{"id":3724,"date":"2026-01-06T03:56:51","date_gmt":"2026-01-06T11:56:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/max2voyages.com\/?p=3724"},"modified":"2026-01-06T03:56:51","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T11:56:51","slug":"too-quick-drive-the-2026-nissan-roush-frontier-pro-4xr-gives-us-hope","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/max2voyages.com\/?p=3724","title":{"rendered":"(Too) Quick Drive: The 2026 Nissan-Roush Frontier Pro-4XR Gives Us Hope"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Roush Performance has been closely associated with Ford for years, so we were more than a little surprised to learn<\/u> that the company was working with Nissan on developing a modified Frontier pickup<\/u>. Although it\u2019s lighter on upgrades compared to the Mustangs that the Roush name no doubt brings to mind, the Nissan Frontier Pro-4XR has been fitted with some useful and cost-effective upgrades the off-road set will appreciate. If it\u2019s well received, we could see more from Nissan and Roush in the future.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The Roushification of the Frontier <\/strong><\/h2>\n

The Pro-4XR comes down the same production line in Canton, Mississippi, as a normal Frontier Pro-4X pickup<\/u>, the only difference being the addition of unique 17-inch titanium-tinged wheels and Hankook Dynapro AT2 XTreme tires, one step up from the Dynapro AT2s fitted to other Pro-4X trucks. Once the final inspection is completed, the trucks take a little 7-mile detour up the road to a Roush facility where the R transformation happens.<\/p>\n

Out comes the stock front suspension, and in goes an \u00d6hlins-based arrangement with external reservoir shocks and new front control arms. The new setup lifts the truck by 2 inches in front, and Roush fits a 1-inch lift in back with the factory leaf springs, giving the Frontier a more aggressive stance. The truck is further adorned with a titanium-colored skidplate, black lug nuts, extensive \u201cR\u201d badging, and headrests embroidered by the Roush logo. (We asked why the quarter-panel decal still says \u201cPro-4X\u201d instead of \u201cPro-4XR\u201d like the rear badging, and the Roush rep, a former Nissan staffer who worked on the Frontier, said they couldn\u2019t come up with a visually pleasing design.) From there, the trucks return to the Nissan plant and rejoin their fellow Frontiers in the pipeline for delivery to Nissan dealers.<\/p>\n

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Not Enough Seat Time to Know <\/strong><\/h2>\n

Nissan gave us the briefest of test drives, with the chance to compare Pro-4X and Pro-4XR trucks on a specially built, low-speed, angles-and-dangles sort of course that emphasized axle articulation. We drove the Pro-4X and Pro-4XR back to back and could kinda-sorta detect a little difference between them. Perhaps the Roush truck was able to keep its front wheels on the ground a little longer, and maybe it landed a little softer when dropping down onto an upraised wheel. Or maybe that\u2019s what we imagined because that\u2019s what the Nissan and Roush folks told us to expect.<\/p>\n

We got no chance whatsoever to drive the Pro-4XR on the pavement, and that was really too bad. An off-road suspension is bound to change the ride and handling characteristics of a truck like the Frontier, and that\u2019s one of the important factors for us in recommending whether the Pro-4XR is a good idea or not. We\u2019ll need a more extensive drive of the Pro-4XR to determine what real-world impact the upgrades have.<\/p>\n

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Still, Not a Bad Idea <\/strong><\/h2>\n

Even without knowing for sure what advantages (and\/or disadvantages) the Roush upgrades give the Pro-4X (which is a rather decent, if somewhat old-school, off-roader by itself), we still think the Pro-4XR is worth considering. The Roush modifications are the sort of upgrades many owners make to their trucks on their own, and the Pro-4XR\u2019s price premium of $6,090 isn\u2019t crazy when you consider not only that the equipment is professionally installed, but that it\u2019s also covered for the same warranty period as the rest of the truck. If one of the Roush parts breaks, you can bring the truck back to the selling dealer or any Nissan dealer that has an agreement with Roush (Roush anticipates that will soon be most of them) to have it fixed, and let the dealer, Nissan, and Roush haggle over who pays the warranty bill.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re hoping we\u2019ll get a more extensive drive of the Frontier Pro-4XR soon, and we\u2019re also hoping this is the only the beginning of a beautiful friendship between Roush and Nissan. Surely Roush has got a supercharger lying around that\u2019ll fit the Frontier\u2019s 3.8-liter V-6.<\/p>\n

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