Nissan Frontier Mods – How to Get a Much Better Nissan?

Nissan Frontier is an American version of Navarra (NP300). This is a global Nissan truck model and a very successful project helping the company earn money since 1997. The vehicle has changed four generations and become one of the best-sold trucks in some countries. In the US, it's been pretty successful, too, so, a lot of Frontiers are now moving on the roads in America.

Car mods and upgrades highlights

• Commonsystems:engines, interior, exterior, suspension
• Average prices:$1,500 - $7,000
• Average waiting time:7 - 21 days
• Commonreasons:higher speed, power, and visual improvements
• DIY mods:just minor visual changes
• Level of satisfaction:high

Nissan Frontier - no mods, no fun

This pickup truck is created for work. It's not very comfortable and not really beautiful, even in the last 2021 generation. This vehicle is still popular, but why? Because it does a lot of work and completes all the tasks you want it to complete. Need to go off the road? No problem. Need to tow a trailer? Easy. Need to transport something dirty? The bed is there.

But if you drive your Nissan Frontier daily, you can easily see that it doesn't deliver you any fun. It's just a vehicle that doesn't break at every corner and doesn't need a lot of maintenance. It's just a car that completes your everyday commuting tasks and carries weight if needed.

Here's what you get in the most recent generation of the Frontier:

• the price range of the new Nissan truck is $30,000-$40,000 between the starter and the top models;
• the 3.8-liter V6 with 310 horsepower is there for you, the torque is 281 lb-ft which is not bad at all;
• the only transmission option is the 9-speed automatic transmission with quick shifting and wonderful towing abilities;
• the rear-wheel drive is standard while you can pay more and get an AWD Frontier which is the most popular paid option;
• even in the cheapest version, you get a good audio system, button engine start, and even the collision mitigation system.

We see that Frontier is not a simple practical truck now, it's a cool vehicle offering you a lot of options for relatively little money. And yes, we can't say which mods you will need for this car. It has a simple naturally aspirated engine and we can't imagine an owner who will install a turbocharger on it losing the warranty and risking the reliability.

So, we'll be mainly talking about the older generations and some mods that can be applied to them. Though, some of the cool accessories you can get for a couple of dollars are worth considering even if you have the latest generation of the Frontier and just want to change it a little.

What are the interior and exterior mods for your Frontier?

Let's start with the exterior of your vehicle. We've found out the most popular and requested accessories for the Frontier and could make a list of great mods.

• A step bar

You can install a step bar and make your Frontier much more comfortable for kids. It will also look really cool with chrome or black step bars of high quality. Yes, you will have to spend at least $200 for some unknown-brand step bard for a Frontier, but it seems they are worth it.

• Plastic body covers

We would go with some plastic flaps and elements covering wheel arches and thresholds. These are really cool addons that will make your vehicle look better. Be careful with choosing the colors. For example, a red Frontier will look wonderful with black plastic covers on the lower part of the body.

• Bigger rims and tires

Wheels can make your Nissan Frontier look better or worse. Unfortunately, the rim designers were obviously on their vacations when Nissan was creating the Frontier. So, the OEM rims look so simple and cheap. Better choose something much cooler but don't forget about the sizes, ET, and other parameters.

Also, better tires will be a great purchase for you. If you use your vehicle for off-roading, buy off-road tires with deep treads. They will not only make the vehicle look cool, but also make it more efficient in mud.

• Bed accessories

Think of how you can improve the bed of the Nissan truck. It can be closed with a lid or you can buy a special construction to turn your truck into an SUV (at least visually). Think of whether it will still let you use the truck for everyday purposes.

• Some interior mods to think about

When we are talking about interior mods, we should pay attention to our personal needs. For example, you may buy wonderful leather seat covers or new floor mats that will look better and assist you in keeping the car clean and tidy inside.

We would also consider buying a more up-to-date multimedia system with multiple important functions (especially, if you have an older Frontier).

Performance mods for your Nissan Frontier

If you want your vehicle to drive much better than it does now, you will need some performance mods. The easiest way to improve the acceleration and power of the vehicle is to just tune the software, but with a Frontier, you can do much better things.

So, here are some of the most interesting ideas:

• Software upgrades

This is probably the cheapest way to make your Frontier go better. Don't think this will be MUCH better, but some improvements you may get.

Be careful when choosing the company that will complete the upgrades. It's vital to have the job done by some professional guys.

• Turbocharging

If you have a naturally aspirated Frontier, you can turbocharge it. Buy a turbocharger kit for your engine and find a company ready to install the turbo. This will cost you a fortune, but the results will be great.

Also, you may upgrade the turbocharger if you own an initially turbocharged Nissan Frontier (a diesel version, for example). Upgrading a turbocharger or replacing it with another model will give you more power and better acceleration.

• Suspension lift

We know a lot of Frontier owners who use their vehicles for off-roading. And suspension lift is something very important for them. This will allow you to achieve two main things: better performance when off-roading and also better looks in combination with bigger wheels.

• Brake mods

Unfortunately, the OEM brakes are not very efficient in the Frontier. That's why you can find a lot of brake kits for the Frontier. And they are sometimes really advisable. Especially, if you drive your vehicle on highways and at high speeds.

• Engine swap

Well, if your Frontier has already hit the 250,000-mile mark, the only way to make the engine go better is to swap it. You can choose a better engine from the newer generation of the Frontier or just get some other engine that can be legally installed in the Frontier.

An engine swap is not going to be really cheap. But this action will prolong the time you can use your vehicle.

Why are the performance mods scary for your Nissan Frontier?

Nearly all performance mods are bad just because they interfere with the original construction of the vehicle. When you are reading about the wonderful reliability and longevity of the Frontier that can go about 300,000 miles with no major problems, you are reading about the initial OEM parts that work together efficiently.

When you are installing an aftermarket turbocharger, a suspension lift kit, or even some new software, you can never be sure that the vehicle will still be reliable. You can lose the durability of your Nissan Frontier for the sake of power. Are you ready for this? So, this will answer the question of whether you should or shouldn't go for some mods for your truck.

Final words

We can't see any reason why shouldn't you try some mods for your Nissan Frontier. Once you know that these modifications will work well for your truck, you will be satisfied. But some Nissan Frontier mods are really very hard to complete. They will cost you a lot of money and will make you search hard for some specialists.

You should think about potential problems with durability. If you install any aftermarket units and parts into your Nissan Frontier powertrain, you should be ready for certain deterioration of the reliability. It doesn't mean that all performance mods are going to kill your vehicle faster, but some of them will certainly do this.