The Car Connection Expert Review
Likes
- Good ride
- Smooth V-6
- Intuitive tech
- Lots of features for the money
Dislikes
- Big turning radius
- Can’t lug as much as top rivals
- No hybrid
- A bit cramped inside
Buying tip
features & specs
A mid-cycle update this year brings fresh tech to the Nissan Frontier.
What kind of vehicle is the 2025 Nissan Frontier? What does it compare to?
The 2025 Nissan Frontier is a midsize pickup truck available in a wide array of styles and trim levels. Compare it to the Toyota Tacoma, Ford Ranger, and Chevrolet Colorado.
Is the 2025 Nissan Frontier a good pickup truck?
It’s a compelling overall choice, even if it’s not as flashy as some rivals. The Frontier scores well for utility, value, and powertrain refinement, bringing it to a TCC Rating of 5.5 out of 10. (Read more about how we rate cars.)
What's new for the 2025 Nissan Frontier?
The Frontier wears refreshed interior and exterior styling this year, plus it sees myriad small changes. The SL trim level is now available with a 6-foot bed, a feature previously restricted to the SV. Additionally, SV, SL, and Pro trims gain a new 12.3-inch touchscreen with wireless (rather than wired) Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Also, Nissan upped tow ratings across the line. The Frontier now maxes out at 7,150 pounds of towing capacity, though ratings vary by trim and body configuration.
The Frontier remains a marginally smaller midsize pickup than its direct rivals, though you’ll barely notice it. This year, the truck has a new front end with revised grille details as well as new wheel designs. The Frontier is handsome enough, if a bit busier than before. It’s definitely an improvement inside with the new 12.3-inch touchscreen fitted to most versions, which sits above a handful of conventional buttons and knobs.
A luxury-grade 3.8-liter V-6 remains standard, where it’s paired with a similarly smooth 9-speed automatic transmission. With 310 hp on tap, the V-6 provides strong acceleration. While it lacks the towing punch of the turbo-4 engines in the Chevy Colorado and Ford Ranger, the Frontier is still plenty capable.
This truck sticks with a simple independent front and leaf-sprung solid rear axle setup, which rides firmly but with particularly good composure. Hydraulic power steering—an absolute rarity in 2025, let alone a decade ago—provides the Frontier with an almost sporty feel, though it’s a bit heavy around town.
Nissan has not estimated fuel economy for the 2025 Frontier, but it’s safe to bet it won’t move far from last year’s 19 to 21 mpg combined estimates.
Front-seat riders will find comfy thrones with good support, but the Frontier is a tight fit for families. Extended cabs have tiny rear jump seats that are best for pets or bags. Crew cabs can accommodate four adults in a pinch. Nissan puts decent materials in the Frontier, at least by segment standards. No version is really fancy, but the Frontiers we’ve driven have had a solid feel.
Frontiers haven’t done all that well in crash testing, though the NHTSA and the IIHS don’t rate any body-on-frame trucks particularly highly. That said, Nissan includes automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitors, and adaptive cruise control on all models, which is a nice touch.
How much does the 2025 Nissan Frontier cost?
Figure at least $32,000 for a base Frontier S extended cab or well north of $40,000 for the SV crew cab that buyers are more likely to specify.
Where is the 2025 Nissan Frontier made?
In Smyrna, Tennessee.
2025 Nissan Frontier Styling
Mild tweaks this year keep the 2025 Nissan Frontier looking good.
Is the Nissan Frontier a good-looking truck?
It’s pretty nice. We like the way the Frontier looks inside and out, so we give it a 7.
This year, Nissan tweaked the front bumper and revised the grille, plus some trims have alloy wheels with a different design. The update probably won’t have anyone with a 2024 Frontier regretting their purchase, but it does stand out.
Frontiers come in extended- and crew-cab bodies, with a choice of a 6-foot bed (both cabs) or a 5-foot bed (crew cab-only.) That’s a lot more choice than Ford offers.
Pro models have unique front styling and a higher ride height for a subtly more capable look, so long as you don’t add any of the gaudy sticker packages Nissan offers.
The Frontier’s cabin is modern and convenient. This year’s new widescreen on SV and higher trims is well-integrated, and it should be easy to reach since the previous setup was hardly a stretch. Nissan does a decent job integrating some soft-touch materials, too.
2025 Nissan Frontier Performance
The 2025 Nissan Frontier delivers luxury-grade refinement, at least to a degree.
The 2025 Nissan Frontier offers a good ride quality and a smooth V-6 engine, netting it two extra points above average. It’s a 7 on the TCC scale.
Is the Nissan Frontier 4WD?
It can be. All trim levels are available with a part-time four-wheel-drive system controlled by a knob on the center console. All Frontiers are at least reasonably capable off-road, though the Pro-4X model is best with its locking rear differential, higher ride height, and all-terrain tires. Nissan also sells a rear-drive version called Pro-X that does without the transfer case and, by proxy, power to the front wheels.
How fast is the Nissan Frontier?
It’s no slouch. The 3.8-liter V-6 puts out a strong 310 hp via a slick 9-speed automatic transmission. This setup is smooth and strong, delivering decently quick acceleration and a refined overall feel. Power pours on with syrupy smoothness, which stands in marked contrast to the occasionally peaky behavior you’ll find from rivals’ turbo-4s.
The Frontier has a good ride, too, helped in part by relatively small wheels wrapped in tires with lots of sidewall. Nissan doesn’t offer anything bigger than 17-inch wheels, which is just fine with us—this is a truck, after all. The Frontier has a firm but composed ride, with relatively little body lean in corners for a pickup. Its steering is quite heavy, which combines with a wide turning radius to make it feel less nimble than some other midsize trucks. It settles in nicely at higher speeds, though.
Now capable of towing as much as 7,140 pounds in its highest-rated configuration (the base S extended cab with rear-wheel drive), the Frontier bests the 2024 Toyota Tacoma but still trails the Ford Ranger and Chevy Colorado/GMC Canyon. Note that the Frontier is rated to tow more like 6,800 pounds in more popular crew-cab setups, though.
2025 Nissan Frontier Comfort & Quality
The 2025 Nissan Frontier has a reasonably comfy cabin.
While not quite as spacious as its competitors, the 2025 Nissan Frontier makes good use of the interior and cargo space it’s been allotted. We give it a 5 out of 10 here; its utilitarian bed gets it a point, but a point is deducted for small rear seats even in crew cab models.
The front seats are comfy enough, with power adjustment for the driver in all but the base trim. (A power-adjustable front passenger’s seat is available.) Rear-seat riders in extended-cab trucks have precious little space; consider that area best for cargo. Crew cabs can accommodate adults, but only for shorter stints. The rear seat back is simply too upright, though the seat bottoms flip up individually—a nice touch—for larger items.
Cloth seats are standard, while leather comes on the SL and is available on the Pro models. No Frontier is dressy inside, but all have decent low-sheen plastics and soft-touch surfaces.
The 6-foot bed that’s standard with the extended cab and available with the crew cab is unusually long for the segment. A 5-foot bed is standard with the crew cab, though. Nissan can dress up the bed with a spray-in bedliner, movable cargo tracks, a locking tailgate, a power outlet, and LED lighting, all for reasonable prices compared to some rivals.
2025 Nissan Frontier Safety
The 2025 Nissan Frontier comes loaded with crash-avoidance tech, but its safety record is mixed.
How safe is the Nissan Frontier?
The NHTSA says it’s a four-star choice, while the IIHS gives it a mix between “Good” and “Acceptable” ratings. That’s not great news.
On the flip side, we applaud the 2025 Frontier's standard automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitors, and adaptive cruise control. A surround-view camera system and rear parking sensors are widely available, too. Outward vision is all right; the big forward roof pillars are typical for a midsize pickup truck.
We rate the 2025 Frontier at 5 out of 10 with a point deducted for its four-star rating but one added back for all those features.
2025 Nissan Frontier Features
The Nissan Frontier is usually a pretty good value.
Pricing won't be announced until this fall, but expect the 2025 Frontier to climb about $1,000 over last year's $31,000 base price. The 2025 Frontier comes in four trims: S, SV, SL, and Pro, all of which have a particularly good roster of standard crash-avoidance and driver-assistance tech. Nissan scatters extended- and crew-cab availability across the range, and the crew cab can be had with either a 5- or 6-foot bed.
We score the range at 7 out of 10 thanks to upgraded standard equipment and simple infotainment, including this year’s new 12.3-inch touchscreen that’s included on all but the base S.
The base model has adaptive cruise control, an 8.0-inch touchscreen, wired Android Auto/Apple CarPlay, power features, and 16-inch alloy wheels.
Nissan’s 3-year/36,000-mile warranty is pretty basic, though.
Which Nissan Frontier should I buy?
The mid-level Frontier SV is a good overall buy. It adds the bigger touchscreen, wireless smartphone projection, and 17-inch alloy wheels, plus it’s available with an option package that adds heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, a bedliner, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, a tow hitch, and a few other appealing items. You can also add a 10-speaker Fender audio system.
This version is probably going to set you back around $42,000, which is par for the midsize truck course.
If you want to go off-road, the Pro is worth the spend for its higher ride height, all-terrain tires, Bilstein shocks, and locking rear differential. It’s available in four-wheel-drive Pro-4X or rear-drive Pro-X configurations.
How much is a fully loaded Nissan Frontier?
Expect a top-end model to come in at close to $50,000. The high-end Frontier SL adds leather seats, a sunroof, and a few other bits.
2025 Nissan Frontier Fuel Economy
The 2025 Nissan Frontier is likely to eke out just-acceptable fuel economy.
Is the Nissan Frontier good on gas?
It’s all right for a midsize pickup, though we’ll wait for 2025 estimates before making a final call here.
For now, our 2 out of 10 is based on the 2024 model, which was estimated at 18 mpg city, 23 highway, 20 combined with four-wheel drive in the S, SV, and SL trim levels. The higher-riding Pro-4X checked in at 18/22/19 mpg, while rear-wheel-drive trucks are best at 18/24/21 mpg.
The Frontier uses regular fuel.
