Tow Capacities

Makes · Nissan · Nissan Frontier

2018 Nissan Frontier towing capacity

Trim-level maximum towing capacity — 3,000 – 6,000 lbs across packages. Exact capacity depends on configuration. Payload is separate from towing capacity and is shown where GVWR and curb weight (or manufacturer payload) exist.

Max rating6,000 lbs
Min rating3,000 lbs
Trims with data17

Tow Planner

Select your exact configuration and tell us what you're towing. We'll compare trailer weight, payload, tongue weight and the available vehicle limits. Year-level towing and payload answers below are available without selecting a configuration.

Which configuration do you have?

17 configurations

17 possible configurations match your selections.

What are you trying to do?

Choose a job to open interactive tools. Year-level towing and payload answers appear below even before you pick a configuration.

What can a 2018 Nissan Frontier tow?

Across 17 configurations with published ratings, 2018 Nissan Frontier towing capacity ranges from 3,000 lbs to 6,000 lbs. Exact capacity depends on configuration — not every 2018 Nissan Frontier can tow the maximum value.

  • Minimum published towing capacity in this dataset: 3,000 lbs
  • Maximum published towing capacity in this dataset: 6,000 lbs
  • Configurations with a towing rating: 17 of 17

Highest-rated example: Desert Runner · 4x2 · Crew Cab — 6,000 lbs

Lowest-rated example: SV-I4 · 4x2 — 3,000 lbs

Select your configuration for an exact answer

Highest towing configurations

Top configurations by published maximum trailer rating for the 2018 Nissan Frontier. Payload is shown only when present in the dataset.

Highest towing configurations for 2018 Nissan Frontier
TrimCabDrivetrainBedAxle ratioMax towingPayload
Desert RunnerCrew Cab4x24.75 ft3.136,000 lbs1,350 lbs
Desert RunnerKing Cab4x26 ft2.946,000 lbs1,430 lbs
PRO-4XCrew Cab4x44.75 ft3.696,000 lbs1,040 lbs
PRO-4XKing Cab4x46 ft3.366,000 lbs1,180 lbs
SCrew Cab4x24.75 ft3.546,000 lbs1,460 lbs
SCrew Cab4x44.75 ft3.366,000 lbs1,340 lbs
SLCrew Cab4x24.75 ft3.136,000 lbs1,370 lbs
SLCrew Cab4x44.75 ft3.366,000 lbs1,210 lbs
SLCrew Cab4x46 ft3.366,000 lbs1,060 lbs
SVCrew Cab4x24.75 ft3.136,000 lbs1,500 lbs

Towing capacity by drivetrain

2018 Nissan Frontier 4x2 towing capacity

Range: 3,000 – 6,000 lbs (median 6,000 lbs) across 9 configurations in this dataset.

2018 Nissan Frontier 4x4 towing capacity

Range: 6,000 lbs (median 6,000 lbs) across 8 configurations in this dataset.

Towing capacity by cab style

2018 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab towing capacity

Observed range: 6,000 lbs (11 configurations).

2018 Nissan Frontier King Cab towing capacity

Observed range: 3,000 – 6,000 lbs (6 configurations).

Towing capacity by axle ratio

Axle ratioTowing rangeConfigurations
2.946,000 lbs2
3.136,000 lbs5
3.366,000 lbs5
3.546,000 lbs1
3.696,000 lbs2
4.083,000 lbs1
4.363,000 lbs1

2018 Nissan Frontier payload capacity

Payload is not the same as towing capacity. Where both GVWR and curb weight exist in the catalog, payload is GVWR minus curb weight (or the manufacturer payload field when present). Payload covers people, cargo in the truck, hitch equipment, and trailer tongue weight — not the full trailer weight.

  • Observed payload range: 890 – 1,500 lbs
  • Configurations with payload data: 17

Highest-payload configurations

  • SV · 4x2 · Crew Cab — 1,500 lbs
  • S · 4x2 · Crew Cab — 1,460 lbs
  • Desert Runner · 4x2 · King Cab — 1,430 lbs
  • SV · 4x2 · King Cab — 1,430 lbs
  • SL · 4x2 · Crew Cab — 1,370 lbs

Quick configuration comparison

Observed towing ranges from the 2018 Nissan Frontier dataset. Values are min–max of published ratings in each group — not a claim that every unit in the group can tow the top figure.

Drivetrain

DrivetrainTowing rangeConfigs
4x23,000 – 6,000 lbs9
4x46,000 lbs8

Cab styles

CabTowing rangeConfigs
Crew Cab6,000 lbs11
King Cab3,000 – 6,000 lbs6

Bed lengths

BedTowing rangeConfigs
4.75 ft6,000 lbs8
6 ft3,000 – 6,000 lbs9

Axle ratios

AxleTowing rangeMedianConfigs
2.946,000 lbs6,000 lbs2
3.136,000 lbs6,000 lbs5
3.366,000 lbs6,000 lbs5
3.546,000 lbs6,000 lbs1
3.696,000 lbs6,000 lbs2
4.083,000 lbs3,000 lbs1
4.363,000 lbs3,000 lbs1

Why does towing capacity vary for this vehicle?

Towing ratings vary across configurations. These are configuration differences present in our dataset:

  • Drivetrain: 4x2, 4x4
  • Axle ratios: 2.94, 3.13, 3.36, 3.54, 3.69, 4.08, 4.36
  • Cab styles: Crew Cab, King Cab
  • Bed lengths: 4.75 ft, 6 ft
  • Published towing range: 3,000 – 6,000 lbs

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Towing capacity by trim

TrimMax towingCurb weightPayload*HPTorqueAxleWheelbase
Desert Runner 4x2 Crew Cab 4.75 ft. box 125.9 in. WB6,000 lbs4,252 lbs1,350 lbs2612813.13125.9
Desert Runner 4x2 King Cab 6 ft. box 125.9 in. WB6,000 lbs4,174 lbs1,430 lbs2612812.94125.9
PRO-4X 4x4 Crew Cab 4.75 ft. box 125.9 in. WB6,000 lbs4,552 lbs1,040 lbs2612813.69125.9
PRO-4X 4x4 King Cab 6 ft. box 125.9 in. WB6,000 lbs4,415 lbs1,180 lbs2612813.36125.9
S 4x2 Crew Cab 4.75 ft. box 125.9 in. WB6,000 lbs4,229 lbs1,460 lbs2612813.54125.9
S 4x4 Crew Cab 4.75 ft. box 125.9 in. WB6,000 lbs4,470 lbs1,340 lbs2612813.36125.9
SL 4x2 Crew Cab 4.75 ft. box 125.9 in. WB6,000 lbs4,357 lbs1,370 lbs2612813.13125.9
SL 4x4 Crew Cab 4.75 ft. box 125.9 in. WB6,000 lbs4,596 lbs1,210 lbs2612813.36125.9
SL 4x4 Crew Cab 6 ft. box 139.9 in. WB6,000 lbs4,754 lbs1,060 lbs2612813.36139.9
SV 4x2 Crew Cab 4.75 ft. box 125.9 in. WB6,000 lbs4,228 lbs1,500 lbs2612813.13125.9
SV 4x2 Crew Cab 6 ft. box 139.9 in. WB6,000 lbs4,228 lbs1,360 lbs2612813.13139.9
SV 4x2 King Cab 6 ft. box 125.9 in. WB6,000 lbs4,153 lbs1,430 lbs2612812.94125.9
SV 4x4 Crew Cab 4.75 ft. box 125.9 in. WB6,000 lbs4,536 lbs1,120 lbs2612813.69125.9
SV 4x4 Crew Cab 6 ft. box 139.9 in. WB6,000 lbs4,582 lbs1,230 lbs2612813.36139.9
SV 4x4 King Cab 6 ft. box 125.9 in. WB6,000 lbs4,322 lbs1,360 lbs2612813.13125.9
S 4x2 King Cab 6 ft. box 125.9 in. WB3,000 lbs3,766 lbs930 lbs1521714.08125.9
SV-I4 4x2 King Cab 6 ft. box 125.9 in. WB3,000 lbs3,807 lbs890 lbs1521714.36125.9

* Payload = manufacturer payload when present, otherwise GVWR − curb weight. Towing capacity is a separate rating and is not the same as payload.

What affects the rating

Higher figures usually need the tow package, the right axle ratio, and enough cooling. Passengers, fuel, gear, and tongue weight all eat into what you can safely pull — stay under both the trailer rating and the vehicle’s payload.