Midsize Truck Model Year Comparison
We carry both the 2026 and 2025 Nissan Frontier at Miracle Nissan of North Augusta, and both are worth your time. The 2025 brought a major refresh: new look, bigger screen, stronger towing. The 2026 builds on that foundation with terrain control modes, more standard features, and a Roush off-road package you won’t find on any 2025.
The 2026 Nissan Frontier delivers the same proven V6 and up-to 7,150-lb. towing capacity as the 2025, with new drive modes, standard LED headlamps, and more baked-in comfort on every trim — at the same starting price point.
The 2025 Frontier was a meaningful refresh year for Nissan. It got a new front fascia, a standard telescoping steering column, a 12.3-inch touchscreen on upper trims, and a towing bump of roughly 500 lbs. across the board. That truck earned its reputation quickly.
The 2026 doesn’t tear it down and start over. It sharpens it. Nissan added LED headlamps to the S and SV trims as standard equipment. The all-new Drive Mode Selector gives SV 4×4 and PRO-4X buyers five terrain-specific settings: Rock, Sand, On-Road, Mud, and Hill Descent Control. PRO and PRO-4X trims now come with heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and remote engine start included in the base price of those grades.
There’s also a new Dark Armor package for SV buyers who want a blacked-out look without stepping to a higher trim. And for buyers who want to take the Frontier places most trucks won’t go, the new PRO-4X R by Roush brings a 2-inch suspension lift and purpose-built off-road hardware to the lineup for the first time.
Both the 2025 and 2026 Frontier run the same 3.8-liter naturally aspirated V6. It makes 310 horsepower and 281 lb-ft of torque, paired with a 9-speed automatic. Front-wheel drive isn’t in the equation here. This is a real truck, available in rear-wheel or four-wheel drive on most trims.
Towing capacity tops out at up to 7,150 lbs. when properly equipped. That covers a lot of ground: bass boats on Lake Thurmond, utility trailers, horse trailers heading toward the Midlands, or equipment for a job site anywhere between North Augusta and Columbia. Payload reaches up to 1,620 lbs. depending on configuration, which gives you room to haul materials without overthinking it.
Fuel economy is identical between the two model years. EPA-estimated figures land at 19 city / 24 highway / 21 combined for 4×2 trims. Four-wheel drive brings that down to 17/21/19 on most configurations. Both trucks carry the same warranty: 3-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper, 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain, and 2 years/24,000 miles of complimentary maintenance on new purchases.
Off-road buyers have always had the PRO-4X as their Frontier of choice. The 2026 makes it genuinely more capable with a tool the 2025 didn’t have: the Drive Mode Selector. Available on SV 4×4 and PRO-4X trims, this system lets drivers dial in the truck for the surface under them.
The five modes cover Rock, Sand, On-Road, Mud, and Hill Descent Control. For a truck used in the SC/GA region — where red clay, sandy riverbeds, and trail access points are part of daily life for a lot of buyers — terrain-matched traction control makes a practical difference. Hill Descent Control alone is worth noting for anyone running trails in the Savannah River watershed country or the piedmont areas west of Augusta.
The PRO-4X still gets its standard Bilstein off-road shocks, electronic locking rear differential, all-terrain tires, and underbody skid plates. The 2026 adds the Drive Mode Selector on top of that stack. The 2025 PRO-4X was already trail-ready. The 2026 version gives the driver more active control on the way through.
The PRO-4X R is new for 2026. There is no equivalent package on the 2025 Frontier. Built in collaboration with Roush Performance, it takes the PRO-4X as a base and adds a 2-inch front suspension lift using a Roush x Öhlins off-road suspension system. That system uses coilover shocks with external reservoirs to handle extended trail use without fade, plus new upper control arms for added articulation.
The exterior gets 17-inch titanium-finished off-road wheels wrapped in Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme all-terrain tires. Inside, embroidered headrests and Roush badging complete the package. The PRO-4X R starts at approximately $47,960 MSRP and is one of the most capable, most distinctive configurations in the 2026 Frontier lineup.
One important note: Roush components are sold and installed by Roush Performance, not directly by Nissan, and carry Roush’s own warranty coverage. The underlying Nissan PRO-4X retains its standard factory coverage. Contact us to confirm current PRO-4X R availability in our North Augusta inventory.
Both model years include Nissan Safety Shield 360 on every trim: automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning, and automatic high beams. Full safety coverage at every price point, no packages required.
Where the 2026 pulls ahead is in what comes standard before you start checking boxes. LED headlamps are now included on the S and SV trim levels. In 2025, those trims used non-LED lamps. The PRO and PRO-4X trims now include heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and remote engine start as base features. In 2025, some of that required an optional package.
The new All-Weather Package for SV buyers bundles heated leather steering wheel, heated front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, and remote start. The 12.3-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto carries over from 2025 on SV and higher. Along with the Fender premium audio system on PRO-4X.
>
| Feature | 2026 Nissan Frontier | 2025 Nissan Frontier | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 3.8L V6, 310 hp, 281 lb-ft | 3.8L V6, 310 hp, 281 lb-ft | Equal |
| Transmission | 9-speed automatic | 9-speed automatic | Equal |
| Max Towing (when properly equipped) | Up to 7,150 lbs. | Up to 7,150 lbs. | Equal |
| Max Payload (when properly equipped) | Up to 1,620 lbs. | Up to 1,620 lbs. | Equal |
| EPA Fuel Economy (4×2) | 19/24/21 mpg (est.) | 19/24/21 mpg (est.) | Equal |
| Safety Suite | Safety Shield 360 — all trims | Safety Shield 360 — all trims | Equal |
| LED Headlamps (S and SV trims) | Standard | Not standard | 2026 |
| Drive Mode Selector (5 terrain modes) | Yes — SV 4×4 and PRO-4X | No | 2026 |
| Std. Heated Seats/Wheel/Remote Start on PRO trims | Standard | Optional package | 2026 |
| Dark Armor Blackout Package | Available on SV | Not available | 2026 |
| Roush PRO-4X R Off-Road Package | Available | Not available | 2026 |
| SL Trim (moonroof, leather, Fender std.) | Discontinued | Available | 2025 |
| Warranty | 3/36 B-to-B; 5/60 Powertrain | 3/36 B-to-B; 5/60 Powertrain | Equal |
A straight acknowledgment: The 2025 Frontier offered a trim the 2026 does not: the SL. It was the premium-comfort top of the lineup: standard power moonroof, leather seating surfaces, Fender audio, and Intelligent Around View Monitor included in the base trim price. Buyers who want that moonroof-and-leather configuration in a Frontier will find the 2025 SL worth a serious look. The 2026 removed that trim entirely.
Your Truck, Your Call
These trucks share the same engine, the same towing numbers, and the same warranty. The decision comes down to features and configuration.
Choose the 2026 if: you want active terrain control for off-road driving, you prefer LED headlamps standard without paying extra, you want the most recently standardized comfort features on PRO trims, or you’re interested in the PRO-4X R Roush package as a serious trail truck. The 2026 is a strong buy for buyers who plan to keep their truck for five or more years.
Choose the 2025 if: you want the SL’s standard moonroof, leather, and Fender audio at a potentially lower out-of-pocket cost, or you find the right deal on remaining 2025 inventory. The 2025 is an excellent, proven truck. The 2025 refresh added everything that made the Frontier truly competitive — the 2026 just layers more on top.
Either way, we can put you in both and let you decide. Come see us at Miracle Nissan of North Augusta.
The 2026 adds a five-mode Drive Mode Selector on SV 4×4 and PRO-4X trims, standard LED headlamps on S and SV, and new standard comfort features on PRO grades. The 2025 offered the SL trim with a standard moonroof, leather, and Fender audio — a configuration the 2026 discontinued.
Yes, on equipped trims. The 2026 SV 4×4 and PRO-4X add the Drive Mode Selector with Rock, Sand, On-Road, Mud, and Hill Descent Control. The 2025 had no terrain mode system. PRO-4X Bilstein shocks, locking rear differential, and skid plates carry over in both model years.
Nissan discontinued the SL for 2026. The SL was the top trim in 2025, including a standard power moonroof, leather seats, Fender audio, and Intelligent Around View Monitor. Buyers who want those features in a 2026 can build them through available packages on the PRO-4X trim.
The PRO-4X R is a 2026-exclusive package built with Roush Performance. It adds a 2-inch front lift using Roush x Öhlins coilover shocks with external reservoirs, new upper control arms, 17-inch titanium-finished wheels with Hankook all-terrain tires, and exclusive badging. It starts at approximately $47,960 MSRP, with components installed and warranted separately by Roush Performance.
Yes. Both model years use the same 3.8L V6 producing 310 horsepower and 281 lb-ft of torque, paired with a 9-speed automatic. Maximum towing reaches up to 7,150 lbs. when properly equipped. Maximum payload is up to 1,620 lbs. EPA-estimated fuel economy is also identical between the two model years.
We stock both the 2025 and 2026 Nissan Frontier. Whether you’re looking for the proven value of a 2025 or the Drive Mode Selector and updated features of the 2026, we have the cab, bed, and drivetrain combination you need. Come see us on Jefferson Davis Highway and put both trucks to work before you decide.
Serving North Augusta, Beech Island, New Ellenton, Graniteville, Columbia SC, and Augusta GA