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Nissan's Blueprint for a $40,000-ish Overlanding Nissan Frontier

Nissan thinks you only need to spend around $40,000 to build a capable overlanding 2019 Nissan Frontier. At the 2019 Overland Expo West starting Friday in Arizona, Nissan will show a one-off, customized 2019 Nissan Frontier SV crew-cab 4×4 Midnight Edition decked out in modifications for expeditions through the wilderness. Tallied up, the price tag on the named Destination Frontier is around $40,000, not including destination fee.

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It doesn’t hurt that the Nissan Frontier is the least expensive truck on the market, starting at just more than $20,000 for a basic four-cylinder, manual-transmission, rear-wheel-drive version. Nissan didn’t start with that truck, though, instead using a $32,925 SV Midnight Edition that includes the 4.0-liter V-6 making 261 horsepower and 281 pounds-feet of torque, a five-speed automatic transmission plus the Midnight Edition’s blackened trim. From there, a Nissan spokesperson says roughly $10,000 in modifications were added that include:

  • Nisstec 3-inch lift kit
  • Hefty Fabworks bumper, skid plates and rock sliders
  • Leitner Designs bed rack
  • CVT Mount Shasta rooftop tent
  • Rhino-Rack Pioneer tray
  • American Racing AX201 Wheels
  • Nitto Trail Grappler Tires (33 x 11.50R17)
  • Baja Designs LP6 Pro Lights
  • Warn Industries Zeon 10-S winch, Winch Roller Fairlead and Epic winch hook
  • Dometic fridge

The Destination Frontier is a show truck, however, and these parts are non-Nissan accessories without warranty coverage from Nissan, plus you’ll need to turn a wrench yourself as labor isn’t included in this price tag. All-in at $40,000 seems a little optimistic, but current incentives will likely help lower the price to the lower side of “around $40,000.” Also consider the Frontier hasn’t changed much since 2005, so you’re surely able to build something similar with this blueprint for even less money with a gently used Frontier.

Managing Editor
Joe Bruzek

Managing Editor Joe Bruzek’s 22 years of automotive experience doesn’t count the lifelong obsession that started as a kid admiring his dad’s 1964 Chevrolet Corvette — and continues to this day. Joe’s been an automotive journalist with Cars.com for 16 years, writing shopper-focused car reviews, news and research content. As Managing Editor, one of his favorite areas of focus is helping shoppers understand electric cars and how to determine whether going electric is right for them. In his free time, Joe maintains a love-hate relationship with his 1998 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am that he wishes would fix itself. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-bruzek-2699b41b/

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