2019 Nissan Frontier PRO-4X Review - The Stalwart

Remember 2005? An old, ugly English prince marries for the second time. A hurricane devastates the U.S. Gulf Coast. Newlywed Chris signs a mortgage on a house and begins to prepare said house for the arrival of a newborn. And Nissan reveals the D40-chassis Frontier.

Fast forward. Charles wonders when his mom will give it up. New Orleans is still recovering. The house, the marriage, and the kid remain. And the 2019 Nissan Frontier continues on, relatively unchanged.

Stability is a good thing in life. Being able to rely upon trusted institutions is reassuring. Few passenger vehicles can be considered institutions – but the Frontier certainly qualifies.

Yes, the Frontier is old, and it shows. The interior, obviously save the touchscreen audio system and the appearance of USB ports, looks straight out of the Bush administration. The plastics are hard and unyielding. The orange backlighting and white-faced gauges remind of the bitchin’ tuner car I lusted over in my college days.

I don’t care. That hard plastic wears forever. It’s easy to clean when it gets dirty. It simply works. The rear seats aren’t a place I’d want a full-grown adult to spend a 12-hour day, but the kids were comfortable enough in this crew cab.

The leather seats aren’t the plushest I’ve encountered, but I’d trade suppleness for durability in a truck. Really, I’d spec cloth were I to buy a Frontier, but I takes what they gives. A welcome surprise, considering the “classic” nature of this Frontier, was the heated front seats. Yes, I’m getting tired of this interminable winter.

The Frontier didn’t exactly explore new frontiers in styling back in 2005, so this is a very familiar look. I could do without the graphics shouting the PRO-4X trim package – especially the tire treads on the hood. The Arctic Blue Metallic is a lovely hue, however. Again, I applaud anything that steps beyond the safe white, silver, and black choices.

Another throwback choice on this Frontier PRO-4X? 16-inch alloy wheels. The tall sidewalls help mitigate the stiffer springing that comes with the off-road focused package, as well as protect against the ever-present potholes. The ride on this Frontier is as good as I’ve experienced in the midsize truck class.

The only real disappointment comes from the old-school drivetrain – fuel economy could be better. Most competitors have moved to six, eight, or even ten-speed automatic transmissions. This Frontier makes do with a five-speed auto mated to the 4.0-liter VQ-series V6, and I couldn’t quite manage to meet the EPA combined rating of 17 mpg in my testing.

But one doesn’t buy a pickup truck for hypermiling. A truck should be a tool, not a fashion accessory, and the tried-and-true Frontier makes a trusty tool. I know that I’d be happy with a Frontier in my driveway for a decade or more, simply because I know it will always perform when asked.

I did flinch at the sticker on this well-loaded PRO-4X Crew Cab. Nearly $38k is a tough pill to swallow. But take a glance at the other trims offered. I’m convinced that a lightly-optioned Frontier is a bargain.

For example, the Frontier is still available with a four-cylinder and five-speed manual in extended King Cab trim, with two-wheel drive. So equipped, a cheapskate can drive away for $18,990. That’s only $1,200 more than a stripped Sentra compact – and the base Frontier can still haul.

I’d probably steer away from such a stripper – my Frontier of choice would be a 4×2 SV trim Crew Cab, again in this Arctic Blue Metallic, with an automatic and the V6. At $27,795, I’d have a truck that my family and I would never outgrow.

[Images: © 2019 Chris Tonn/TTAC]