The additional power is decidedly in Nissan's favor. This truck steps out smartly, and while we didn't put it to the test, the performance promises to be comparable when handling maximum loads.

Our truck was equipped with the five-speed manual transmission. It seemed to have a rather "tall" first-gear ratio. This meant keeping it in first longer than other vehicles to get up to speed to shift into second. It took only several stops to get used to because the following gears were close ratio and didn't involve any similar adjustment.

We thought about it a moment and it all made sense to us. This is a pickup meant to handle at least occasional loads. And driving with a load requires more power to get moving.

Hence, the taller first gear gets the truck rolling at a good speed to avoid bogging down when shifting to second gear.

The ride was surprisingly good for a compact pickup. We noticed no undue body roll or lean and no excessive choppiness. The suspension combination of front coil springs and a stabilizer bar with a solid rear axle and rear leaf springs is not breakthrough stuff but works well. The brake system also is pretty basic-front discs/rear drums. One aspect worth mentioning is the load sensing valve that applies more braking force according to where the load is-in front with passengers only, to the rear under heavy cargo, or split evenly under cargos and a full bench seat. While there was no anti-lock feature, the brakes worked well and provided straight line stops under harsh application. The power steering, an option, was easy while providing good road feedback. Road and wind noise were subdued nicely.