2025 Nissan Frontier Pro-4X: Off-Road Goodness, No Gimmicks

The mid-size truck segment has been full of activity lately, and it’s become one of our favorites as a result. Manufacturers are using their compact and nimble pickups to target those looking for a good value and buyers looking to get out and explore. If you want a mid-size truck that can tackle the desert and conquer trails that would stymie a full-size pickup, you’ve got plenty of options.

To capture those trail-riders and overlanders, Nissan has been offering its Pro-4X package in pickups since it debuted on the Titan in 2008. The off-road trim soon expanded to the Frontier, and today Pro-4X still stands for improved off-road capability, with all-terrain tires, Bilstein shocks, and an electronic locking rear differential. Nissan recently invited us to the desert outside of Scottsdale, Arizona, to drive the refreshed-for-2025 Frontier Pro-4X, which sports an updated interior, a new grille, wider availability of the six-foot bed, and new standard safety features.

Off-roading with the Frontier Pro-4X is easy, and somewhat old-school: The driver can choose how it operates off-road with a simple set of controls. While other manufacturers have modes that reconfigure throttle rates and pick the ride height or transfer case range automatically, Nissan leaves it up to you. Don’t get us wrong, there are some very sophisticated and well-engineered drive modes out there—we have had plenty of fun in Ranger Raptors and Colorado ZR2s that dialed in just the right amount of sideways allowance into the traction control. However, there’s nothing wrong with Nissan’s approach.

Shifting into Low range on the transfer case involves putting the transmission in Neutral and then pushing and turning the dial on the dash behind the right side of the steering wheel. The Pro-4X also comes with an electronic locking rear differential, activated with a button on the lower left side of the dash. Plenty of our mild off-roading didn’t need Low range, although the slow pace up and increased engine braking on the way down didn’t hurt. Hill Descent Control is standard on Frontier 4x4s, although we typically prefer to just use the brakes ourselves.

While our off-road drive included some gravel washes and rutted sandstone climbs, we didn’t get a chance to test the Frontier Pro-4X in sand and play with the traction control turned off. It did quite well on the sandy and rocky terrain we drove on, though, which makes sense given that Nissan’s Arizona proving grounds were nearby.

Also on our drive was a fleet (you thought we were gonna say “armada,” didn’t you?) of Armadas in Pro-4X guise. The larger SUV has a slightly less aggressive tire, but its air suspension allows for a bit more ground clearance. The rear locker in both helped them scramble over obstacles that would have swamped your average crossover. Both models also have cameras that aid in selecting the proper line. The cameras on Frontier are less sophisticated and don’t offer a neatly stitched together 360-degree view like the cameras on Armada, but they’re still quite helpful. There were places where a spotter was necessary, and the cameras can help the driver recognize when an extra set of eyes is needed. In the Frontier, we climbed the same route as the taller, shorter-wheelbase Armadas, which meant there were a few scrapes and bangs on the undercarriage, but the Pro-4X was ready for them with a steel front skidplate that’s standard on all Frontier 4×4 models.

2025 Nissan Frontier Pro-4X

Price: $43,280 /$50,245 (Base/As-tested)
Powertrain: 3.8-liter, direct-injected, 24-valve DOHC V-6
Output: 310 horsepower at 6400 rpm, 281 pound-feet of torque at 4400 rpm
Layout: Front engine, Four-door, five-passenger, RWD/four-wheel-drive midsize pickup
Weight: 4,700 pounds (est)
EPA-rated fuel economy: 16/20/18 (City/Highway/Combined)
Competitors: Chevrolet Colorado, Ford Ranger, GMC Canyon, Jeep Gladiator, Toyota Tacoma

Since the current generation debuted in the United States in 2022, the Nissan Frontier has been powered by the VQ38 V-6, producing 310 hp. That’s not bad at all, but let’s put things into perspective: the full-size Nissan Titan debuted in 2004 with a 5.6-liter V-8 that put out 305 hp and eventually was upgraded to 317 hp. With two fewer cylinders, Nissan’s direct-injected V-6 is holding its own quite nicely. Granted, the V-8 had a better soundtrack, and its displacement added more torque, but the modern V-6 does a good job with the mid-sizer.

The naturally aspirated V-6 is a bit of a holdout, as most of the mid-size pickup market is shifting to boosted engines. The Tacoma’s 2.4-liter turbo four is available with up to 278 hp, Ford’s 2.3-liter inline turbo produces 270 hp in the Ranger, and Colorado and Canyon come with a 2.7-liter turbo that bests the rest of the fours with 310 hp. That is, until Toyota adds its i-Force hybrid system to reach 326 hp. Ford offers a 2.7-liter turbocharged six across most of its lineup with 315 hp, and the Ranger Raptor alone is offered with a segment-topping 405hp 3.0-liter turbo V-6. That leaves only the Frontier and Jeep Gladiator, powered by a 285 hp 3.6-liter Pentastar, with naturally aspirated powerplants. If you prefer your pickup without forced induction and the Gladiator’s solid front axle and removable top aren’t your thing, Nissan is the only game in town.

The Frontier Pro-4X crew cab short bed has a base price of $43,280. The one we tested came with the Pro Convenience Package, adding $2,190 to the tally. That included bed accessories, heated mirrors and steering wheel, remote start, wireless phone charging, a trailer hitch, and Intelligent Around View Monitor. The Pro Premium Package added $3,080 and features a 10-speaker Fender Audio System, leather seats, auto-dimming mirror, a sliding sunroof, Nissan Door-to-Door Navigation, Traffic Sign Recognition, and Sirius XM Traffic and Travel Link+. Beadlock-style wheels added another $1,000, and the paint color was a $425 premium as well. All told, the well-optioned Pro-4X Frontier had an MSRP of $50,245, including destination.

We last tested the Frontier when it was redesigned for 2022 and the prices hold up, almost exactly matching the 38,395 base price when adjusted for inflation. That places the Pro-4X in the thick of the market, with Chevy’s Trail Boss and Z71, Toyota’s TRD Off-Road trims both with and without the I-Force Max hybrid powertrain, and Ford’s Ranger XLT FX4.

The 2025 Frontier has kept the same formula that delivered a solid sales performance in 2024 while expanding its lineup with new cab configurations and features. These updates aren’t huge, and the Frontier still hews to a less tech-driven approach in its drivetrains than its competitors, but it seems like Nissan is listening to its customers as it looks to keep its momentum going and see sales grow again in 2025.

2025 Nissan Frontier PRO-4X

Price: $43,280 /$50,245 (Base/As-tested)

Highs: More cab and bed configurations available, fun off-road, still a great value.

Lows: Lacking more capable off-road trim to go head-to-head with TRD Pro, ZR2, AT4X, and Raptor.

Summary: The mild refresh for 2025 added more configurations, towing capacity, and standard features while keeping all the things we loved about the new-for-2022 model.

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