2016 Nissan Frontier Pro-4x review – Roadshow

The Good The Pro-4x trim offers traditional off-road controls for those who don’t want the computer to do the thinking for them.

The Bad The Frontier is long overdue for an update, both inside and out.

The Bottom Line While it’s a good truck, it’s tough to justify spending upward of $30,000 on a Pro-4x when the competition offers more features and a modern design.

It was already over 100 degrees when I pulled into our pit area at the race track outside Barstow, California. I would be off road racing in a few hours, but for the time being, I had ample opportunity to play in the dirt with the 2016 Nissan Frontier Pro-4x pickup truck.

I grabbed a pal, dropped the tire pressure on the Hankook Dynapro AT-Ms to 28 psi, and headed out to the open desert.

What I found surprised me. The Frontier scrambled up the mountain the locals call Starter Ridge, the four-wheel-drive system and 281 pound-feet of torque propelling me up the steep and rocky slope like it was a walk in the proverbial park.

Emme Hall/Roadshow

We stopped at a flat spot on the hill and noticed a motorcycle rider on the highest peak, watching us with interest.

“Let’s give him a show,” I said to my co-driver. A single push of a button locked my rear differential and I switched the transmission into 4L. With 9 inches of ground clearance the Frontier clambered over a small sea of rocks to gain even more elevation. Alas, the trail turned to one better suited for two wheels than four, and we turned back.

To be honest, I knew the Pro-4x, the off road trim of the midsize Frontier, would be good in the dirt as soon as I sat behind the wheel. It’s simple. Everything about it is simple. There are no terrain-select geegaws to get in the way. Just a simple electronic locking rear differential, Bilstein shocks and a shift-on-the-fly 4×4 system. Frankly, I don’t need much more than that.

Well, on second thought, a beefier Dana 44 rear axle would help, something Nissan should make standard on each Pro-4x. Currently, it’s only available in the smaller king cab Pro-4x or SV V6 trims, not the larger crew cab.

Uncomplicated Inside

Unfortunately, the rest of the tech is simple as well. You want a 7-inch touchscreen? Too bad, you get a dinky 5.8-inch color touchscreen. Adaptive cruise control? Nope, drivers must deal with regular cruise control. Sure it has Bluetooth, satellite radio, iPod connectivity, voice control and a 10-speaker Rockford Fosgate premium audio system, but on the whole the tech is soooo 2000-late.