Nissan Frontier Pro-4X pickup designed for serious trailblazing

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For those who enjoy rugged off-road adventures, the 2023 Nissan Frontier Pro-4X model could be the perfect vehicle to get you there – and back.

With its special combination of trail-ready features, including four-wheel drive and off-road shocks, the Frontier Pro-4X is ready to take on the most-rugged mountain, desert or beach driving.

Just last year, the Frontier moved into a new generation with a complete redesign, with upgrades and updates to keep this truck as one of the best choices among today’s midsize pickups.

For this report, we tested the 2023 Frontier Pro-4X Crew Cab 4WD model (base price $39,100 plus $1,335 freight).

The Frontier overall is offered in King Cab and the larger Crew Cab body styles, with a choice of two bed lengths. But the Pro-4X model comes only in the Crew Cab configuration.

Frontier has standard rear-wheel drive, but the highly capable four-wheel-drive system is available on all models.

Besides our Pro-4X Crew Cab tester, other trim levels for 2023 include the base S model and the SV, offered in King or Crew Cab versions, and the Pro-X Crew Cab with rear-wheel drive.

Crew Cab models have a standard short bed (five feet), but a six-foot bed is available on SV Crew Cab Long Wheelbase models. King Cab models are equipped with only the six-foot bed length.

Current prices for the 2023 models (as of mid-July) begin at $29,570 (plus freight) for the base Frontier S King Cab rear-drive model, which rises to $32,770 with four-wheel drive.

They range as high as the $39,100 for our Pro-4X 4WD Crew Cab, which comes only with four-wheel-drive.

Changes for 2023 are characterized by Nissan as “enhancements reflecting customer feedback.”

Those include a Midnight Edition package now available on the SV Crew Cab, adding 17-inch black-painted alloy wheels; black outside mirrors, lower bumper and grille; black exterior badging; black interior accents and a black headliner; and LED fog lights, headlights and daytime running lights.

The Frontier SV Crew Cab Long Wheelbase model gets the SV Convenience Package as standard equipment, with a heated leather steering wheel, heated front seats, spray-in bedliner, Utili-Track cargo system with two adjustable tie-down cleats, under-rail bed lighting and more.

Pro-X and Pro-4X models now have wireless Apple CarPlay, while the Pro Premium Package ($2,790, included on our tester), switches from black interior stitching to Lava Red stitching.

The Pro-4X Crew Cab has four full-size doors and room for up to five people — two in the buckets up front and three on the rear bench, although rear knee room is limited when larger people are sitting up front with their seats pushed back on their tracks.

The rear seatback folds up to allow for hauling cargo inside the cab, and there is a center pull-down armrest that eliminates the middle seating position, and has two cupholders..

Under the hood of all Frontier models is a 3.8-liter V-6 engine with 310 horsepower and 281 foot-pounds of torque. It’s connected to a nine-speed automatic transmission. The previous generation’s manual transmission and four-cylinder engine are no longer available.

Nine exterior colors are offered: Boulder Gray Pearl, Tactical Green Metallic, Baja Storm, and Cardinal Red Metallic Tricolor (all premium colors with an extra charge), along with Deep Blue Pearl, Red Alert, Glacier White, Gun Metallic and Super Black.

Interior color choices are Charcoal, Sandstone and the Pro-4X’s Charcoal with Lava Red.

Our tester had the Boulder Gray Pearl paint ($395 extra) with Charcoal leather seats, which were part of the $2,790 Pro Premium Package. That package also brought 17-inch bead-lock-style aluminum-alloy wheels, Fender premium audio system with 10 speakers (including subwoofers), auto-dimming rearview mirror, HomeLink garage/gate opener, premium door trim and center console stitching, and a power sliding-glass moon roof with tilt.

Standard Pro-4X features include 17-inch painted aluminum-alloy wheels, all-terrain tires, Bilstein Off Road shock absorbers, fender flares, LED headlights, Daytime Running Lights and fog lights, nine-inch color touch-screen display, Nissan Door-to-Door Navigation, NissanConnect Services powered by SirusXM, NissanConnect with Wi-Fi hotspot, unique interior accents.

For off-roading, the Pro-4X also includes an electronic locking rear differential and three steel underbody skid plates.

The exterior includes a beefy front end with a large grille and chiseled hood, with new precision interlocking headlights.

EPA fuel-economy estimates are 18 mpg city/24 highway/20 combined on rear-drive models, and 17/22/19 on four-wheel-drive models such as our Pro-4X.

Nissan also brought back the Frontier’s hydraulic rack-and-pinion steering gear last year to provide better on-center feel, helping to reduce driver fatigue on long trips, the automaker said.

There are hydraulic cab mounts designed to reduce road vibration by 80 percent, and new urethane “jounce” bumpers to provide improved damping for a smoother ride over potholes and rough roads, and especially on off-road trails.

The shift-on-the-fly four-wheel-drive system has 2WD/4HI/4LO modes operated by an electronically controlled part-time transfer case. That includes a standard four-wheel limited-slip system, which transfers power to the drive wheels with more grip on low-traction surfaces.

Hill Start Assist is standard on all models, and Hill Descent Control is standard on all four-wheel-drive models.

Frontier’s towing capacity is rated up to 6,720 pounds (when properly equipped). Added last year was Trailer Sway Control. There also are two front tow hooks.

The modern interior is more carlike than ever. There is a seven-inch Advanced Driver Assist Display directly in front of the driver. There are four liters of center-console storage, along with 5.7 liters of rear-door-pocket storage and 6.5 liters of front-door-pocket storage.

Eight beverage holders are provided, including four in the doors.

The standard Nissan Zero Gravity front seats are designed to help reduce long-range driving fatigue.

During our week in the Frontier Pro-4X, we experienced a variety of dirt and gravel roads in some state and national parks and forests, including some mountain trails where we made good use of the Hill Start Assist and Hill Descent Control features.

The four-wheel drive performed flawlessly on steep slopes and on some especially rocky terrain we encountered.

The V-6 engine provided plenty of power both on the highway and on the trail, and the automatic transmission shifted smoothly.

 The Frontier’s ride is surprisingly comfortable, considering this vehicle has an off-road suspension and tires.

Even without the leather upgrade, the cabin is well-appointed and comfortable, with front seats bolstered enough to keep occupants firmly in place (along with the seatbelts, of course) on the trail.

We had up to four people on board for part of our test week, and even our rear passengers enjoyed the trips and had no complaints about their accommodations. The middle position in the rear is best left to kids, though.

For serious trail driving, the Pro-4X has skid plates protecting important underbody components, which are above the frame rails. The vehicle has 9.4 inches of ground clearance at the lowest point, the rear differential.

Other extras on our test vehicle included the Pro Convenience Package ($2,190), which added factory-applied spray-on bedliner; Utili-track Channel System with four adjustable tie-down cleats; bed-mounted 120-volt AC power outlet, with a second 120-volt outlet in the rear center console; heated outside mirrors, steering wheel and front seats; LED under-rail bed lighting; remote engine start with Intelligent Climate Control; Class IV tow-hitch receiver with seven-pin wiring harness; Intelligent Around View Monitor; and wireless smartphone charger.

We also had the Technology Package ($990), which brought Lane Departure Warning, Blind Spot Warning, Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, rear sonar, rear automatic braking, High-Beam Assist, Intelligent Cruise Control, and Traffic Sign Recognition.

Total sticker price, including freight and options, was $46,800.

The automotive columns of G. Chambers Williams III have appeared regularly in the Express-News since 2000. Contact him at chambers@auto-writer.com. His driving partner Emma Jayne Williams contributed to this report.

The package: Midsize, four-door, V-6 powered, four-wheel-drive, five-passenger pickup truck.

Highlights: Nissan’s midsize pickup was completely redesigned just last year. The Pro-4X configuration includes a Crew Cab, short cargo bed, and lots of accessories for off-road exploring.

Negatives: No four-cylinder engine offered for improved fuel economy.

Engine: 3.8-liter V-6.

Transmission: Nine-speed automatic.

Power/torque: 310 HP./281 foot-pounds.

Brakes, front/rear: Disc/disc, antilock.

Electronic stability control: Standard.

Air bags: Front; front seat-mounted; side-curtain both rows.

Overall length: 210.2 inches (Crew Cab, short wheelbase).

Curb weight: 4,708 pounds.

Payload capacity: 1,230 pounds.

Towing capacity: 6,270 pounds.

Major competitors: Toyota Tacoma, Chevrolet Colorado, GMC Canyon, Ford Ranger.

Fuel capacity/type: 21 gallons/unleaded regular.

EPA fuel economy: 17 city/22 highway/19 combined (4WD).

Base price: $39,100, plus $1,335 freight (Pro-4X).

Price as tested: $46,800, including freight and options (2023 Pro-4X).

On the Road rating: 9.2 (of a possible 10).

Prices shown are manufacturer’s suggested retail; actual selling price may vary.