2025 FRONTIER CREW CAB PRO-4X
Price As Tested: $57,398 CAD
Colour: Bluestone Pearl
For the purposes of this review, I’m going to remove price from the discussion. In a review of the new Nissan Frontier when it came out three years ago, I discussed my thoughts on the pricing of this car and since nothing has changed (in fact, it’s only gotten worse) I’m going to move forward. Let’s focus then on what an anachronism the Frontier is. It’s a decidedly old school, simple medium-sized pickup truck. It features very basic (some might say outdated) technology and equipment. It doesn’t have a sophisticated drivetrain and the transmission grinds gears like an angry elderly guy at a New York deli. Despite all this (or perhaps because of it), I love this truck.
The 2025 Nissan Frontier still only offers one drivetrain. The same 3.8L V6 we’ve known for some time. It gives you 310hp and 280 lb/ft of torque. These sound like good numbers but given the gearing setup of this car it really struggles to get up and go when you put your foot down. If the road is slightly damp you’re likely to send all that energy out the back of the truck in chirpy wheel spin. Ultimately however, it’s still a fun driving experience. The super predictable and lazy power band makes the Frontier an easy car to drive. I have only two criticisms of the performance of this truck. First, the steering is super stiff. Too stiff for ease of use in something like a parking lot. I don’t remember this from my last test drive, but I sure noticed it this time around. Reminds me of my old Honda Civic hatchback that didn’t come with power steering. Second, the fuel economy is abysmal. The fine folks at Nissan say the Frontier should do 11L/100kms on the highway and 14L/100kms in the city with a combined figure somewhere around 12.7L/100kms. This would be great if it were true. Real-world I never saw the consumption fall below 14.8L/100 after 90kms on the highway. In the city I struggle to keep it under 16L/100k (and no, I’m not a lead foot, quite the opposite). My average consumptions sits around 15L/100k. This is a thirsty little truck.
The 2025 Nissan Frontier remains a handsome devil. I know it’s stone aged and is robbing me blind but that face somehow makes it all okay. It’s a well balanced vehicle. It cribs a little much of its looks from other mid-sized pickups but what’s wrong with that? Every morning as I walked toward the Frontier to head to work, I found myself nodding in approval at its lines and proportions. There’s a lot to be said for a pretty face.
The interior of the Frontier is a little like a fever-dream time capsule. It looks a like what people in the 90’s thought 2025 would look like. You get things like that infotainment that are big, splashy and impressive but are complemented by things like the switch gear which look like they came out of the discount parts bin. Don’t get me wrong, I like this older gear because it’s simple and it works. They could have jammed all that functionality into the infotainment screen and then we’d have had a real problem. The narrow nature of the Frontier is to be appreciated. It’s like Hands Across America trying to reach the other side of a full-sized pickup so the smallness of this truck is something I really like and appreciate. The seats are comfortable and there’s more room in the back than you might think. You get all the USB charge points you need for our lives dedicated to our devices. The carpet is of a decent grade and will be easy to clean. On balance, the interior of the Frontier is a good hybrid of old and new.
I did say I’d look past price for during this review, but I don’t want you to think I’m not aware of the poor value presented by the Frontier. It’s way too expensive for what you get and as tested, the nearly $60k Nissan wants for this Pro-4X Luxury trim is outright offensive. That and the fuel economy aside, if you’re in the market for a mid-sized pickup, give this a drive. It may well cast its spell over you as it did me.
