Nissan Shows Off Their Retro-Styled Frontier Pro Plug-In Hybrid Pickup in Shanghai

A backwards step in the right direction

Nissan has just shown off their all-new, plug-in hybrid-powered Frontier Pro at Auto Shanghai 2025, donning retro throwback styling that’s reminiscent of the Nissan D21 “Hardbody” pickup truck from the 1980s and ’90s. Nissan hasn’t confirmed if this truck, or any similarly equipped and styled variant, will be built or sold within North America, but the automaker has confirmed that it plans on exporting it internationally after it goes on sale in China later this year. This fresh new pickup truck is huge news for Nissan, regardless, and offers a glimpse at how Nissan plans on turning around their brand worldwide.

The Frontier Pro isn’t just Nissan’s first electrified pickup truck; it’s their first-ever plug-in hybrid vehicle

Powered by a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and a high-output electric motor mounted upon its transmission, the all-new Nissan Frontier Pro is the brand’s first-ever plug-in hybrid vehicle. According to Nissan, this powertrain will produce a combined output of about 400 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque–massive figures for a midsize pickup truck with an engine that features a smaller displacement than a standard bottle of Coca-Cola. Equipped with this plug-in hybrid beating heart, the all-new Nissan Frontier Pro could directly compete with the upcoming, Volkswagen-owned Scout Terra plug-in hybrid pickup and perhaps the Ram 1500 Ramcharger, despite its significant difference in size.

Despite the Frontier Pro’s efficient plug-in hybrid powertrain, which is said to be able to deliver up to about 84 miles of fully-electric range on a full battery charge, off-road capability is still a major focus for the midsize pickup. Mechanical features such as a 5-link rear suspension, Intelligent All-Wheel Drive, and an available electromechanical rear differential lock will ensure that the all-new Frontier doesn’t compromise its hardcore off-road pedigree in return for a more comfortable city driving experience.

The all-new Nissan Frontier Pro proves that Nissan hasn’t given up on its future

Perhaps the most notable insight that comes from Nissan’s all-new Frontier Pro pickup, even if it only debuted for the Chinese market so far, is that it’s solid proof of the automaker putting in some serious effort to turn its brand around and modernize its aging product lineup. Offering a plug-in hybrid powertrain is a major step in the right direction for Nissan, and if a product similar to what we’ve seen here with the Frontier Pro ever makes it to the North American market, we’re sure it’ll be a big hit with buyers. Although nothing has been officially confirmed yet about which other markets will receive the Frontier Pro, Nissan plans a future announcement that should provide answers to this question.

The transparency of Nissan’s effort to modernize its products extends into the Frontier Pro’s interior, as well. With clean, fresh design and a blend of large, crisp display screens with actual physical buttons, the Frontier Pro’s interior reflects a connected understanding of what modern buyers really want in their vehicle cabins. The Frontier Pro’s cockpit retains the rugged simplicity of its predecessors while infusing the space with much-needed modernism and up-to-date controls and displays.

Final thoughts

For now, we North American buyers will just have to wait and see if Nissan will ever offer us its superbly modern and striking-looking plug-in hybrid Frontier Pro midsize pickup truck. Its existence can at least be seen as a sign of better things to come from Nissan in the future as the brand attempts a last-ditch effort to save itself from impending bankruptcy.