NISSAN FRONTIER S/C CREW CAB VS. TOYATA TACOMA DOUBLE CAB 4X4 V-6 TRD SUPERCHARGED

Packing more power into two popular compact trucks by Todd Lassa and Jack Keebler

photography by David Freers

SUPERCHARGE A PICKUP TRUCK? Old-timers who remember when pickups came with an industrial inline-six, three-on-the-tree, and hard rubber floormats will bristle at the thought. Ford’s SVT performance arm started it in ’99 and has since honed the blown track idea nearly to perfection with its F-150 Lightning hot rod. Now the concept has trickled down to compact trucks, a segment that would definitely benefit from a little spice and further improved performance. Nissan, which won’t have its first true full-size truck until ’04, is now using a supercharged V-6 as part of its effort to improve the image of its once dowdy Frontier. As a replacement for the Hard-body in ’97, the then-new Frontier disappointed prospective buyers with its styling, performance, and driving dynamics. Nissan saved it from oblivion with a…

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MotorTrend (Digital) - 1 Issue, August 2001

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