Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems like a bit of ground clearance goes a long way in boosting confidence when you go (soft) off-roading.
What do you do when you have access to a truck? Truck stuff.
We currently have a new Nissan Frontier in our care. It’s a 2025 Nissan Frontier SL Crew Cab 4x4 with the long wheelbase.
New for this year is a refresh that includes a redesigned grille and front fascia. The long-wheelbase configuration is offered across the entire range, while power still comes from a 310-horsepower, 3.8-liter V6 backed by a nine-speed automatic.
Our truck’s only option is $425 for the premium paint and then another $205 for carpeted floor mats. Total sticker with destination: $47,750, although the Frontier line starts at $32,150. (No matter the trim, all Frontiers get that same V6.)
First stop with our Frontier: The landfill to drop off some e-waste and household chemicals.
For our second stop, we planned to visit a local nursery–maybe pick up some plants for the yard.
But we got distracted by the sign along the way: Tiger Bay State Forest. Several hours later, we returned to pavement about 5 miles north of our starting point.
We looped around and back and few times, checked out some trails and even went for a short hike. The terrain ranged from a hardpacked road–seemed like very old concrete–to narrow tracks through the trees.
Did we do the most hardcore off-roading? No, not really. Did we have fun? Yup. We enjoyed some nature while taking in parts of the state we have never visited before–even though they’re not too far away from home
The Frontier might not be a Jeep, but it was perfectly suited for the mission: capable enough, powerful enough and comfortable enough.
Never had to engage the front wheels, either, despite the lack of knobby tires as our test truck came fitted with the Michelin Primacy LTX. Tire Rack places them in its Highway All-Season class: “for drivers who want a combination of pleasant on-road characteristics, long wear and all-season versatility, including traction in light snow.”
Is a 4x4 really in our future? Who knows, but I’m now looking forward to some wheel time in the Frontier Pro-X as it gets the knobbies.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems like a bit of ground clearance goes a long way in boosting confidence when you go (soft) off-roading.
In reply to Colin Wood :
Oh yes.
For a while, we had an F150 following us.
Then we didn’t.
I’m assuming they turned off.
Did you do anything you couldn't do in, say, an Outback or a Crown Victoria?
Come out here, I'll get you hooked on off-roading :)
In reply to Keith Tanner :
We do extensive soft reading in our Outback.
For anything serious I'll be riding my fancy Italian dirt bike.
In reply to Keith Tanner :
I don’t think a Crown Vic would have had the ground clearance, assuming it wasn’t lifted. Lifted Subaru with skid plates? Maybe. I wondered how my old Impreza would have done. The point, though, was that I got off the road and had fun.
David S. Wallens said:In reply to Keith Tanner :
I don’t think a Crown Vic would have had the ground clearance, assuming it wasn’t lifted.
Maybe not, but you could drive it around Sabotage style (bonus points if you put a spinny light on the roof):
In reply to Colin Wood :
I would totally do that.
So, one of the trails took us very close to I-4. It was a little funny being “deep” in the woods, only to hear the interstate traffic.
Also, check this out: an old brick road here in Central Florida.
This is the old US-92 here in Volusia County. I have driven past this a zillion times yet never made the turn. So, the things you discover when you get off the usual.
In reply to David S. Wallens :
That's way cool. I gotta save that on my maps for future reference.
In reply to Colin Wood :
Looking at the map, I see that it’s aptly named Brick Road. I don’t there’s even a mile of bricks as it eventually transitions to dirt. Still, cool to see.
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