Home Forums Gear Hunting Trucks and Four-Wheel Drives Tacoma versus Frontier

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.