Looking for opinions on how these two stack up against each other. I get the feeling that the Nissan is catching up a bit to the Tacoma. Don’t want to purchase anything built by the UAW, so only considering these two. I’d like to buy something used in the 2019/2020 range.

I've found used Tacomas to be a terrible deal because they are ridiculously priced or beat to hell. New Toyotas in Texas are also packed with $3-10K worth of unwanted crap because there is a single distributor called "Gulf States Toyota". I had to drive to Colorado to buy a base model for MSRP.

A friend has a Frontier and it's been a good truck for him but I don't know much more.

No comparison. Based on about any Toyota Tacoma that is on the market. If you see one you like, best buy it, because it won't be there tomorrow.
First one I had was 4 cyl. Sold it at 275 K and it is still running. One I have now has 160 K on it and has had very little maintenance.

They are both redesigned models for 2024, so no track record, really. I am a HUGE fan of the pre-midsize Toyotas, and have had a Frontier as a farm truck, but that's all old model information. From what I see, the Nissan is getting closer, but I doubt they have matched build quality yet. Then again, if build quality was everything, I'd be driving a Toyota, and I don't own one anymore.

I traded a 2008 Tacoma on a 23 Frontier last year. No problems with the Frontier. I have only driven it 3000 miles, however. The one criticism of the Frontier is that the shifting of the the transmission is a bit rough. I found the same thing in the 23 Tacomas I test drove as well. The 4L with the 6 speed auto in the Tacomas was a great combination. It's a shame they went away from it.

Depends on your needs. If it's a grocery getter that occasionally has a dirty dog in the back, the Nissan will be fine. If you are going to use it more like a truck or off road, get the Tacoma.

Frontier is noisier then a Tacoma which tells me it does not have the same build quality, Past and Present history I would go Toyota . I thought it was more cramped than the Tacoma I was looking at . I would not buy one in NC though I would go across the state line to VA and buy one. Believe it or not they have a different distributor then Southeast Toyota and vehicles have different builds and packages and are generally a little cheaper.


Good Luck

If frontier is using the jatco trans it’s an EASY pass.
I believe there’s a large recall of 20-23 models because of the trans.

My wife and I were pickup shopping in fall 2022 and that was the worst time, but my high miles full size chevy was throwing low oil pressure lights and we wanted to buy something before we HAD to buy something.
The 6 foot box became a sore point looking at all the full size and midsize models. The new full size pickups are huge now and they barley fit in my gargae.
So we dropped down to a midsize and only Nissan or toyota have 6 foot boxes.

The nissan was alright but the steering was heavy and my wife hated the seats. There are less little creature features than tacoma.

in the end, we bought a tacoma and its certainly not a full size for comfort and noise.
I don't like sliding my knee under the tacoma steering wheel to get in.
Sometimes I think I should have looked at the nissan harder, but the tacoma wins for resale reputaion.

Were going back to full size when my semi-retired chevy officially dies though. That 2008 still feels more solid more enjoyable to drive than my 2022 tacoma.

Have a 2023 Tacoma TRD, V6, 6’ bed, 4 door. I installed a Diamondback aluminum tonneau cover, bull bar, sliders and mud flaps. I had been driving full sized diesels in the past. My only minor issue is that it’s a bit of a dog. Now, I have to learn to get use to the V6. There is only 5600 miles on the odometer. I bought one without the mapping option because I have a good Garmin unit that fits very well. I has no DVD player, no need. Had butt heaters installed, wife’s option. I am awaiting an oil change kit to do so NOW. Not going to go with the Toyota recommended 10,000 mile oil changes. At some point I will install a K&N free breathing air filter element.
We live in mountain region and my mileage is good. Albeit a little slow sometimes on the acceleration. Do not plan to chip but may have a tune done next spring. Toyota longevity has been historically good. The dealer actually offered us a good deal on our trade in. As far as Nissans are concerned. I have three other vehicles. All Nissans. Two are 2000 models with the 3.3L, V6. This is a good engine. Had a 2017 Titan with the V8 Cummins diesel. It spent so much time at the dealership for repair I was forced to trade it for my Tacoma. We nicknamed it the “Titanic”. Horrible truck.
So, these are my thoughts for you to weigh. Good luck! MTG

It looks like the recall on the transmission it relates to the parking pawl. I have also heard that Nissan transmissions are not the best.

The current 3rd generation Tacoma has the 3.5L V6. It is a minivan engine that needs 4500 rpm to get its torque. It's a little weak and the transmission, while reliable, is constantly shifting trying to stay in the rpm range needed for power.

Payload on a 4X4 crewcab Tacoma is in the 900-1000 lb range. Just for reference my sons Honda Fit is 800 lbs and our Explorer is 1500 lbs. I think they are just as reliable as any other Tacoma, but I'd have to pass on the drivetrain if I needed to haul or tow anything.

If I were interested in a Tacoma I'd find an older 2nd generation with the 4.0L V6. It has more power and at lower rpm for towing or hauling. Payload isn't great, but a little better at 1200-1300 lbs. I think 2014 or 2015 was the last year for 2nd generation trucks.

My 2007 has 243,000 trouble free miles on it. I may be interested in buying another in a year or 2. I'm waiting for the 2024's to be on the road for at least a year and see how they do. It is going to have a 2.7L turbocharged 4 cylinder engine. It should have more power and at lower rpm. Will have to wait and see what they do with payload and tow ratings.

If I don't like the 2024's I may just rebuild/repaint my 2007 and keep it.

You are correct. The 2015 is the last of the best Taco's.

I just took a friend’s 23 Taco in for first oil change. I was not impressed with the power of the 3.5.

OTT tune.

I don’t even recommend regular drive mode unless on a flat highway.

With OTT and higher octane gas, I usually pull away form Ferrari around town.

I've owned both but not in that time range. My last Nissan was a 2008, Taco a 2014. Gas mileage, power, and ride comfort definitely favor the Nissan. Maintenance favors the Tacoma. Being newer, the Tacoma had more creature comforts. The Nissan wasn't bad, probably on par with other things I've owned, but the Tacoma as required almost no maintenance other than regular scheduled stuff in almost 10 years and just over 100K miles. Both had the available offroad packages, 4wd, 6 speed manuals, 4.0L V6 engines, the only difference in truth was King Cab (nissan) vs Crew Cab (Toyota) and 6 vs 5 foot beds respectively. Not much difference to make a choice on.

I couldn't have said it better. I have had 3 2nd Gen Tacomas and I liked them all (including the 4 cyl) better than the 3rd Gen 3.5L V6 Tacoma I owned. I traded in the 3rd Gen with only 6k miles on it. The constant shifting/gear hunting in the auto and lack of lower RPM power drove me nuts. I also had the OTT tune done....

I will be looking at the 4th Gen Tacoma when they come out, but I am not sure I will chance it on a first year model. Time will tell....

I have done a little research and found a product called Pedal Commander that is supposed to significantly decrease the throttle lag that plagues the Tacoma. Anyone try one of these things?

But tacomas are so great, why would you need to buy aftermarket gizmos for throttle response? Lol

I've owned a few tacomas, 2001 x2 (double and reg cab), 2009, 2010, and 2013. 2.7, 3.4, and 4.0 engines. I also owned a 2012 nissan frontier. The frontier was better in almost every category except aftermarket parts.

Toyota's engineers are just like those with any other car company. They have to justify their jobs. If they have something that really works, they can't sit back and let it work. They have to 'fix' it to make it better. So many times, their 'fixes' screw up something and it never works as well again.

How's the resale on a Frontier?

I have learned that a Tacoma will pull away from a Ferrari. Amazing.

Brother has 350k on his xterra but maybe the build quality on a frontier is not up to that.

Both are grocery getters

My son just got rid of his frontier, my neighbor has a Tacoma. They were about the same age 2014ish. I'd take the frontier over the Tacoma. I find the Tacoma a dog, whereas the frontier while not as refined could get out of its own way.

No idea and I don't care. Look up kbb if you want to know.

Lol. Everyone knows

That tacoma leafsprings ride the overload spring with a cooler in the back? Yes, everyone knows that. Or that tacoma frames are as stout as spaghetti noodles? Yep.

Well, I transported 25 bags of masonry cement, at 75 lbs per bag, from Smithfield, N.C. to Forest City, N.C., with a 2013 Tacoma. That’s hauling 1875 lbs about 250 miles. Overloaded for sure, but the truck held up very well. I was pretty surprised as how it handled the load.

~300 in the bed, another 2200 on the trailer. 16mpg, no issues.

Other than riding on the overload spring because the leafs were flat as a pancake lol

I've owned 5 of them, I'm well aware what their strengths and weaknesses are.

I went Nissan figuring the upfront cost was better in my pocket, still happy. Have friends with both.

Once camped with a Toyota group unplanned. They kicked me around in fun for hours- then confessed to their problems. Neither is a winner in all categories, both are decent in most.
Pick the one that fits you, your lifestyle, and your budget.

They sucked so bad that you went ahead and bought 5 of them. LOL, can't make this sh i t up..

I have a 2019 Frontier, crew cab, 4.0 V6 and 5spd automatic.

Bought it in 2020 with 21,000 on it and it has 51,000 now. It's been flawless.

With the street tires that came with it, I have hit just over 22mpg, but when I switched to AT's, MPG's dropped to about 19. It'll get 16mpg pulling my pop-up camper, with good power to climb Colorado mountain passes.

My single complaint is the turning radius is excessive for a small truck. My wife's Jeep Wrangler (4dr), will turn circles inside of it.

I don't believe I ever said they sucked, apparently you do like to make s hit up. But their quality has certainly fallen throughout the years. Like post 4.0 engine.

I can say I will never own another.

Lol lol derp lol....f ucking tard.

No experience with the Nissan, but had a '17 Tacoma for about three months. No power down low, would often be in 5th gear on the freeway. At high elevation with a head wind would need to be in 4th gear. Transmission hunting constantly. Transmission fluid was low from the factory - verified manually and not by the Techstream. Pissed me off when I drove it and got rid of it.

Got a 17 4Runner which was great, zero issues. Just sold it for something bigger, with a bed, and more powerful, but did love the 4Runner.

Yeah, you're right, you didn't use the word "sucked" but in many words you implied it and that's why you just admitted they suck so bad that you'll never own another.

Datsun Lovers _ sheesh

09TACO

Drove my ‘23 Tacoma today. Spends most of its time in the barn. Have to say that I have to get use to driving it as I drove diesels prior to this truck. Nice truck, a bit anemic on power. Gotta get use to it. MTG

Pm sent

Bought a 23 Tacoma TRD Off Road back in September. Just coming up on 5000 miles. Wife and I have done a couple of road trips. The trips have been 3 - 7 hours, and it's a pretty comfortable ride. Both of us have downsized in the last few years. My wife has had two Suburbans. My last two vehicles were a 2005 Dodge 2500 CC diesel and a 2016 Colorado with the diesel. I do miss the diesel but the price of fuel negates any real fuel savings. Went with the 23 over waiting for a 24 because of the solid reputation for reliability. The third gen platform is dated and not alot of tech so hopefully 100k of trouble free driving will make it worthwhile.

Yet again I never said they sucked, you did you dumb [bleep] ucker

I have a 22 Tacoma sport manual trans and actually enjoy it. Being a manual I do not have the shifting headaches, but it did seem a bit unpowered when I first got it.

I did add a Sprint Booster throttle controller shortly after buying the truck and it really seemed to help and I enjoy the truck a lot more since I installed it.

I have heard that the throttle booster makes a big difference. Some Toyota owners also put a lower geared rear end in them to get their closer to the torque curve. Say what you want about Toyota.... They are still the market leader in this category.

I've had six Nissan pickups, and have few complaints with them. I've driven a Toyota, but the seating position gives my back a hard time. I just can't get comfortable in them. The seating position is a big deal for my back, and the '23 Frontier I bought a year ago is the most comfortable vehicle I've ever owned, or driven, even. Nissan seats place you a bit higher in the saddle, for what it's worth.

I know Toyotas get all the love here, but I know a lot of Toyota drivers, and they complain a lot more about their rides than I do about mine.
This new '23 I've got is a damned nice little pickup, smooth, quiet, and the mileage is a lot better than the '16 Frontier I had. I think the 9 speed transmission gets the nod for that. However, when using cruise control and going up a big hill, it will downshift WAY down, then search like hell for the right gearing to get up the hill. Note, that is only when using the cruise control, it's just fine without it. I'm told the transmission is designed (not built, but designed) by Mercedes. I don't know if that's good or bad, but this new Frontier is slick and smooth, and quiet, too. I like all those things. Mine is the crew cab Pro-4X, so it's not the basic Frontier, but the stripper Frontier have the same 310 HP engine and transmission.

Thanks for the review on the Frontier. What do you think about it’s turning radius? I have heard that it is a bit excessive. It does appear that Nissan is really stepping up their game.

These third generation Frontiers are a lot better than previous models, but they're still sorta like a school bus, lol. Mine is the Pro-4x, so it's got cameras out the kazoo, and you can see from up top, each corner, etc. and it's got alarms and all that crap to keep you from backing into stuff. It's really a LOT better than the second generation Frontiers, though. It's geared for working, it will shift 4 times getting to 40mph, so it's no racecar, those 4.0 liters with the 5 speed seemed a lot faster at takeoff speed, but they claim 310 HP, and with it's gearing, it should pull well.
Depends on what you want to do with it. I use mine for everyday stuff, and deer hunting, and running back and forth to the shooting range, that's about it. I have no doubt it would tow well, though. I'm retired, so I don't care about working it to death, either.
I can't really speak to the 4WD aspect, as I've only had it since January 31 of last year, and we didn't get any snow last year, and during deer season in MO, they hadn't had any rain in months, so everything was dusty, not muddy. So far. though, it's been a good little truck. The interior of my model is "considerably" better than the 2016 SV/VT I had, quality of workmanship is WAY up inside compared to that older pickup. It is a nice pickup.

There is a forum devoted to them, clubfrontier.org, and it's been helpful, too. You might read up on the 3rd generation pickups over there. I find it useful.

Nissan trucks are not in thebsame league quality wise as the Tacoma.
If you want car quality ride, buy a car.

Right on the money. Over the past 40+ years I've owned various iterations of both vehicles and still own, and drive, a 2002 Taco and a 2006 Frontier. The Taco has 260,000 miles on it and the Frontier 186,000. In terms of basic quality and toughness, the Frontier isn't even in the same league as the Toyota. The ONLY aspect where the Frontier is superior is driving comfort. The cab of my Frontier is somewhat larger than that of the Tacoma and has more creature comforts, whereas the Tacoma is stiff-riding and uncomfortable on long trips. Other than that, the Tacoma excels in every other category by a very wide margin.

how is your frame holding up?

I put 200k on a Gen 1 Taco - frame looked brand new when sold here in WI.

Amazing what the occasional wash with underspray does.

I expect the same on my Gen 3

I live in Phoenix and both the Taco and Frontier are original Phoenix vehicles. As a consequence, no frame/salt/rust issues with either.

When I got out of bridge construction and pile driving years ago the last big company I worked for would buy fleets of full size and mid-size PUs. They were funny as they always spread their money around between usually two makes. My friend is still a Supt. with them and he says the company bought 20 Tacomas and 20 Nissans in 2000 and they both ran good and took a beating like most construction trucks do. But according to him the Nissans just seemed to have continual small problems like leaking windshields, hard on front brakes, cruise controls quitting, rattles under the dash was apparently irritating and the worst were several trucks where the fuel gauge sending units quit and they are inside the tank.

Keep in mind the foremen drive these trucks home and trust me they treat them like they don’t own them. I’ll looking to sell my one ton F350 with the 7.3 Power Stroke as I’ve sold my big gooseneck trailer and don’t need her anymore. So I’m waiting and try and get a Tacoma when they buy the next fleet sometime later this year at their cost in yellow ? Wife hates yellow. But I have a problem buying first year new engines which Toyota is doing. No more V6 they are going to a turbo four cylinder with, as always, more power, more electronic black box question marks but unproven. We will see I still have thinking time.
Rick

I have researched the advantages of changing to lower rear end gearing but not sure I’d spend that much though I hear it lets the V6
run closer to the torque curve. But my question for you is about the ‘ throttle booster ‘ . Not sure what Banks is selling here ? What will it do for you in actual performance or economy as their website is pretty vague.

Thanks
Rick

The throttle booster is just meant to make the truck seem less sluggish. It gets good reviews from folks that have installed it.

I have one of the Banks Pedal Booster on my 23 Frontier. It does help with the sluggishness when taking off from a stop. There is still some hesitation or lash in the transmission when starting out from a stop that is annoying. It's really my only complaint about the truck.