious and functional space, catering to both comfort and utility.

The 2022 Nissan Frontier saw significant advancements in technology, with a standard 8-inch touchscreen on the S and SV trims, and a 9-inch screen on the PRO-4X. The infotainment system featured physical knobs and buttons for easy navigation, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard equipment. The PRO-4X trim offered wireless charging and Wi-Fi hotspot capability, with four USB ports available in the Crew Cab. The optional 10-speaker Fender audio system provided excellent sound quality, although it was part of a $2,000 Luxury Package.

The 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 featured larger display screens, with a 12.3-inch digital cluster and a 13.4-inch touchscreen on most grades. The infotainment system included Google built-in, Bluetooth, OnStar, and wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity. The Denali models featured an interactive start-up screen, while the larger touchscreen allowed for personalization and dual modes. Wireless charging was available on higher grades, with options like a 15-inch multicolour head-up display and a 12-speaker Bose premium surround audio system.

The 2022 Nissan Frontier had not yet been crash-tested by the NHTSA or IIHS, but it offered a comprehensive suite of standard advanced driver assistance features under Nissan Safety Shield 360. These included blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, intelligent forward collision warning, lane departure warning, trailer sway control, rear-door alert, adaptive cruise control, and an easy-fill tire alert. Eight airbags were standard, with traffic sign recognition available on the PRO-4X grade.

The 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 introduced GM's Super Cruise, a Level 2 semi-autonomous driving system, as a standard feature on the Denali Ultimate. Super Cruise offered hands-free driving with automatic lane changes and trailering capability. The Sierra featured up to 14 camera views, a GCW Alert feature, and Trailer Side Blind Zone Alert. GMC Pro Safety included forward collision alert, automatic emergency braking, front pedestrian braking, lane-keep assist, lane departure warning, a following distance indicator, and IntelliBeam automatic headlights. The Sierra received mostly "Good" crash safety ratings from the IIHS, with a "Marginal" grade in the front-passenger small overlap test and a "Poor" grade for headlights. NHTSA ratings were four out of five stars for 2WD models, with 4WD variants not yet rated.