2025 Nissan Frontier

Sometimes good enough is, well, good enough. There might be a fantastic Chinese restaurant in the next town, but the one 10 minutes down the road is kind of fine, so we’ll end up going there more often. The Nissan Frontier is a bit like that. In terms of towing and payload, it can do more than the class darling — the Toyota Tacoma. But the Taco has its own set of skills, while the Ford and Chevy contenders are the weightlifters of the segment.

Even so, Nissan has endowed the Frontier with a decent array of abilities that might meet a lot of buyers’ demands. We’re pleased to see many positive comments in our owner reviews coming from people who use the Frontier for work or camping, really making the most of their truck. This third generation of Frontier launched for the 2022 model year, so now is a good time for a little spruce-up.

We’ve logged hundreds of hours driving and evaluating this generation of midsize trucks, including the Nissan Frontier.

The most visible difference this year is the restyled front end, but that’s just the beginning. The Crew Cab/long (6-foot) bed configuration had been exclusive to the SV trim, but Nissan now makes it available in the Pro-4X and SL versions as well. Maximum towing capacity increases by 510 pounds for a total of 7,150 pounds. That still keeps it behind its Ford and GM rivals in the towing stakes, but that extra capacity might help sway the buying decision.

A new telescoping steering column means it now adjusts for reach in addition to height. A sliding rear window is standard throughout, along with an overhead sunglasses holder. From the SV trim and up, powered 2-way lumbar adjustment is fitted.

On the tech front, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, and rear parking sensors become standard. Starting with the one-up-from-base SV, the 2025 Frontier gains a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, wireless Android Auto (to accompany the existing wireless Apple CarPlay). The top SL gets wireless charging and a 360-degree camera system. Optional in the Pro-4X, this camera setup adds an Off-Road Mode that now works up to 12 mph, showing drivers obstacles that may otherwise have gone undetected until it was too late.

We recommend looking past the base trim to the SV, which gains several desirable features. The Pro-4X off-road specialist is also a popular choice.

Other midsize trucks include the Ford Ranger, Chevrolet Colorado, GMC Canyon and Toyota Tacoma. They all start in a similar ballpark to the Frontier — apart from the Canyon, which begins a little higher.

Before buying a new Frontier truck, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should really pay. Resale values for the Frontier Crew Cab are just above the class average, the King Cab is a fraction below. Recouping more money when selling a vehicle can mean a bigger down payment and lower monthly payments on the next one.

The Frontier is propelled by 310 horsepower from a 3.8-liter V6 engine. That’s appreciably more than the base engines in competitive trucks. We also like the comfortable and stable ride quality. The dimensions also get a thumbs-up from us — the midsize Frontier is not a liability in city driving like a full-size truck can be. Our only gripe is the unnecessarily heavy steering. At least the steering wheel now adjusts for reach. And we’re happy to see more driver assistance features become standard, such as blind-spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control.

The Pro-4X isn’t such an extreme off-roader as the Ford Ranger Raptor or the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison, but it still has plenty of mud-splashing talent thanks to additions like an electronic locking rear differential and Bilstein suspension components.

Fuel Economy

With rear-wheel drive, the Frontier achieves 21 combined mpg (18 city, 24 highway). A comparable Ford Ranger returns 22 mpg combined.

Swap in 4-wheel drive and fuel economy dips slightly by one mile per gallon. The all-terrain tires of the Pro-4X help reduce that to 19 mpg combined.

King Cab or Crew, the Frontier has seating for five occupants. And we’ve noticed that even the 4-door Crew Cab is not quite so generous with its rear legroom as some rivals. Compare the Frontier’s 33.2 inches with the Ford Ranger’s 34.6. The Chevy Colorado has another tenth, if that matters. That said, we like the cabins’ blends of utilitarian and contemporary. A noticeable change this year is the availability of the Frontier name splashed across the center console in bright upper-case letters.

As well as a new front fascia that includes a redesigned grille, the 2025 Frontier also gains a panel of scratch-resistant plastic on its tailgate. A fresh paint color this year is Afterburner Orange.

The Frontier King Cab model has two full-size front doors and two smaller rear-hinged rear doors that create a wide aperture when opened. Crew Cab models have traditional,  full-size back doors to provide easy access to the larger rear cabin. The standard bed is about 5 feet long. The 6-foot bed is now available with the 4-door Crew Cab in the Pro-4X and SL trims, as well as the SV version.

Standard V6 engine
The trend is to install a turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, but we like this straightforward, naturally aspirated 3.8-liter V6 in the Frontier. It makes as much power as some optional engines in rival trucks.

Comfortable front seats
Nissan knows what it’s doing with its front seats. We’ve found the ones in the Frontier to be exceptional.

Fender premium audio
The famous American maker of electric guitars and amps has given its name to this 10-speaker system that enlivens the Frontier’s cabin. Optional in the SV and Pro-4X, standard in the top SL.

Utili-track system
This comes in a couple of Convenience packages. It has rails in the bed with adjustable tie-down cleats, providing quite a bit of versatility when securing a load.

Nissan Skill for Amazon Alexa
This allows voice control for those NissanConnected features like remote start or remote control. Just say the words and the action is carried out.

Pro-4X
Even if we’re not going to explore the wilderness every weekend, this off-roading model has a certain coolness thanks to its dedicated hardware.

There’s just one engine in the Nissan Frontier, a 3.8-liter V6 making 310 horsepower and 281 lb-ft of torque. This connects to a 9-speed automatic transmission. Rear-wheel drive is the default setup, with 4-wheel drive offered as an option or standard in the Pro-4X off-road specialist.

Payload and Towing

Maximum payload is 1,620 pounds, achieved by the rear-drive SV King Cab and long bed (73.3 inches). This cab/bed/drive combination in S trim offers the Frontier’s best towing capacity: 7,150 pounds, an increase of 510 pounds over last year. Both the Ford Ranger and Chevy Colorado eclipse the Frontier’s abilities. The Crew Cab/short bed (59.5 inches) combo can tow a maximum of 7,000 pounds.

3-Year/36,000-Mile Warranty

Nissan’s new-vehicle warranty lasts three years or 36,000 miles, whichever happens first. This includes roadside assistance, and these terms are typical for the class. Powertrains are covered for five years or 60,000 miles.

Safety Ratings

The Crew Cab version of the Frontier earned four stars overall out of a possible five from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It hasn’t been tested fully by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS). Standard safety features include forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert.