Nissan Frontier Pro PHEV almost certain for Oz

The chances of the new 300kW Nissan Frontier Pro hybrid ute coming to Australia have just increased significantly, following comments by Nissan Oceania’s Managing Director.

When Nissan’s first plug-in hybrid ute was unveiled at the 2025 Shanghai Motor Show in April, everyone took notice – especially BYD, GWM and Ford, which are already pushing their own PHEV ute wheelbarrows into the mainstream arena.

In Shanghai, Nissan Vehicle Development Manager Ikyo Miyai told journalists the first export market would likely be Latin America, but that right-hand-drive versions were under consideration and he wouldn’t rule out Australia.

Last week Nissan Oceania’s Managing Director, Andrew Humberstone, told carsales the Frontier Pro is very much on the agenda.

“Of course we would consider it,” he said.

“It’s a very good-looking car. I think it could be good for the market but it’s one of those [vehicles] that we need to look at and investigate,” he added.

A serious contender for Chinese rivals like the BYD Shark 6 and GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV, the 2026 Nissan Frontier Pro packs a 300kW (400hp) punch and a monstrous 800Nm from its combination of a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine and a single electric motor.

Built by Zhengzhou Nissan (ZNA) in China, the new ute is essentially a rebadged Dongfeng Z9 pick-up truck and Humberstone said it could be sold alongside the Navara.

“I don't see any challenge with that being run in parallel to new Navara, but we’re not at a point where we can really comment on that,” he said. “We haven't had those final conversations,” he added, implying negotiations are ongoing.

“But I think they can do right-hand drive [in] under six months now, based on the conversations we had with them.”

The Frontier Pro plug-in hybrid ute’s Aussie arrival appears to be a case of when, not if, although whether it arrives at the same time as the new Nissan Navara ute – which is expected to be revealed later in 2025 ahead of a 2026 deployment – is not clear.

With a 3.5-tonne towing capacity, the new Nissan dual-cab hybrid also delivers the goods for adventurous owners. Sitting on a ladder-frame chassis, the ute boasts a proper 4x4 system with centre and rear locking diffs, rear coil springs, and a 700mm wading depth.

It also offers a theoretical range of 1040km, plus a pure-electric range of up to 135km. Fuel economy is claimed to be around 6.9L/100km.

Inside, the cabin has a high-tech and premium look, with a panoramic roof, a big 14.6-inch infotainment touchscreen, 10-inch digital cluster, and heated, ventilated and even massaging front seats.

There’s V2L (Vehicle to Load) functionality with two tray-mounted power outlets, plus roof rails and a powered roller cover for the bed.

With more and more brands jumping into the PHEV ute segment as NVES regulations come into effect and buyers seek lower-emission vehicles with more versatility, Nissan is clearly keen on the idea.

While Humberstone agreed that there’s a growing market for electrified utes in Australia, he wouldn’t be drawn on how long Aussie customers will have to wait for a PHEV ute wearing a Nissan badge.

“Timing is critical,” he said. “So it’s not a matter of just rushing because it’s really looking at the timing and what works.

“But I do think that [PHEV] space, potentially, you’ll start to see more and more customers migrate into that space.”

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