2013: Toyota Tacoma vs Nissan Frontier ?

are you comparing a new tacoma to a 2005 frontier? I agree that my old nissan truck from 1990 that i sold back in 2000 had great resale, but i doubt it was what the toyota was getting.

 

I probably just misunderstood what you were saying when I posted before.

But I will say I don't think the prices between Frontier and Tacoma are as far apart as you are describing.

In all fairness I priced out a 2013 Frontier, Auto Trans., Pro4x, 4x4 short bed, and added a trailer hitch (all I added) and it comes out to $32,675. Now it does look like it comes with the roofrack so that is in favor of the Frontier price, but otherwise not really any different than the TRD-OR Tacoma.

I priced out a 2013 Tacoma, Auto Trans., TRD-OR, 4x4 short bed, added tow package (all I added), and it comes out to $32,860. MSRP on my Truck was around that same figure (I recall it was $32,488), so I know it is close to what I found on the lot.

I priced out both trucks using USAA car buying service. I couldn't get Toyota's site to stop freezing up on me.

However I was able to do so on the Nissan site and priced the same stuff as on USAA (but this time added a front tow hook like TRD-OR package and again the reciever hitch) and it came out to $32,406. BUT, USAA is also using my zip code I put in in hope it would give me more accurate prices for my area.

Either way, the prices on both trucks look exactly on par with each other. No 6-7k price difference like you are saying, unless I factored in the wrong package with the Nissan. I might have added the hitch if I didn't need to for the Nissan Pro4x, but I couldn't figure out if it came with a hitch or if you have to add it separate like the Tacoma, but even still the hitch was ~$300 extra so still not a 5-6k jump.

 

I have no idea what a compariable 05 Tacoma would go for I was just stating what my resale was. And the 2013 may look a little different, but its basically the same truck that rolled off the production line in 2005 so what I said about the weight and overall specs is the same. With 8 years to improve the truck and fix flaws the 2013 would most definitely be more refined than a 05.

 

Something the Frontier has that the Tacoma does not is a one piece driveshaft. Maybe if we put a Frontier one piece driveshaft and the heavier rear springs from the Frontier on our Tacoma's we would get rid of that driveline shudder.

 

Nissans rust in the body area sooner than Toyotas. I see it all over Upstate NY. Bumper goes first. Then tailgate. Rockers. Etc.

Tacomas in the frame, but hey, at least Toyota replaces the frame. I know from experience on my 03.


Nissan would never do that. Toyota is just a better build and resale value kicks ass.

What Thomas Jefferson said speaks volumes. That is the little nonsense shit that goes bad. That should not. Like he said, it is an 80,000 mile truck that is built with great features like power on tap, nice interior etc. Beyond that mileage headache city. Not so with a Tacoma. I traded my 2003 Tacoma in Nov 2012 for 13,000 at 105,000 miles. New frame and all helped.

 

^hahaha love the part about the light poles. Damn funny!

 

Hey, I'm 64 and have owned 6 Toy pickups in the last 30 years. I now have a 2013 TRD Baja ACC 6 spd- no youngster auto for me!

 

I was pricing the Frontier out using the SV V6. You chose to price out a more expensive model. The SV V6, with crew cab is 28. Finding like features on the toyota, and trying to match, it will run you about 34 on their site.

Toyota - Double Cab, 4x4 standard bed, Automatic Transmission, TRD Extra Value Package with bed extender = 34,700k
Fronteir - SV V6, Crew Cab, 4x4 standard cab, Auto Trans, value package = 28,890k

and it should be noted that the Nissan is a V6 in that package. So even if you want to argue the packages, you still walk away with more towing capacity and power in the nissan package. Or you could take a lesser package on the Toyota, but on the site, that is the cheapest package that offers you decked out interior features with navigation and entune. Another thing i notice is that on the actual lots, i can find that nissan built that way for that price almost exactly. On the toyota lots, I find that truck built that way for about 36k. No doubt though, if you want to get the frontier with the pro 4x, or the SL version, which both have many more features than the tacoma's offered, the you will get up to the same prices.

I am pricing the frontier at the SV V6 because its offered and still gives you the choice to have all the interior features and is still more powerful than the tacoma. To get the same interior features from the tacoma, the price skyrockets. It appears you have to take the Extra Value Package that adds almost 6k to the truck if you want all the interior goodies you get on the Nissan. Trust me, if i could get all the same features out of the tacoma i wanted for close to the nissan, i would almost surely go for the Tacoma. I really have tried. Go to the dealership and see if you can find a Tacoma with navigation, touch screen console, bluetooth, spray lined bed, tied down rack options, etc. for under 35k. Then go to a nissan dealership and look. You will find the same thing i did. What it comes down to, is if you want the tacoma for the same price, you will be going away with a lot less features.

 

Frontier I drove had a nice motor, but HELLO, THIS IS 1995, CAN WE HAVE OUR INTERIOR BACK? The test drive was 15 minutes and 5 minutes in I was already sick of the interior. Reminded me exactly of a Subaru I had in 1990. But hey ya, that motor got up and went, that's for sure.

I mean, come on. Nissan makes some nice vehicles, I hope the design team got fired for this:

 

they see me rollin they hatin

 

Apparently a dude up by my cottage bought a ridgeline.. I want to see it.

 

And you have personal knowledge or experience of this?

 

I don't know why the Pro 4X doesn't sell more around here. I never see any, and it looks like a decent package. Personally I was gonna get another Taco to replace my '97 and didn't even look at the Pro 4X. I did look at the Jeep 4-dr Wrangler Unlimited.

The Pro 4X looks like a capable offroad truck, but has about 1.5 inches less ground clearance than the Taco 4WD. Also there is a noticeable difference in the approach/breakover/departure angles, the Tacoma 4WD is better there also. Maybe that's why . . . . .

 

Wait, so you think this is better? That looks more 90's to me than the nissan one. It's even still using the old ac knobs in the tacoma, where the new frontier is using the dual ac zones. IMO the nissan panel is nicer, but neither of them are exactly luxury car looks, now are they? I don't think i would be comparing the interiors as a point for the tacoma. It's certainly a matter of taste, but many people are going to find the nissan's interior nicer, just as some will prefer the tacoma.



To me, this frontier interior blows away the tacoma interior.

 

A TRD Sport/OR with Entune does price out MSRP about $35k if you throw in a tow package on top, but you can still get the touchscreen on the TRD with bluetooth, backup cam and steering controls well below it (for example my truck was 32,488 MSRP), albeit no NAV/Entune/JBL.

I understand why you picked the SV package to compare to TRD. But the reason I chose to compare Pro4x to TRD-OR is because the TRD isn't just a touchscreen unit only. The TRD-OR comes with the rear locker and so does the Pro4x opposed to the SV package. But like you said we can argue packages all we want. For example the TRD-Sport lacks all the TRD-OR features (locker, Atrac) but priced out it runs the same as the TRD-OR almost with less functional features and more cosmetic, which can be argued is less of a value in comparison to Frontier SV with value package.

I'd say this though, IF you want to only go on price, a 4x4 SV Nissan king cab with the value package prices out only in the range of ~$500 lower for what you would see MSRP on an SR5 Double-cab 4x4 Auto Tacoma, as I found the SV 4x4 King-Cab Auto Frontier at 29.7k versus the 4x4 Tacoma SR5 at 30.2k (BOTH V6), and the features are better for the Nissan as far as adding in all the electronic gadgets. But if you want the offroad package off the lot, the Tacoma TRD-OR would still be my pick over the Pro4x for reliability.

For what Nissan offers in the realm of Pro4x versus TRD-OR off the lot, both come in the same. You need the $2k "PRO-4X® Luxury Package" for nav in the Pro-4x by what I saw on the Nissan site and interior shots on Autotrader (the exact same to how Entune gets added on to the Tacoma for $2k but the TRD still comes with a basic touchscreen).

I still don't see the 6-7k difference you originally put out in your other post. At most I am seeing around $500-$1k difference for fully comparable packages, which is why I highlighted what you said in bold. The only features the Tacoma is really lacking is the boost in HP/Torque and the metal bed (arguable which is better in composite versus metal).

 

Yep! Both interiors are arguably very similar.

The one thing I personally feel the Tacoma interior beats out the Nissan on is the gauges, basic touchscreen headunit styling (versus Nissan basic touchscreen unit), and the steering wheel.

This is what I mean by headunit comparison:

Im not even sure if the Nissan one is a touchscreen though, someone correct me if I am wrong. I'm no Nissan expert on what changes between years.

Tacoma basic touchscreen without Entune/nav




PRO-4x without luxury package/no NAV

 

Tacoma interior beats the Frontiers, the gauges on the frontier have a ugly back lit color and old school as hell

 

I owned an 05 Frontier and returned it as a lemon, the truck overall was garbage with an "exclusive" all plastic interior. IMO The Tacoma beats the frontier in all categories even though toyota screwed me on the leaf TSB. Tacoma rocks!

 

And the word tacoma is cool