Nissan Frontier Pro plug-in hybrid ute arrives in Australia

The 2027 Nissan Frontier Pro has landed in Australia, with testing underway for the Chinese-made plug-in hybrid ute.

These exclusive images are understood to be the first confirmed sighting of the electrified ute locally, with the model – which may end up badged here as the Navara Pro – being unloaded at Nissan Australia’s training and development centre in Melbourne’s south-east.

Clad in vinyl camouflage and showing signs of playing in the dirt, the pre-production vehicle is believed to be right-hand drive – and appears to very closely resemble the ute shown at the Shanghai motor show in April 2025.

While Nissan has yet to publicly confirm the Frontier Pro for the Australian market, the Japanese car giant is understood to have announced the model to dealer representatives at a gala dinner in November 2025.

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Co-developed with Chinese partner Dongfeng – and related to the Dongfeng Z9 ute – the Frontier Pro is set to take on other plug-in hybrid utes such as the GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV, JAC Hunter, Ford Ranger PHEV, and BYD Shark 6.

The body-on-frame Frontier Pro is powered by a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine with a transmission-mounted electric motor, allowing for the use of a traditional low-range transfer box for off-roading – helped by a rear locking differential.

With combined outputs of 300kW of power and 800Nm of torque, Nissan claims fuel consumption of around 6.9 litres per 100 kilometres, and an electric-only driving range of 135 kilometres – though those figures are expected to change based on Australian testing protocols.

The Nissan ute can also tow up to 3500kg, and has vehicle-to-load (V2L) capabilities and outlets in the tub for power tools and accessories.

Inside, the Frontier Pro looks more SUV than workhorse, with a 10-inch digital instrument cluster and ‘floating’ 14.6-inch infotainment screen, a panoramic sunroof, and front seats with heating, ventilation, and massage functions.

However, exact specifications for the Australian-market version have yet to be locked in.

While the Dongfeng Z9 is also available with 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol and 2.3-litre turbo-diesel engines, these are unlikely to be offered in the Nissan model.

“Australia requirements for powertrain are a bit more severe,” Richard Candler, Nissan corporate executive for family, product and component strategy, told CarExpert during an event in Japan in April 2026.

“We need good towing, we need off-road capability, those sort of things. And this is something we need to look at on that product to make sure it’s capable.”

Mr Candler also revealed there's an SUV version of the Frontier Pro – exclusive to Nissan – that's in development, which would likely give buyers an alternative to the Ford Everest, but as a plug-in hybrid family SUV with off-road capabilities.

“On the SUV, that’s somehow already designed in from the base,” he said.

“We got to that product and it’s sort of a dedicated product for us, basically for export. It’s a really good opportunity.”

The Frontier Pro-based SUV would be a return of sorts for Nissan, with previous generations of the Pathfinder being body-on-frame SUVs with more of an off-road focus.

“My team have tested these cars in Australia already, and already made recommendations for tuning. And obviously, what’s good for China is not necessarily directly transferable," said Mr Candler.

With Nissan all but confirming the Frontier Pro, launch timing isn’t known at this stage, however the plug-in hybrid ute could arrive as soon as late 2026, with customer deliveries beginning in 2027.

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