Driven: 2025 Nissan Frontier Does Things Old School

Mid-size trucks are making a huge comeback. The once-overlooked segment has been revitalized with fresh products from every brand… and then there’s the 2025 Nissan Frontier. Last given a major overhaul for the 2022 model year, the Frontier once again finds itself as one of the oldest trucks in the mid-size segment (beaten by the Jeep Gladiator, which came out for 2020). Of course, Nissan is no stranger to being in this position, having left the previous generation Frontier on sale from 2005 to 2021. For the 2025 model year, Nissan has given the third-generation truck its first facelift. But will that be enough to compete with fresher mid-size trucks like the Chevrolet Colorado, Ford Ranger, GMC Canyon, and Toyota Tacoma?

DrivingOnRoad was sent a Frontier SL Crew Cab 4×4 – one of the pricier and more luxurious trim levels – to see how it stacks up against the most compelling roster of mid-size trucks the United States has seen, possibly ever. Nissan updated its only pickup truck with a new touchscreen infotainment system, wider availability of the six-foot bed, revised exterior styling, and some small livability improvements inside.

Exterior Looks: Simply Macho

Nissan didn’t overhaul the Frontier’s styling for 2025; it simply revised the front fascia, grille, and bumper. Pro-X and Pro-4X trims get a new 17-inch wheel design, a different tailgate, and a fresh paint color called Afterburn Orange. This color is not available on other trims, including our SL tester, which came finished in a lovely shade called Bluestone Pearl. In addition to black, white, and gray, Nissan also offers some exciting hues, such as Red Alert, Cardinal Red TriCoat, and Tactical Green Metallic.

16-inch steel wheels come standard on the King Cab trim, while larger 17-inch alloy wheels are available on other trims. Other trucks in this segment offer larger wheels that look more modern and more expensive. Unlike the American trucks from Chevy, Ford, and GMC, you can still get the Frontier in a King Cab body style with rear-hinged doors that open up to a tiny back seat. The Toyota Tacoma still offers an Access Cab, but it doesn’t have rear doors, nor does it have a back seat like the Frontier.

All King Cab variants include a six-foot bed, while the four-door Crew Cab comes standard with a five-foot one. For 2025, Nissan made the six-foot long bed more widely available, now on the SV, SL, Pro-X, and Pro-4X trims (previously SV only).

Interior & On-Board Technology: New But Still Old

Inside, the Frontier hasn’t changed drastically from last year’s model. There’s a new 12.3-inch touchscreen available, and creature comforts like a telescoping steering wheel and sliding rear window have been made standard. This is the last mid-size truck on the market to offer an extended King Cab model with a rear seat, albeit a tiny one where two passengers can squeeze onto folding bases mounted on the rear wall. The Crew Cab model gets more space, but still offers less legroom than most competitors.

All Frontier trims come fairly well-equipped, but not even the upper trims are what we would consider luxurious. Cloth seats are standard, while heated Premium cloth and leather seats are available, as is a heated steering wheel. The SL trim comes with the most bells and whistles, including a wireless phone charger, 360-degree camera, and driver/passenger seats. Nissan Safety Shield 360 is standard, bundling lane departure warning, blind spot warning, rear cross traffic alert, rear parking sensors, high beam assist, and adaptive cruise control even on the base model.

Infotainment: An Upgrade From The Past

A simple eight-inch touchscreen remains the base infotainment setup, but most trims now get an upgraded 12.2-inch touchscreen (previously a nine-inch screen). This screen is larger than last year’s unit, and it now features wireless Android Auto in addition to Apple CarPlay. While the screen works well enough, it doesn’t have Nissan’s newest software found in vehicles like the Armada, Ariya, and Murano. Instead, this is older software that always displays a split screen, which can only be changed via a dedicated menu. It’s a bit annoying, but still considered an improvement. A four-speaker audio system comes standard, but a nicer six-speaker setup or 10-speaker Fender premium audio system are also available. Our SL tester had the Fender system, which sounded pretty nice for a truck.

Performance: A Dying Breed

Every Frontier is powered by the same 3.8-liter V6 producing 310 horsepower and 281 lb-ft of torque going out via a nine-speed automatic transmission to rear-wheel-drive or optional four-wheel-drive. Our SL tester had 4WD, which we didn’t need to utilize while driving around in Florida. Aside from the Jeep Gladiator, the Frontier is the last mid-size truck to still employ a naturally aspirated V6 engine, a decision that could be seen as a pro or con depending on personal preference. The Frontier can tow up to 7,150 pounds (a 500-pound increase from 2024), but there are other trucks in the segment that can pull heavier loads.

Performance Impressions

It may seem outdated compared to its turbocharged rivals, but the Frontier’s V6 engine might be our favorite feature of the truck. It’s smooth, sounds good, and delivers plenty of passing power. The nine-speed automatic transmission is nice too, shifting without fuss and responding quickly to throttle inputs. We recorded the sprint to 60 mph in 7.15 seconds, which was quicker than the kitted-out Colorado ZR2 Bison we tested last year (7.69 seconds). Other mid-size trucks, like the Ford Ranger and Toyota Tacoma, should be quicker.

Ride and Handling

If you are of the opinion that pickup trucks should not drive like cars, you may love the Frontier. Heavy steering gives you the feeling of doing an arm workout at the gym, especially for slow parking lot maneuvers. The steering does lighten up at higher speeds, but it always feels vague. We were surprised by the ride comfort, which is pretty docile on normal pavement. Choppy pavement revealed bouncier body motions, but nothing that we’d call unreasonable. The cabin is also pretty quiet thanks to thick glass, even at highway speeds.

Fuel Economy

Fuel economy in the Frontier is lower than most competitors due to its lack of turbocharging, but only by a marginal amount. 2WD models achieve 19/24/21 mpg city/highway/combined, while 4WD-equipped variants only manage 17/21/19. Those numbers drop further to 16/20/18 mpg on the Pro-4X trim due to its off-road tires. We averaged exactly 19 mpg in a week of mixed driving, matching the EPA estimate for a 4WD Frontier.

Verdict & Pricing: Sticking With The Old Ways

Demand for a simple, no-frill truck is still pretty high, which is evident when analyzing Nissan’s sales numbers. The Frontier was the third best-selling mid-size truck (behind the Tacoma and Colorado) but ahead of the Ranger, Gladiator, and Canyon. You can purchase an S King Cab 4×2 for as little as $32,050, while the SL Crew Cab 4×4 with a six-foot bed tops out at $45,610. The Pro-4X Long Bed is technically cheaper than the SL at $42,270, but options can push the price above $50,000, and bring it to a similar level of equipment.

It’s not the cheapest mid-size truck, but the Frontier does give buyers a lot for their money, including a standard V6 engine with 310 hp. At the higher end, there are trucks with more features and newer technology, but they typically cost thousands more. A comparably-equipped Toyota Tacoma would cost about $8,000 more than our Frontier SL tester, though it should have a higher resale value on the back end. Do we like the Tacoma more overall? Sure. But do we like it $8,000 more? That’s a tougher question. If old school trucks are your vibe, the Frontier is a charming option.