Next Nissan Frontier May use Diesel or Hybrid Power

Nissan has already announced that the next-generation Titan half-ton pickup will use a 5.0-liter diesel V8 engine, and it looks like the brand’s smaller pickup, the Frontier, may also be in line for a diesel powerplant. 

“There’s a lot of different technologies that we’re considering for the Frontier. It may be all-gas. It may be diesel. It may be a hybrid. There’s so many things we’re looking at right now,” Fred Diaz, divisional VP for Nissan Sales & Marketing told the Detroit News. 

Diesel powerplants are an accessible option for Nissan. The worldwide version of the Frontier, known as the Navara, uses a small 2.5-liter four-cylinder turbo diesel that makes about 187 hp and 331 lb-ft of torque, sounding like a perfect fit for the North American market. The company could also leverage its new partnership with Cummins and use the a 2.8-liter four cylinder that makes 200 hp and 380 lb-ft of torque.

SEE ALSO: 2015 Nisan Titan to Gain 5.0L Cummins Diesel

Nissan has plenty of experience with hybrid vehicles as well, and could adopt the powertrain from the Pathfinder Hybrid for its small truck. In the Pathfinder, the powertrain makes 250 hp and 243 lb-ft of torque.

“I think you’re going to see a lot more proliferation of diesel going forward. We’re studying the possibility of diesel being in more of our products going forward,” finished Diaz.

[Source: Detroit News]

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