Prepping for an Overlanding Trip With the Nissan Frontier Pro-4X

Combining the best elements of off-roading, camping, and road trips, overlanding is an increasingly popular hobby that involves traveling to a remote destination in a well-equipped vehicle that serves as both transport and lodging. The term traces its origins back to Australia, where, in the early 1900s, farmers would blaze new paths across the country’s vast Outback to establish new grazing grounds and bring their livestock to market. Modern overlanding is more about the journey itself than any specific destination, allowing drivers to explore the road less traveled while bringing along many of the comforts of home. If the idea of outlanding has grabbed your attention, it is important to look for a lifted vehicle, since ground clearance is an important feature when traveling off-road. Look no further than Newton Nissan of Gallatin, your premiere lifted truck dealer in Gallatin, TN, for all trucks perfect for outlanding, including the Nissan Frontier Pro-4X.

An overlanding trip can take days, weeks, or even months, and while wide-open deserts and plains are the most common destinations, any type of terrain will suffice. Think of it as a more adventurous, outdoorsy version of an RV, and you’ll start to get the idea. But what does prepping for an overlanding trip look like? While it depends on the driver and destination, there are a few general guidelines to follow, so let’s dive in and learn what it takes to pull off a successful overland excursion. We’ll look into some of the most important factors to consider when it comes to choosing an overlanding vehicle, examine some of the must-have equipment and see how the overland-ready Nissan Frontier makes building an affordable overlander easier than ever.

The Vehicle

Choosing the right truck or SUV is the single most important factor when it comes to overlanding. It’s a demanding hobby that’s bound to test the limits of your vehicle, so it’s important to start with a model that can handle the rigors of a journey that primarily takes place in off-road environments. While brands such as Land Rover and Jeep have long had a monopoly on the overland scene, the truth is that nearly any vehicle with 4-wheel drive and sufficient ground clearance can be transformed into a capable off-road rig.

Trucks and SUVs are the most likely culprits, but with the right type of modifications, even a van can do the job. Many automakers offer high-end, off-road-ready versions of their popular pickups, and Nissan is no exception with the Frontier Pro-4X, a rugged trim option that transforms the best-selling pickup into an almost ready-made overlander. The midsize pickup offers the ideal blend of power, reliability, and capability, making it the ideal base for building the overlander you’ve always dreamed about.

Nissan demonstrated the Frontier’s off-road prowess and potential for customization back in 2019 when it debuted a one-off concept model at the Overland Expo West. The pickup is a more-than-capable off-roader as-is, but overlanding is more than knobby tires and a lift kit. Outfitted with $10,000 in additional overlanding gear like tents, storage solutions, a refrigerator, and recovering system, the concept vehicle served as the perfect showcase for the Frontier’s off-road credentials.

Nissan revisited the concept in 2022 with the Frontier Project Adventure, giving the Pro-4X an opportunity to transform itself into a fully-loaded off-road beast by adding a lift kit, 34-inch mud-terrain tires, a rooftop tent, cargo basket, and more. Now Nissan is inviting everyone to join in on the fun with the debut of new NISMO off-road parts for the Frontier and a host of other Nissan vehicles. From rooftop tents to bed racks and lights, these NISMO components make it easier than ever to outfit the Frontier with everything you need to get started in the world of overlanding. But what else does it take to excel off-road? A good overland vehicle must excel in five distinct areas: payload, cargo room, capability, power, and fuel efficiency. Let’s break those down a little further and see how the new Nissan Frontier Pro-4X compares.

Capability

Your average, off-the-shelf pickup might be able to handle some light off-roading, but it takes more than 4WD and a cargo bed to succeed in most off-road scenarios. Off-road-tuned suspensions and skid plates might not be the flashiest additions to an overlanding vehicle, but they can make all the difference out on the trail. The Nissan Frontier Pro-4X gets drivers started on the right foot with features such as an electronically locking rear differential, Bilstein monotube damper, hill descent control, skid plates, tow hooks, and more. Of course, half the fun of overlanding is designing a rig that will fit your own specific needs, and the Frontier Pro-4X makes it easier than ever to bring your dreams to life.

For example, drivers might want to seek out certain features based on the terrain they’re likely to encounter, length of trip, climate, and other factors. In that department, Nissan is more than happy to offer a few tips. The automaker debuted the aforementioned one-off version of the Frontier back at the 2019 Overland Expo West in Flagstaff, Arizona, showcasing just how easy and affordable it can be to build out the Frontier as an overland monster. The Nissan team started with a 2019 Frontier Crew Cab SV 4×4 Midnight Edition, adding a bevy of modifications that transformed the midsize pickup into what the brand called the Destination Frontier. Ground clearance is an important consideration when off-roading, so Nissan added a 3-inch lift kit along with Nitto Trail Grappler off-road tires.

The most notable aspect of the project wasn’t the end result as much as the cost: Nissan was able to turn the sub-$30,000 SV Frontier model into a more-than-capable overlander for less than $10,000, bringing the whole project to less than $40,000. This is a considerable bargain in the off-road truck category, where some models sell for well upwards of $40,000 without any modifications included by Nissan. Next, they focused on reinforcing the pickup, adding a Hefty Fabworks front bumper, as well as skid plates and rock sliders. A WARN Industries 10-S winch, WARN winch roller fairlead, and winch hook was included for recovery scenarios, as Nissan rounded out the build with a rooftop tent, roof rack, Dometic fridge/freezer on an easily accessible slider, and Baja Designs LP6 Pro lights. The result is a fully-equipped overlanding rig primed for adventure without costing a fortune.

Power and Fuel Efficiency

When you’re tackling some adventurous off-the-grid driving, power can make all the difference. Unlike some of the more extreme off-road vehicles on the market, overlanding rigs don’t need to be outfitted with the beefiest engines on the market to have a good time. You’re not going to be scaling many sheer rock faces or churning through loose sand, assuming you’ve planned your route correctly, so raw power isn’t nearly as important as factors like reliability. When it comes to overlanding, it’s also important to balance out power with fuel efficiency. Larger, thirstier engines tend to offer improved power at the cost of fuel efficiency, but this presents a conundrum for those with overlanders who, given the remote nature of the activity, have to prioritize fuel efficiency more than most drivers.

Bringing extra fuel reserves is always an option and a requirement for some journeys, but starting with a vehicle that doesn’t chug gas will make everything a lot easier. With an average MPG of 18 city/24 highway, the 2022 Nissan Frontier is one of the more fuel-efficient midsize trucks on the market. The pickup comes standard with a 3.8-liter V6 paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission that can produce 310 horsepower without draining your fuel tank, making it a well-rounded option for overland applications. The 2022 model is equipped with a 21.1-gallon fuel tank which can go over 250-miles between fill-ups, meaning more time for adventure and less time searching for a gas station. It’s also worth noting that while 2WD vehicles will offer better fuel economy than their 4WD counterparts, they’re not a viable option if you’re looking to do any serious off-roading.

Payload

As a home-away-from-home, an overlanding rig needs to be able to haul all the supplies, components, and fuel you could possibly need. Given this weighty requirement, a vehicle’s payload capacity is a vital metric to pay attention to. As a refresher, payload capacity refers to the total weight a vehicle can safely haul. This differs from a vehicle’s gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR), which includes the vehicle’s weight and the weight of all included, so make sure not to mix up the two numbers. It’s also best not to make any assumptions about a vehicle’s payload capacity based on its size or weight, as some larger vehicles might actually be able to haul less than smaller options. Surprisingly, some four-wheel drive vehicles actually have lower payload capacity than 2WD versions, so again, don’t take anything for granted.

Payload ratings can vary drastically between different models, but generally speaking, most overland vehicles will fall somewhere in the range of 1,100 to 1,800 pounds. That might sound like a lot of weight, but it can add up fast, so plan accordingly. The 2022 Nissan Frontier stacks up well in this regard, offering an impressive 1,440-pound payload capacity when opting for the King Cab 4×4. The Frontier’s payload capacity maxes out at 1,710 pounds for the King Cab 4×2 model, but again, off-roading with 2WD is a recipe for disappointment. Ideally, a vehicle should only be weighed down with 80 percent of the recommended payload capacity. This not only leaves some wiggle room should you take on some unexpected weight but will also go a long way in improving the vehicle’s performance in off-road conditions. An overloaded vehicle will ride less comfortably, have difficulty maneuvering, and take a toll on fuel efficiency. If your vehicle has a payload capacity of 1,500 pounds, 1,200 pounds should be your actual limit.

Cargo Room

For many drivers, an overlanding vehicle is a home away from home. These rigs allow you to bring along those amenities that can make all the difference on a long trip, from the bare essentials like food and water to those creature features that you just can’t live without. That’s why cargo capacity is so important when choosing an overlanding vehicle. Most trucks offer plenty of room for weekend adventures and shorter road trips, but when you’re hitting the trails for weeks or even months at a time, space can be at a premium. With their large cargo beds, pickup trucks serve as the perfect starting point for an overland build, but how does the Nissan Frontier stack up against the competition in this regard?

Midsize trucks offer a happy medium between compact pickups and full-size offerings, and the Frontier is no exception. When equipped with the King Cab setup, the pickup features a 6-foot-1-inch bed with room for all the overlanding gear you might need. At 44-inches wide, the bed has a total cargo capacity of almost 50 cubic feet, which places the Frontier firmly in the top half of its class. One optional feature that goes a long way in improving the bed’s functionality is Nissan’s Utili-track system, which features adjustable tie-downs set into bed-mounted rails allowing drivers to customize the bed to securely contain mountain bikes, coolers, fuel containers, and anything else you don’t want bouncing around when you’re tearing through the trail at high speeds. The surprises continue in the interior, which has a cargo capacity of 40.1 cubic feet, with some clever storage solutions that go a long way in maximizing the space. These include storage spaces under the rear seat, an often under-utilized space that gets its due in the new Frontier.

The World of Outlanding Awaits…

If you’re interested in getting into the world of overlanding, picking an appropriate vehicle is the most important step. While there are plenty of rugged, powerful trucks on the market that might seem like the perfect fit, they might actually be too cumbersome or fuel-hungry to hold up to the rigors of long overland journeys. Remember that not all off-roaders are created equal. A truck that might excel at something like rock crawling or dune bashing would likely be too stripped-down and overpowered to work as an overlander, and vice versa.

In the end, it’s all about finding a vehicle that offers the ideal blend of cargo room, payload capacity, power, fuel efficiency, and capability. The Nissan Frontier Pro-4X hits the sweet spot when it comes to these factors, providing drivers with the perfect canvas on which they can create an overlanding work of art. Nissan has gone out of its way to show us the truck’s potential as an overlander with two intriguing concept models and a new selection of NISMO off-road parts, making it easier than ever to build an adventure-ready pickup without breaking the bank.