To say that the Nissan Frontier is long overdue a replacement is an understatement. Nissan updated the compact pickup for the 2020 model year with a new engine and transmission, but the current-generation model has been on sale since 2004, making it one of America's oldest trucks still on sale today. Outside of the US, the Frontier is sold as the Nissan Navara in Europe, which was recently refreshed. Confusingly, the Navara is also sold as the Frontier in South America and Mexico, but it's distinctly different to the US version.

Nissan isn't ready to lift the wraps off the US-spec Frontier just yet, but it turns out the next-generation truck was hiding in plain sight during the Navara's reveal video.

At 11 minutes and 46 seconds into the video, a group of Nissan designers can be standing in front of design sketches on a wall. Right in front of them is a sketch that appears to show America's 2021 Frontier with no camouflage parked next to Europe's Navara facelift and the updated Titan. The "Next Truck" text in the corner also leaves us with no doubt that we're looking at America's new Frontier, which has some notable styling differences to its European counterpart.

The new Frontier looks larger than the Navara and sports the same stylish LED headlights and split daytime running lights as we saw in Nissan's recent teaser.

While the design will look more contemporary, we're expecting the Frontier's new 3.8-liter V6 introduced for the 2020 model to carry over. This unit generates 310 horsepower and 281 lb-ft of torque and is paired with a new nine-speed automatic transmission. Inside, the cabin will also get some significant upgrades, with more premium materials, a larger infotainment screen, and all the latest safety tech.

In the US, the new Frontier will go on sale for the 2021 model year, so there's a good chance it will debut either later this year or early next year.