Nissan Frontier Pro: Chinese-made PHEV ute could take on BYD Shark in Australia

Nissan Australia’s boss has indicated the Japanese company’s local division considering the recently revealed Frontier Pro Plug-in Hybrid dual-cab ute for the local market.

Speaking with CarExpert, vice president and managing director for Nissan Australia, Andrew Humberstone, said the plug-in truck co-developed with China’s Dongfeng could “absolutely fit” within the local portfolio.

“I see no problem with that running in parallel to new Navara. It’s about ‘does the business case work?’ I think it takes about six months to get right-hand drive. I think it could potentially work for the market,” Mr Humberstone said.

“What we’ve been told officially – this is a joint venture with Dongfeng, obviously – the car is available for export, we are one of the markets which could be considered. I think it could be a very interesting product for us to look at. I think it could absolutely fit.”

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Revealed at last month’s Shanghai motor show, the Nissan Frontier Pro Plug-in Hybrid is a Chinese collaboration with joint venture partner Dongfeng, based on the former’s Z9 ute rather than the D40 Navara-derived Frontier pickup sold in the United States.

The brightly-coloured Frontier Pro PHEV is Nissan’s first plug-in hybrid model globally, and also its first-ever electrified ute.

Power comes from a turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with a transmission-mounted electric motor, for total system outputs of 300kW of power and 800Nm of torque.

Nissan claims EV range of 135km on the CLTC cycle, and fuel consumption of 6.9L/100km.

Vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability supplies up to 6kW of power and allows you to power external appliances via outlets in the tub. Braked towing capacity is 3500kg – matching the Navara – with a wading depth of 700mm.

The Frontier Pro also features five-link rear suspension, and comes standard with four-wheel drive and 18-inch alloy wheels wearing 265/65 R18 tyres.

An electromechanical rear differential lock is available, while there are selectable hybrid, electric, performance and snow drive modes.

Inside, there’s a 10-inch digital instrument cluster and a 14.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system.

It’s a much more luxurious interior than our Navara, with the front seats available with heating, ventilation and massage, and a panoramic sunroof bathing the cabin with light.

The Frontier Pro revealed in Shanghai also has a colourful interior, with yellow upholstery and matching yellow trim on the dashboard and doors.

The new Navara, meanwhile, arrives in Australia next year and is yet to be revealed. Mr Humberstone indicated we could see a reveal or at least preview of the production model around November 2025.

Interestingly, the image above is of the facelifted NP300 Navara/Frontier that will arrive in Latin American markets during the 2026 Japanese financial year. This indicates the Latin American Navara/Frontier will be a significant facelift of the current D23 model, meaning Nissan will be producing three different mid-size pickups globally.

Of most importance to us is the upcoming Thai-built Navara, which is destined for the Oceania region which includes Asia and Australia. This new “one-ton pickup” will “leverage Nissan’s partnership with Mitsubishi Motors”, and will be the most advanced of the three utes.

Nissan’s global announcement of this new model says “FY26” timing, though the Japanese market’s financial year uses ‘fiscal year’ timing – i.e. April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027. This likely means the next-generation Navara won’t hit Australian showrooms until the second half of the 2026 calendar year.

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