I’m not a Toyota Tacoma fan. Let’s get that out of the way from the jump. I appreciate the strong sales figures and customer loyalty. The truck has amazing ability in both TRD Off-Road and TRD Pro trims. But it’s also the most uncomfortable production vehicle on sale today, and it needs to evolve. Especially in the face of excellent competitive options from the Chevrolet Colorado and Ford Ranger… and now you can add the 2022 Nissan Frontier to that list.

Nissan has needed to update this truck for ages. The automaker knew it, and it’s finally done something about it. And it feels like it’s revitalizing the entire lineup right now, which is sorely needed. Yes, the frame is still the older one underneath, but it’s a strong boxed frame and now it has updated and upgraded features to keep it relevant. And it also has a damn fine truck bolted on top of it.

Under the hood, you’ll find a 310-horsepower-having 3.8-liter V6. It pairs with a nine-speed automatic and can be had in 2WD or 4WD setups, and that includes the PRO models. Nissan is offering the PRO-X and PRO-4X, both of which get Bilstein shocks, exterior and interior tweaks, and a nice nine-inch touchscreen in the center stack. The seats are comfortable, though not as good as those in the Colorado or Ranger, but lightyears ahead of the buckets of misery found in the Tacoma.

And a nicely equipped PRO-4X, which is the one you should get, starts at $38,415. That undercuts the equivalent Colorado, Tacoma, and Ranger models. No, this PRO-4X won’t be as beastly off-road as the ZR2 or TRD Pro, but it absolutely can handle anything that a Ranger Tremor can take.

Then take the cash you’ll save and upgrade the Hankook Dynapros to real tires, and watch the capability climb even more. Nissan has done a damn fine job on this thing. Check out my first drive video review for Autotrader below: