Nathan heads out to Silver Lake Sand Dunes in Michigan to test the Nissan Frontier Pro-4X.
In the past few years since the current-gen Nissan Frontier launched, we’ve done just about everything under the sun with it. We’ve towed with it, we’ve drag raced it, and yes, of course we’ve gone off-road with it. However, we haven’t taken it out and (literally) touched sand, so that’s what Nathan’s going to do in the video below. Nissan invited us out to try both the Frontier Pro-4X and the Armada Pro-4X at Silver Lake Sand Dunes, and he checks out whether they actually make a good case for the folks who want (in the Frontier’s case) a solid off-road truck against the likes of the Ford Ranger, Toyota Tacoma and Chevy Colorado/GMC Canyon.
Now, right off the bat, something about the Nissan Frontier has always stuck out like a sore thumb to the “true” enthusiasts. There’s no high-performance version like the Ranger Raptor, Tacoma TRD Pro or Colorado ZR2. Instead, the latest Nissan Frontier Pro-4X sticks with tried-and-true naturally aspirated V6 power — 310 horsepower, to be precise — though you do still get plenty of off-road kit. To that end, with the Pro-4X’s Bilstein shocks, electronic locking rear differential, Terrain Mode and underbody protection, this truck targets the mid-range of midsize truck competition. So, you’re looking at direct competitors like the Ford Ranger FX4, the Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road and the Chevy Colorado Z71 or GMC Canyon AT4.
Here’s the thing with the Nissan Frontier. If you want to go off-road, its Pro-4X trim is really the option, since the automaker doesn’t really have that high-priced halo tantalizing buyers at the top of the price tree. As an aside: if you just want to look the part, you can also get a two-wheel drive Pro-X…which still comes with the Bilstein suspension, just not four-wheel drive. It’s a little bit cheaper, as you’d expect, than the Pro-4X, but if you’re really just looking for something a bit more muscular for the daily commute, there you go.
What’s the verdict?
While bashing the truck through the dunes — ideally blasting some loud rock music — the Nissan Frontier Pro-4X does its job with gusto. Give it some punishment, and this $50,245 Pro-4X will lap it up and ask for more.
At that sort of price tag, even taking into account the lack of extra power, this truck offers up an impressive level of capability for several thousand less than the rivals’ halo trucks, and competitive to their more appropriate models (i.e. Tacoma TRD Off-Road or Ranger FX4) as well.
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