Nissan is committed to the V6 engine, even as other companies downsize to four-cylinder engines. In a recent interview with Nissan’s Senior Manager of Product Planning, Brent Hagan, he tells Motor1 that the company is leaning hard into its V6 roots. In fact, the company officially designated May 5 as "V6 Day."
Brent says: 'Our internal tagline is ‘We’re too V6 to quit,’ because we built our heritage on V6s, from the GT-R and Xterra to the current Frontier and Pathfinder. We've got generations upon generations of V6s, and it does give us a differentiator because we're using tried-and-true technology that's durable, reliable, and of high quality. Our VQ38 is produced here in the United States, so it's made in America, by Americans, for Americans—and it has the Japanese quality and reliability.'
View Price on AmazonThe 2026 Frontier comes standard with a 3.8-Liter V6 engine making 310 horsepower and 281 pound-feet of torque, regardless of the trim. It’s paired to a nine-speed automatic transmission and, depending on how you spec it, is available with four-wheel drive. While the rugged Pro-4X sits atop the Frontier range, the recent arrival of the Frontier Sport unlocks a few off-road goodies at a more affordable price.
According to Hagan, mid-size truck customers want V6s. Even some Ford and Toyota faithful have reportedly considered Nissan given the Frontier’s naturally aspirated six-cylinder engine. As Brent notes: 'I see a lot of people posting recently saying, ‘I'm a Toyota guy, or I'm an XYZ company guy. I've been with them for a while, but they've gone away from V6s, and I really prefer V6. I prefer the linearity. I prefer the durability. I prefer the overall performance, and I've never considered a Nissan or a Frontier, but now I'm looking at it because of the V6.’ So we know it is a differentiator for sure.'
Source: motor1.com
