For the bulk of Nissan’s twenty-five-year history of the Frontier, the truck has been a bit of a redheaded stepchild in a segment dominated by Toyota’s venerable Tacoma. Sixteen years with minimal updates led to a general lack of appeal for a vehicle whose utilitarian functionality was overshadowed by a stale and dated product. Add to this the growing demand for mid-sized trucks which propelled the reemergence of Ford’s Ranger, engaged the likes of American Expedition Vehicles to collaborate with GMC and Chevrolet for the Canyon/Colorado, and expanded the Jeep brand line-up with the versatile Gladiator, and it became apparent Nissan needed to up the ante or be left in the figurative dust.