2019 Nissan Frontier

small pickup / Crew cab pickup

2019 Nissan Frontier Crew cab pickup
2018 Nissan Frontier shown

Crashworthiness

Rating overview
Evaluation criteriaRating
Small overlap front: driver-side
M
Small overlap front: passenger-side
M
Moderate overlap front: original test
G
Side: original test
G
Roof strength
G
Head restraints & seats
A

Crash avoidance & mitigation

Evaluation criteriaRating
Headlights
P
Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle
Not available
Front crash prevention: pedestrian (day)
Not available

Seat belts & child restraints

Evaluation criteriaRating
LATCH ease of use
M

Key

  • G
    Good
  • A
    Acceptable
  • M
    Marginal
  • P
    Poor
  • Superior
  • Advanced
  • Basic

Some ratings use a scale of Poor to Good. Others range from Basic to Superior.

Small overlap front: driver-side

Rating applies to 2017-21 models built after February 2017

Tested vehicle: 2017 Nissan Frontier SV Crew Cab

The Nissan Frontier Crew Cab was redesigned for the 2005 model year. Beginning with 2013 models, design changes were made to the frontal airbags and seat belts. Beginning with 2017 models built after February 2017, the side curtain airbags were lengthened to improve occupant protection in small overlap frontal crashes. (Information about when a specific vehicle was manufactured is on the certification label typically affixed to the car on the driver door or adjacent B-pillar.)

Evaluation criteriaRating
M
Structure and safety cage
P
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
G
Chest
G
Hip/thigh
G
Lower leg/foot
P
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics
G

Action shot taken during the driver-side small overlap frontal crash test.

The dummy's position in relation to the door frame, steering wheel, and instrument panel after the crash test indicates that the driver’s survival space was not maintained well.

The frontal and side curtain airbags worked well together to keep the head from coming close to any stiff structure or outside objects that could cause injury.

Extensive intrusion of the footwell and brake pedal (not visible in photo) contributed to a high risk of injuries to both lower legs and a significant risk to the left foot and right knee.

Technical measurements for this test

About the small overlap front test

Small overlap front: passenger-side

Rating applies to 2017-21 models built after February 2017

Tested vehicle: 2018 Nissan Frontier S Crew Cab

The Nissan Frontier Crew Cab was redesigned for the 2005 model year. Beginning with 2013 models, design changes were made to the frontal airbags and seat belts. Beginning with 2017 models built after February 2017, the side curtain airbags were lengthened to improve occupant protection in small overlap frontal crashes. (Information about when a specific vehicle was manufactured is on the certification label typically affixed to the car on the driver door or adjacent B-pillar.)

Evaluation criteriaRating
Overall evaluation
M
Structure and safety cage
M
Passenger injury measures
Head/neck
G
Chest
G
Hip/thigh
G
Lower leg/foot
P
Passenger restraints and dummy kinematics
The dummy’s head contacted the frontal airbag but slid off the right side, leaving the head vulnerable to contact with forward structure. The side curtain airbag deployed and has sufficient forward coverage to protect the head from contact with side structure and outside objects. The side torso airbag also deployed.
A
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
G
Chest
G
Hip/thigh
G
Lower leg/foot
G
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics
G

Action shot taken during the passenger-side small overlap frontal crash test.

The dummy's position in relation to the door frame and dashboard after the crash test indicates that the passenger's survival space was not maintained well.

The dummy's head contacted the frontal airbag but then slid off the right side.

Extensive intrusion of the dashboard and toepan contributed to a likely risk of injury to the right lower leg and a significant risk to the right foot.

Technical measurements for this test

About the small overlap front test

Moderate overlap front: original test

Rating applies to 2013-21 models

Tested vehicle: 2013 Nissan Frontier SV King Cab 4wd

The Nissan Frontier Crew Cab and King Cab were redesigned for the 2005 model year. Beginning with 2013 models, design changes were made to the frontal airbags and seat belts.

Moderate overlap frontal ratings are assigned by the Institute based on a test conducted by Nissan. (The vehicle tested by Nissan was designated as a 2012 model but included the airbag and seat belt changes of the 2013 models.) Because the vehicle structure did not change after 2005, structure ratings are based this test as well as two earlier tests of the Frontier, one a 2005 model and the other a 2008 model.

The moderate overlap frontal ratings apply to both the Crew Cab and King Cab models.

Evaluation criteriaRating
Overall evaluation
G
Structure and safety cage
G
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
G
Chest
G
Leg/foot, left
M
Leg/foot, right
A
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics
G
Technical measurements for this test

About the original moderate overlap front test

Side: original test

Rating applies to 2015-21 models

Tested vehicle: 2015 Nissan Frontier SV Crew Cab 4wd with standard front and rear head curtain airbags and standard front seat-mounted torso airbags

The Nissan Frontier Crew Cab was redesigned for the 2005 model year. Beginning with 2012 models, design changes were made to the side curtain airbags to improve occupant protection in side impact crashes. Beginning with 2015 models, design changes were made to the side torso airbags and front door trim panels to further improve protection for front seat occupants.

Side ratings are assigned by the Institute based on a test conducted by Nissan. However, because there were no significant side structural changes since the 2005 model year, the structure rating of the most recent model is based on this Nissan test and an earlier test of a 2012 Frontier model plus two Institute tests of 2008 and 2010 models. Rear passenger dummy injury and head protection ratings are based on the two Nissan tests (2015 and 2012 models), because no changes were made affecting rear seat occupants since 2012.

Evaluation criteriaRating
Overall evaluation
G
Structure and safety cage
G
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
G
Torso
G
Pelvis/leg
G
Driver head protection
G
Rear passenger injury measures
Head/neck
G
Torso
G
Pelvis/leg
G
Rear passenger head protection
G
Technical measurements for this test

About the original side crash test

Roof strength

Rating applies to 2016-21 models

Tested vehicle: 2017 Nissan Frontier SV Crew Cab

Overall evaluation
G
Curb weight4,224 lbs
Peak force20,487 lbs
Strength-to-weight ratio4.85

About the roof strength test

Head restraints & seats

Seat type: Manual cloth seats AHR

Overall evaluation
A
Dynamic rating
A
Seat/head restraint geometry
G
Technical measurements for this test

About the head restraint & seat test
Currently, IIHS tests apply only to front seats.

Headlights

Trim level(s)

  • All trims
Evaluation criteriaRating
Low-beam headlight typeHalogen reflector
High-beam headlight typeHalogen reflector
Curve-adaptive?No
High-beam assist?No
Overall rating
P
Distance at which headlights provide at least 5 lux illumination:
car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler 0 ft 100 ft 200 ft 300 ft 400 ft 500 ft 600 ft Low beams Optimal low-beam illumination High beams Optimal high-beam illumination Some glare

Low beams
On the straightaway, visibility was inadequate on both sides of the road. On curves, visibility was inadequate in all 4 tests.

The low beams created some glare.

High beams
On the straightaway, visibility was inadequate on both sides of the road. On curves, visibility was inadequate in all 4 tests.

Technical measurements for this test

About the headlight evaluation

Child seat anchors

Rating applies to 2015-21 models

Evaluation criteriaRating
Overall evaluation
M
Vehicle trimSV Crew Cab
Seat type cloth

This vehicle has 2 rear seating positions with complete child seat attachment (LATCH) hardware.

It has 1 additional seating position with a tether anchor only.

Evaluation criteriaRating
Overall evaluation
M
Vehicle trimSV Crew Cab
Seat type cloth
1 2 3
Rating iconRating
GGood
AAcceptable
MMarginal
PPoor
Seating positions that rely on borrowed lower anchors or have only a tether anchor available are not rated.
thether anchor symbol
Tether anchor
lower anchor symbol
Lower anchors
shared lower achors symbol
Lower anchor(s) can be borrowed from adjacent positions(s)
No hardware available

Details by seating position

PositionRating
1
Tether anchor
hard-to-find location
other hardware could be confused for anchor
Lower anchors
not too deep in seat
not too much force needed to attach
difficult to maneuver around anchors
2
Tether anchor
hard-to-find location
no other hardware could be confused for anchor
Lower anchors
none available
3
Tether anchor
hard-to-find location
other hardware could be confused for anchor
Lower anchors
not too deep in seat
not too much force needed to attach
difficult to maneuver around anchors
Technical measurements for this test

About the child seat anchor evaluation