Best Nissan and Datsun Truck Commercials of All-Time

It’s hard to see how the Peanuts music fits in here, but far be it from me to complain about hearing Vince Guaraldi in any setting, much less when a dog is driving a man in his La-Z-Boy. 

The Nissan Frontier commercial is great. It hits all the high points of car advertising: goofy animal, desperate attempts at purchasing something, and, of course, a badass Nissan Frontier. No matter how silly the commercial is, seeing a factory-fresh late-90s Nissan Frontier is awesome. 

It’s Easy To Build A Tough Truck, Real Easy (1986)

I love this one. The grainy narrator nails it, “It’s easy to build a tough truck, real easy.”  Back in the ‘80s, this was true. We didn’t have all the computers and semiconductor chips, sensors, cameras, or damn-near anything else that broke. “Give it a 5-speed transmission, independent front suspension, steel-belted radials, and a welded double-walled bed…” 

Everything about this commercial rules. It’s nostalgic. It’s vibey. 

The “New Hardbody” (1986)

The jingle! Nothing says nostalgic commercial like a cheesy jingle that just sings whateves is happening on screen. “Nissan trucks work harderrrr,” “fuel injeeeected.” It's just too good. There’s also a noticeable amount of shots from betwix construction workers’ legs, who are wearing pants that seem a bit too tight for factory work. 

Nissan ST Sport (1983)

Another commercial ringing with a silly jingle. The Nissan ST Sport truck might be a tad overrepresented here. The commercial shows the little brown pickup ripping through corners, passing cars, and zooming around with aggressive gear shifts. Now, it’s worth mentioning that the director of this masterpiece sped the film up to make the ST seem a tad sportier than reality can support. But who cares? Another great Nissan truck commercial. 

Piano Movers (1992)

Just great. This commercial is a perfect old truck commercial. It’s got the music, the pointless performance hurdle, and some grinning fools. As silly as this Nissan truck commercial is, that SE5 featured here is so damn cool, it hurts a little. Just look at the decals, the half windows, the wheels… Every aspect of this truck and its commercial is saweeeet. 

What Does Nissan Mean By Hardbody Truck? (1988)

Ah, the old standby of the truck commercial: taking the capabilities of a pickup truck past their furthest logical conclusion, and then a little further. 

The little Hard Body can “haul firewood,” and a Norwegian Pine (excuse me, I’m not a tree expert) drops onto the bed with a silly bump considering the tree’s enormity. Then the next shot continues in silly town when the narrator mentions the Nissan’s cab room, and we can hear Thursday night at the Bowl-O-Rama pouring out. Silly as hell, but it sticks with us, and so does this classic Nissan truck commercial. 

Honorable Mention: Datsun: Nissan Pickup Commercial - In The Family (1981)