The 620 and 720 share a family name and a loyal following that makes the choice between them feel like an obvious call - until you look at the finer specifics. The body style, engine options, cab layout, off-road hardware and long-term ownership costs all can vary between them, and each difference matters based on what you need the truck for. It's pretty easy to choose the wrong one without a sense of what sets them apart.
These trucks earned their reputations at a time when fuel prices rose, and compact pickups were one of the better purchases that you could make. Datsun put the 620 out first and then replaced it with the 720 in 1979 - and it wasn't just a name change. The 720 brought genuine upgrades. But it also had a noticeably different personality that is still a point of contention in the enthusiast world. Plenty of 620 fans will tell you that the rounded body style and bare-bones simplicity are hard to beat. The 720 fans usually point to the wider engine options and factory 4WD availability - and that last part alone is what settles the debate for most buyers.
Neither truck is without its flaws, and rust has taken a heavy toll on the surviving populations of each. A clean example of either generation will cost you serious money now - prices that would've seemed legitimately unrealistic just ten years ago when most of these trucks were still left to rust in fields and driveways. The market has shifted quite a bit, and it doesn't show any signs that it will cool off.
The difference between a great buy and an expensive lesson usually traces back to what each truck actually has to give you (and what it asks of its owner in return). The 620 and the 720 are legitimately worth owning for the right person, and some homework before the buy goes a long way - you're more likely to come away with what you wanted.
Let's get started with a look at these two classic trucks and see how they compare.
Table of Contents
The Story of the 620 and the 720
The 620 was the first of the bunch, and it ran from 1972 through 1979. The 720 picked up where it left off and stayed in production until 1986, when Nissan swapped it out for the D21 - better known as the Hardbody.
At some point during the 720's production run, Nissan made a fairly big branding change. The company had been selling its trucks and cars under the Datsun name for decades but decided to phase it out. That meant the Nissan name was in. Trucks that had always rolled off the lot with Datsun badges started wearing Nissan ones instead. Your 720 just came from the later end of the production run if it has a Nissan badge on it - that's all it means. They're the same generation of truck, and the rebadge didn't bring any mechanical changes along with it.
The 620 also had its own marketing identity. Datsun gave it the nickname "Lil' Hustler," which was a smart move (it gave the truck some personality and helped it hold its own in what was a pretty crowded small truck market in the 1970s). It may be a small branding detail, but it's one that tells you quite a bit about where Datsun was trying to take these trucks at the time.
When you verify titles or registration paperwork, the model years and build dates don't always line up. It's something that confuses buyers who are just trying to confirm what they actually have. The two won't necessarily match even when everything else looks right on paper, since a truck built late in one calendar year can carry the following year's model designation. The fix is easy enough - cross-reference the build date plate (usually found on the door jamb) against what the title says.
A Show Truck or a Daily Driver
The 620 and the 720 look like they came from two very different eras - and in many ways they did. The 620 has rounded body lines that give it an almost sculpted look. The 720 took its styling in a very different direction - it's boxy and upright and serves as a perfect snapshot of what truck design looked like in the early 1980s.
That rounded shape made the 620 a natural fit for the mini truck culture that was starting to build momentum through the late 1970s and into the 1980s. Owners would drop them low, add a custom paint job and turn them into something that attracted attention at every stoplight. The 620's proportions just worked well for personalization - put some time into one of these trucks and it was almost impossible to miss.
But the 720 never quite drew that same crowd - it felt more like a working truck than a showpiece, and that's no knock against it. It depends on what you want out of a truck.
On the day-to-day side, the 620's cabin runs pretty tight - especially for taller drivers or anyone who plans to spend long hours behind the wheel. It's the classic case where the truck wins you over from the outside, and then you actually sit down in it and find out the interior didn't get the same attention. The legroom is limited, the headroom isn't great, and after a longer drive you're going to feel it. The 720 took a different path with a noticeably roomier cabin and a layout that holds up much better for daily use.
The choice is a personal one - between a truck with style that carries decades of custom culture behind it and one that doesn't feel like a compromise every time you climb in.
Gas and Diesel Engines in Both Trucks
The 620 came equipped with Datsun's L-series four-cylinder engines throughout its entire production run - the L16, L18 and the slightly more capable L20B. Which one you ended up with depended on the year and the market that it was sold in. These were tough little motors, and they were a fit for an era when fuel costs were a very real concern for drivers.
The 1970s oil crises hit the auto industry hard, and most manufacturers scrambled to downsize almost overnight. Datsun was already a few steps ahead - the L-series engines weren't going to win any horsepower contests. But that was never the point. What they had going for them was simplicity - not hard to work on, light on fuel and a natural fit for a compact truck that was built to carry modest loads and cover plenty of miles.
The 720 came with a much wider engine lineup than the 620 ever had. On the gasoline side, buyers could pick from either the Z22 or the Z24 - both of which offered more displacement than anything that had been available in the 620. Datsun also added the SD22 diesel as a third option, and it was built for anyone who wanted to get every last mile out of a tank of fuel. The diesel did give up some speed in exchange for the economy. But that tradeoff was more than worth it for plenty of buyers at the time.
Keep engine swaps in mind as you shop for either of these trucks. The 620 and the 720 have pretty devoted enthusiast communities behind them, and it's not uncommon to find one fitted with an engine that it never had from the factory. In plenty of cases that works out just fine - and sometimes the swap is actually a step up from what came stock. What it does make harder is getting any sense of what you're in for. Before you follow through on a deal, always ask where the engine came from and try to get some paperwork on it if you can.
The Cab That Fits Your Daily Haul
The 620 and 720 came standard as a single cab. But the more interesting part of the story is about the King Cab. Many truck fans credit the 620 for starting it (and it's one of the more common mistakes out there). But the King Cab actually made its first appearance on the 720. The 720 was what made it well known, and from there it spread across far more trims and markets.
The King Cab gives you a small extended section right behind the front seats - not a full backseat at all. But that little pocket of extra room has worked out well for owners. A toolbox after a long day at work or a dog bed on a weekend trip - that's the sort of use that space works for.
With that in mind, it's worth a quick look at who's usually with you and what you haul day to day. A single cab on either truck gets the job done just fine for solo drivers or the occasional two-person trip. Need a little extra room for gear or a four-legged co-pilot, and the King Cab starts to make more sense.
The 620 and 720 came in short and long bed configurations, and which one you ended up with depended on the trim level and the market it was sold in. A longer bed is great if you want to lay big items flat, and the shorter bed gives up some of that cargo space in exchange for easier parking and a tighter turning radius. Neither option is a wrong choice - it just depends on what you need day to day.
The 720 Had a Factory 4WD Option
The 720 brought something to the U.S. market that the 620 never had - a factory 4-wheel drive option. Datsun introduced it on the 720 around 1980, and it was a step forward for the whole lineup. The extra ground clearance and low-range gearing meant that these trucks could go places off-road that the 620 just wasn't built for straight from the factory.
A well-kept 720 4x4 can still hold its own on the trail. The hardware is proven and a whole lot easier to work on than most modern trucks.
Not everyone needs 4-wheel drive, though. A 2WD 720 is lighter and simpler, and in plenty of cases it's much easier to find in great condition. For somebody who mainly uses the truck around town or for light-duty work, all that extra drivetrain hardware is just more parts to work on and wear out.
A handful of 620 owners have done custom 4WD conversions over the years, and some of them have turned out quite well. None of them left the factory that way, though. For anyone who wants genuine off-road capability without taking on heavy fabrication work, that difference between the two trucks is worth keeping in mind. The 720 4x4 is a truck that you can take out on a trail without having to build it first - which matters a whole lot more once you're out there on the dirt.
Whether a 4x4 makes sense for you can depend on how you're looking to use the truck. Either one could serve you well and is worth a look. That said, the 720 is the one to go with if off-road capability is anywhere on your list.
The Real Price Gap Between These Two Trucks
The price is probably the biggest difference between these two trucks, and it's the right place to start. Clean 620s have become harder to come by over the years, and the growing scarcity has pushed prices up quite a bit. A well-preserved example can land anywhere from $8,000 to well over $20,000 at auctions and in private sales.
The 720 is a different situation. Nissan built these trucks in much bigger numbers, so you'll find a whole lot more of them out there. A decent example will usually run you anywhere from $3,000 to $10,000, though the low-mileage ones will of course push toward the higher end of that range.
Be honest with yourself about whether you want a truck to show or a truck to drive before you start shopping. The 620's rarity works in your favor if your goal is weekend shows and attention in a parking lot. The 720 is the one that makes more financial sense if you actually want to put miles on it and not worry about every scratch or stone chip.
Rust is the issue that deserves the most attention, whichever direction you go. These are old trucks, and rust tends to work slowly into the frame and the cab floor long before it ever reaches the surface where you can see it. A suspiciously low asking price on either model is worth a second look - a cheap truck with hidden rust underneath it can become a very expensive project very fast. Get underneath it before any money changes hands.
Rust and Parts on a Datsun Truck
The 620 and 720 have a tendency to rust in the same places - the cab corners, the floor pans and around the wheel wells are always where it starts. Whichever one you're thinking about, those three areas deserve a careful look before any money changes hands.
Parts availability is one of the bigger areas where these two trucks start to diverge, and it's helpful to know early on. The 620 is the older of the two, and the search for trim pieces and body parts has become a genuine test of patience over the years. Mechanical parts are still fairly accessible for both of them (which is a relief), but the cosmetic and interior pieces for the 620 are a different matter. They're becoming harder to come by. The 720 has an obvious benefit here partly because production ran into the mid-1980s and partly because it shares a number of parts with other Nissan vehicles from that same period. That overlap in the parts catalog can matter once you're well into a restoration.
Worn or missing pieces add up fast, and the costs can climb even faster once you take a truck apart. The little cosmetic bits are no exception to that either.
That said, the 620 and 720 have pretty active owner communities online. Forums and dedicated owner groups are a great resource - they help you track down hard-to-find parts and give you an honest idea of what parts are actually going for in today's market. Most long-time owners will tell you that the right rare part does eventually come up with enough patience.
Build Your Dream Car
These two trucks were built with pretty different owners in mind. The 620 is the right pick if classic styling and collector value are at the top of your list - it's the truck that gets attention in a parking lot before anyone even opens the hood. The 720 makes more sense if you want more engines to choose from, factory 4WD or a reliable driver that you can put miles on without feeling bad about it. Neither one is a wrong answer - it all just depends on what you actually want from a truck.
Budget and parts availability are two of the bigger factors to keep in mind - the 720 is probably the better call if either of them matters to you. The 620 has quite a bit more collector appeal, though it does take a little more patience tracking down the parts. If off-road use is anywhere on your list, the 720's factory 4WD takes care of that for you without any custom modifications needed.
The ownership experience is a bit of fun whichever one you go with. An older vehicle that runs well and still looks great is something that just never gets old.
With that in mind, if you're already looking into ways to make your Datsun feel more like your own (a 620, 720, 240Z, 280Z or almost anything else in the lineup), at Skillard.com we have a full line of custom parts built specifically for these trucks and cars. Our catalog is well-stocked with everything from bumpers and aluminum door cards to center consoles and spoilers, so there's likely something in there for whatever direction you want to take your build. Check us out at Skillard.com whenever you get the chance.
