The 2025 Nissan Frontier Is Refreshingly Old-School: Review

Small trucks used to personify simplicity. These days, not so much. Most of them are loaded to the brim with fancy hybrid powertrains and supercar-rivaling trick suspensions. Not necessarily a bad thing, but a far cry from what they used to be. Thankfully, the Nissan Frontier keeps it simple for 2025.

The 2025 Frontier still has an honest-to-goodness naturally aspirated V-6 as its base engine—in fact, it’s the only truck in the segment that still offers one. The suspension is functional yet featureless. And apart from a few added upgrades on this SL trim, the interior nails the basics and not much else. It’s an excellent, no-nonsense truck.

The Frontier’s 3.8-liter V-6 makes 310 horsepower and 281 pound-feet of torque. No turbo, no supercharger. Power is routed to all four wheels through a nine-speed automatic transmission. Granted, this engine isn’t nearly as torquey as the Tacoma’s hybrid four-cylinder with battery assist, but it does the job well enough.

There’s plenty of power off the line and enough thrust at highway speeds to keep things moving. The nine-speed auto is entirely seamless in the process. And if you plan on tugging a boat behind it, the Frontier has the best towing capacity of any mid-sizer: 7,150 pounds (or, 6,700 pounds in this particular spec).

The Frontier rides like a truck, which may sound silly given that this is, in fact, a truck. But while the modern Tacoma and Colorado have gotten so cushy, the Frontier keeps that rough-and-tumble ride quality alive for the next generation. Its rear leaf springs bounce over bumps and crash down hard on pavement. It’s not comfortable, per se, but I prefer the more truck-like experience.

Pros: Old-School Charm, Rugged Good Looks, Improved Tech, Still A V-6

Those same old-school qualities apply to the handling. The steering is heavy, body roll is plentiful, and it has an unusually poor turning circle that makes it a chore to squeeze into tight parking lots. The Frontier feels much bigger than it actually is in certain situations.

But, I welcome the larger 6-foot bed. Nissan finally extended the long-bed option to the SL (the one tested here) and Pro-4X trims for 2025, which means this truck has a 6-foot bed instead of the standard 5-foot bed. I shoved an 8-foot-tall Christmas tree back there with no problem.

Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1

Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1

Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1

The SL trim is also one of the fanciest Frontiers of the entire bunch, which means standard equipment like a heated six-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, a leather shifter, a heated steering wheel, and praise be, and a tilting and telescoping steering wheel for the first time.

It wasn’t hard to get comfy in the leather seats, which were thick enough to help soak up some of the Frontier’s rigid ride quality. The steering wheel was (finally) easy to position, and the cabin was mostly quiet, apart from some engine roar at higher rpms.

Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1

Cons: Old-School Problems, Lacking Features, Pricey At The Top End

Technology on this SL model includes a 12.3-inch center touchscreen that looks lovely, even if Nissan’s interface is a titch outdated. Just ahead of the driver is a crisp 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard, as does Bluetooth, satellite radio, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and a 10-speaker Fender audio system on this trim, and it all works well.

The 2025 Nissan Frontier starts at a very reasonable $33,560 for the base King Cab S model. For this top-of-the-line Crew Cab SL with the long bed, you’ll be staring down the barrel of a $47,120 asking price before options. The Bluestone Pearl paint is an extra $425, and carpeted floor mats cost another $205, bringing the total as-tested price of this truck to $47,750. That’s hardly a bargain.

Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1

Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1

At any rate, the 2025 Nissan Frontier is certainly worth a look. While it may not be all that different from previous years, the long-bed option on upper trims is a big upgrade, the tilting and telescoping steering wheel fixes some comfort issues, and the upgraded tech improves an otherwise basic interior.

While it may not be the most modern or most capable truck in the class, the 2025 Nissan Frontier still does the job well enough.

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Jeff Perez / Motor1