Nissan Frontier vs. Toyota Tacoma: Evaluate Pickup Vehicles

Midsize pickups can do loads of work, however they will’t match the potential of their bigger, costlier full-size brothers. When that a lot functionality isn’t wanted, midsizers present a extra maneuverable, extra reasonably priced various.

The smaller vehicles have loads of followers, as evidenced by the recognition of the 2025 Toyota Tacoma. Toyota’s midsize truck has a variety of fashions, too, together with a number of off-roaders and a hybrid powertrain.

The 2025 Nissan Frontier, however, affords a smaller lineup with only a single powertrain. It additionally affords an off-roader, however only one. It appeals as a extra reasonably priced selection, although, and it affords extra towing capability.

Each vehicles go up towards rivals that embody the Chevrolet Colorado and Ford Ranger. In contrast to one another, although, what’s the higher selection, the Frontier or Tacoma?

2025 Nissan Frontier

Frontier vs. Tacoma costs and options

Base Frontier prices about $33,000
Base Tacoma prices about $33,000
Finest picks: Frontier SV, Frontier Professional-4X, Tacoma SR5, Tacoma TRD Professional

How a lot is a Nissan Frontier

Nissan sells the Frontier in S, SV, SL, and Professional-X/Professional-4X trim ranges. The bottom Frontier S King Cab (prolonged cab) begins at about $33,000, and comes customary with fundamental requirements that embody fabric upholstery, manually adjustable entrance seats, an 8.0-inch touchscreen, wired Android Auto/Apple CarPlay, energy options, a urethane steering wheel, a four-speaker audio system, a sliding rear window, a composite entrance skid plate, and 16-inch metal wheels.

The Crew Cab physique fashion provides $1,300 and four-wheel drive provides $3,000.

The 4×4 SV mannequin with the crew cab appears definitely worth the cash at about $40,000. It provides a 12.3-inch touchscreen, wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, power-adjustable exterior mirrors, an eight-way energy driver’s seat with two-way lumbar changes, a six-speaker audio system, a satellite tv for pc radio trial, a metal entrance skid plate, and 17-inch alloy wheels.

We’d additionally have an interest within the crew cab Professional-4X at simply over $43,000. It’s constructed to go off-road with Bilstein shock absorbers, an aluminum entrance skid plate, skid plates for the switch case and gasoline tank, and all-terrain tires.

On the high of the lineup, the 4×4 crew cab SL mannequin runs greater than $46,000. It comes with leather-based upholstery, heated entrance seats, a heated steering wheel, navigation, a wi-fi smartphone charger, a 120-volt outlet, a 10-speaker Fender audio system, distant begin, a Class IV tow hitch, under-rail LED cargo mattress lights, a mattress tie-down system with two adjustable cleats, a sunroof, and a surround-view digital camera system.

The Frontier carries a fundamental 3-year/36,000-mile guarantee.

How a lot is a Toyota Tacoma?

Toyota’s vary of Tacoma fashions is much extra expansive than the Frontier’s. It consists of the SR, SR5, TRD PreRunner, TRD Sport, TRD Off-Highway, Restricted, Trailhunter, and TRD Professional.

The bottom Tacoma SR mannequin runs about $33,000 and comes customary with fabric upholstery, manually adjustable seats, an 8.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, energy options, and 17-inch metal wheels. Toyota affords four-wheel drive for $3,200 and the crew cab physique fashion (with the brief mattress combo) prices one other $2,200

We suggest spending about $42,000 for a 4×4 SR5 crew cab with the lengthy mattress. It will get LED fog lights, alloy wheels, a deck rail system, a coil-spring rear suspension, and blind-spot displays with rear cross-traffic alerts.

We’d even be tempted by the TRD Sport i-Drive Max for about $48,000. For that cash, you get the hybrid drivetrain and a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, LED mattress lighting, and 18-inch wheels, plus entry to the non-compulsory cooled artificial leather-based seats, a sunroof, and a towing package deal.

The Tacoma lineup stretches up a lot larger than the Frontier’s. The TRD Professional runs about $65,000, and provides a 14.0-inch touchscreen, heated and cooled entrance seats, premium audio, and plenty of off-road {hardware}.

The Tacoma additionally has a 3-year/36,000-mile guarantee, however Toyota provides 2 years/24,000 miles of free scheduled upkeep.

Benefit: Toyota Tacoma for options, lineup, and choices, however the Frontier for value.

2024 Toyota Tacoma Trailhunter

Frontier vs. Tacoma efficiency

The Tacoma affords hybrid efficiency
The Frontier comes solely with a robust V-6
Towing and hauling are a draw

The Tacoma has a weaker base engine. It’s a 2.4-liter turbo-4 that makes 228 hp, which is first rate for a midsize truck. Toyota groups it with a responsive 8-speed automated or a 6-speed handbook. A step-up model will get 270 or 278 hp in higher-line fashions. It has some diesel-like clatter, but it surely affords the ability most consumers will need, works nicely with the automated transmission, and has a responsive throttle pedal.

Toyota additionally affords a hybrid model of the uprated turbo-4 that spins out 326 hp and a robust 465 lb-ft of torque. It improves the ability and towing confidence, but it surely solely will get 23 mpg mixed.

The Frontier options solely a 3.8-liter V-6 that makes 310 hp and 281 lb-ft. It’s teamed with a 9-speed automated transmission. It delivers robust, constant energy that makes passing a no-fuss proposition, and the transmission has easy shifts.

Towing capability for the Frontier rises to a most of seven,150 kilos for mannequin 12 months 2025, 500 greater than it had been. Payload tops out at 1,620 kilos. The Tacoma can tow 6,500 kilos and haul 1,710 kilos. Meaning the Frontier wins for towing capability, however the Tacoma is the winner for payload.

The Frontier has a leaf-spring rear suspension and entrance double wishbones. The Tacoma additionally has rear leaf springs and a stable rear axle in its base fashions, and each get the ensuing uneven experience. Nonetheless, the Toyota has a multi-link rear suspension and rear coil springs on all crew cab fashions to easy out the experience. Each additionally provide off-road suspensions, however Toyota has much more off-road decisions.

Benefit: Tacoma for superior powertrain and suspension choices.

2025 Nissan Frontier

Frontier vs. Tacoma off-road and 4×4 programs

The Tacoma affords extra off-road fashions
The Frontier has simply the Professional-X and Professional-4X
Each provide part-time four-wheel-drive programs

Rear-wheel drive comes customary on each vehicles, and each provide a part-time four-wheel-drive system with a 2-speed switch case. The Frontier’s four-wheel-drive system is managed by a knob on the middle console. For greatest off-roading, go for the Professional-4X mannequin, which will get a locking rear differential, all-terrain tires, and a 9.5-inch floor clearance versus 8.9 inches for a rear-drive base mannequin.

The Tacoma has extra off-road decisions, and its hybrid Restricted mannequin will get a full-time four-wheel-drive system. Additionally accessible are quite a lot of off-road modes, an digital locking rear differential, and a crawl function.

The TRD Off-Highway rises 11.0 inches off the bottom, sits on 32-inch all-terrain tires, and affords an non-compulsory disconnecting entrance sway bar. The TRD Professional provides stronger skid plates, Fox shocks, and a raised floor clearance. The Trailhunter is outfitted because the sluggish rock crawler versus the TRD Professional’s high-speed desert runner.

Benefit: Toyota Tacoma for extra functionality, choices.

2024 Toyota Tacoma

Frontier vs. Tacoma dimension, area, and seating capability, and mattress area

Frontier’s prolonged cab has small rear seat
Tacoma’s prolonged cab has no rear seat
Tacoma is barely longer

How massive is the Nissan Frontier?

Nissan affords the Frontier in four-passenger prolonged cab type with a 6-foot mattress, or a five-passenger crew cab physique fashion with a 5-foot or 6-foot mattress. It rides a wheelbase of 126.0 or 139.8 inches, stretches 210.2 or 224.1 inches lengthy, and the mattress flooring is both 59.5 or 73.3 inches lengthy.

The Frontier’s mattress comes customary with 4 tie-down hooks, and it affords a spray-in liner, a 120-volt energy outlet, under-rail lighting, and a monitor system with two cleats.

Within the cab, the Frontier is lower than dressy, with quite a few hard-plastic surfaces. Whereas the entrance seats have good area, each cab kinds have tight rear-seat area. With 33.2 inches of rear legroom, the crew cab will match a pair of adults for brief journeys, however the double cab’s 26.8 inches of legroom means it’s greatest used for packages.

How massive is the Toyota Tacoma?

The Tacoma comes as a two-passenger extended-cab with a 6-foot mattress or a five-passenger crew cab with a 5- or 6-foot mattress.

Entrance-seat area is plentiful, and the bucket seats are snug. It additionally has good small-items storage, together with Molle pockets on the doorways and middle console. The extended-cab, which Toyota calls an Xtracab, substitutes small storage compartments for rear seats. The crew cab, or Double Cab in Toyota-speak, has 33.7 inches of rear legroom, barely greater than the Frontier. These rear seats sit relatively upright, and the seat bottoms fold up for extra cupboard space.

The Tacoma’s lengthy mattress has a 73.5-inch flooring, and the brief mattress is 60.3 inches lengthy, each barely longer than the Frontier’s mattress. The prolonged cab physique fashion is 213.0 inches lengthy and rides a 131.9-inch wheelbase. The crew cab with the brief mattress has the identical dimensions, however the crew cab with the lengthy mattress is 226.2 inches lengthy and has a 145.1-inch wheelbase. All these figures are higher than the Frontier’s.

Each Tacoma however the base mannequin comes customary with a rail system with 4 tie-down cleats. Additionally accessible are LED mattress lighting and a mattress storage field. Toyota additionally affords quite a few mattress equipment, together with mattress liners, a mattress extender, and tie downs.

Benefit: Tacoma for extra space inside and within the mattress.

2025 Nissan Frontier

Frontier vs. Tacoma styling

Frontier has a blocker exterior
Tacoma has a chunkier inside design
Each incorporate screens nicely inside

The Frontier and Tacoma signify two takes on the identical theme. Each are influenced by their full-size counterparts. In each circumstances, these vehicles have styling that’s clearly impressed by full-size vehicles.

The Frontier is barely blockier, with pronounced higher character traces that learn as extensions of the fender flares under them. A decrease character line on the doorways groups with the flares to recommend a Coke-bottle form. A excessive, upright grille leads into rectangular headlights that add extra form with their accessible flourishing LED gentle signatures. Professional fashions get their very own grille and a taller floor clearance, and Nissan affords exterior packages together with a tackle the Nineteen Eighties Hardbody look.

The Frontier’s inside is all enterprise with the fashionable comfort of a large middle display. The controls are giant and straightforward to succeed in. Nissan affords any inside colour so long as it’s black (nicely, charcoal).

Over at Toyota, the grille is equally daring but it surely doesn’t stand up as excessive into the hood. The flanks function extra angular wheel flares, and a decrease character line rises from every entrance wheel nicely then falls towards the rear. The look is equally upright and purposeful.

Inside, the Tacoma has a chunky look, with massive dials, and blocky particulars. It’s additionally principally black, although physique colour trim can also be accessible. It sports activities two digital screens, and the middle display pops out of the middle stack relatively than being extra built-in. Toyota’s massive display is 14.0 inches whereas the Frontier’s is 12.3 inches. Plastic surfaces abound right here, too.

Benefit: Draw.

2024 Toyota Tacoma

Frontier vs. Tacoma security

Neither truck has full crash-test scores
Each have a very good set of normal security options

How secure is the Nissan Frontier

The Frontier has middling and incomplete crash-test scores, with 5 out of 5 stars from the NHTSA within the facet crash check however solely three stars within the rollover check. From the IIHS, it will get a mixture of “Good” and “Acceptable” IIHS scores that don’t earn it an award from that group. Nonetheless, Nissan outfits it with numerous customary security options, together with automated emergency braking entrance and rear with pedestrian detection, blind-spot displays, lane-departure warnings, rear cross-traffic alerts, adaptive cruise management, automated excessive beams, and rear parking sensors. A surround-view digital camera system can also be supplied.

How secure is the Toyota Tacoma?

The IIHS has but to crash check it, and in restricted NHTSA testing it acquired three stars for frontal crashes and 5 stars for facet crashes. It comes customary with automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lively lane management, adaptive cruise management, and automated excessive beams. Blind-spot displays, rear cross-traffic alerts, entrance and rear parking sensors, and a surround-view digital camera system can be found both on larger line fashions or as choices.

Benefit: Draw.

2024 Toyota Tacoma

Which is best: Frontier or Tacoma?

The Tacoma wins right here with a TCC Ranking of 6.3 out of 10 in comparison with 5.5 out of 10 for the Frontier, regardless that Toyota’s now not probably the most dependable automobile model. (Learn extra about how we price automobiles.)

The explanations are quite a few. The Tacoma is a extra fashionable truck, with extra inside expertise, an accessible superior suspension, and an accessible hybrid powertrain. It additionally has a bigger and extra various lineup, although the Frontier appeals for value (in some variations) and might just do as a lot or extra work than the Tacoma. We suggest the Toyota, however we perceive if the Frontier is extra in your price range.