Taco versus Frontier

Been lookin at new Taco's and I am a little taken back by the prices of the new Tacos. There is not a very good inventory around here and the selection of models is slim. Very few 4x4's. Sales personnel are annoying as usual and not very knowledgable about the product.

So I looked at the new Nissan Frontiers. They have more HP than the Tacos and more Torque. I like the interior and seat fabric. The price is less too. I like the looks of the Taco better, however. Sales personnel seem leave a slim trail.

But has Toyota become stagnant regarding the Tacoma, resting on their past reputation and not really improving the Taco? The Taco Pro is nice but $40k? I can get a Tundra for that. I think I will wait and see what comes out next year,...again.

 

I have an '06 so I don't know about $40K price tag for a new Taco but I'll agree in principle about Toyota dealerships. The dealer closest to me sucks (their service dept anyway). As far as Toyota not improving the truck, what is there that needs improving. 1st Gen models had several issues, rust, leaf spring to name only 2, but the 2nd Gens, by and large, didn't have these problems so they DID improve them. Everyone has different needs or wants but for the most part Toyota has a near "perfect" truck. Before you leap to a Nissan (and I'm actually a Nissan fan....I had one of the original 'Hard Body' pick-ups and was very happy) don't "settle" for something just because the price is a little better. It maybe beneficial for you to take a "road trip" and find a better dealer. Good luck.

 

That's at the expense of 3.36 gears. I drove a Frontier for a week (2014 double cab V6) and it is an absolute pig trying to maintain speed on a hilly highway. Has to downshift constantly. My Tacoma stays in 5th the whole way with no problem. It feels noticeably quicker than the Frontier. I've actually heard that when the two trucks are run on a dyno, the power making it to the wheels is almost the same. Plus with the lighter weight (composite bed) and 3.73 gears, the Tacoma wouldn't need as much power to feel the same to begin with.

I will confess I like the Frontier's seating position better.

 

Nissan has some great deals right now.

I am very close about selling my 2011 Tacoma Sport for a 2014 Titan Pro4x with Luxury package.

They offered me the Titan at the same price a BASE model Tacoma quad cab would go for, which is $37,000 after taxes. (In Canada).

With my trade in it would only cost me $11,000 after taxes for a brand new truck with leather, power & heated seats, power rear window, sunroof, 10 speaker stereo, navigation, heated mirrors, powerful engine, rear locker 50,000 less miles and 4 years more warranty.

 

I disagree. If you spend a bit of time on this site you will see that Toyota has not corrected many issues from the 1st Gen.
Leaf springs, frame rust, ticking blower motors, noisey release bearings where all issues on the 1st gen, and are issues on the 2nd gen as well.
I like Toyota as much as the next person here, but feel that they have been riding on past reputation and need to embrace some of the new technology not only in features but in motor power and economy.
I think trucks like the new Colorado is a much nicer and more feature filled. Hopefully this will force toyota to come up with something new next year.

Shawn.

 

Why is the Tacoma more money?Because it's worth it.

 

nice man that truck is sick!!

 

OK

 

And 1st gens still run the street with 300k+ miles and anywhere from 1.5-2x the value of any mid size from that era

 

If you want a full size truck then that's a great choice. Only downside to it is gas mileage, I got 14-15 average in my 2wd Titan. Rock solid trucks and I true my miss mine. If I didn't have a long commute I would have kept it and not bought my Tacoma.

 

OP...You have an 06 Taco already...Why don't you just HANG ON for few more months to see what is in the store for the 3rd Gen Taco then decide, also they do NOT give you great discount now neither.

 

I've seen countless number of people say that the 3rd gen is around the corner without a single link showing when it'll happen and what the changes will be. Waiting for the 3rd gen could be like being stranded on an island and hoping someone will rescue you; you might be there a long time.

David

 

I had an '08 Crew Cab, Long Bed, 4x4 Frontier and hated every moment. At the time I gave my '07 Double Cab Tacoma to my employee and thought I was saving money by getting myself the Frontier.

Op yes the Frontier has more hp and torque, but it doesn't feel like it when you actually drive it. That is because the Frontier has an almost GM like over-aggressive torque mgmt that doesn't allow WOT below 35 mph. The Frontier does have two advantages over the Tacoma though, the frame is fully boxed and a legit 1/2 ton frame as it is a scaled down Titan one. Everything that bolts to a Titan, bolts up to a Frontier. Want a mid travel setup on your Frontier, simply swap in Titan UCA's & LCA's.

The other benefit is the bed tie-down system. It simply is the best in the industry. Toyota needs to get the person who designed the Frontier tie down/ rack system and have them design the one for the 3rd gen Tacoma.

The Frontier is also slower feeling because that 1/2 ton frame weighs more than the Tacoma's, as well as the much heavier box. My Frontier never got better than 16 mpg ever, and generally averaged 14 ish.

The only thing I liked was that I bought an almost loaded 4x4 Crew, Long bed, (with factory sunroof) for $24k new. That was less than a Crew Cab PreRunner during same era.

 

Agreed.

 

I'm legitimately confused when I hear people say this, and not in a "you're so wrong, can't believe you'd say that" kind of way, either. Every 4.0 VQ I've ever driven (and it's been more than a few), from Frontiers to Xterras to Pathfinders, is WAY more responsive and quick than my Tacoma. You blip the throttle on them, and before you know it, you're doing 35-40 mph. Their torque curve feels way lower than ours to me, and their throttle response is way better.

 

The X-Terra and Pathfinders didn't have the 35 mph wot restriction. Only Frontiers. Seeing I've owned both a 4.0 Frontier Crew Cab & 4.0 Tacoma Double Cab at the same time.

I've lined them both up and ran them out of curiosity. The Tacoma murders the Frontier to about 40-50 mph and the Frontier starts to catch up. Stab the throttle with both at say 60-65 and the Frontier slowly pulls forward. But weight in the back of both that is about equal, and Frontier has the edge due to a wider torque curve.

Same thing happens when you hit a hill. Was going to a job with both trucks up a steep grade. I was driving '08 Frontier my employee in the '07 Tacoma 4.0. He said he could not keep up with me when I hit the grade on the highway.

 

That is great info about the SUVs vs. the truck. Admittedly, about 90% of my VQ driving has been my dad's Xterra. I am always racing away from a stoplight in that thing because of how quick the throttle response is compared to what I'm used to in my Tacoma.

Thanks for the info on the comparison between the Tacoma and Frontier!

EDIT: Also out of curiousity, how do the 2 compare from a dead stop?

 

From a dead stop the Tacoma easily takes the Frontier, but that is because the torque mgmt on the Frontier is holding back full WOT until 35 mph. Keep in mind my only experience is with an '08 Frontier, they may have changed this by now??

There were a few companies at the time that removed the restriction or factory torque mgmt, but I never messed with it since it was a work truck.

 

if toyota didnt replace there frames there wouldnt be

 

Don't get me wrong,..I love my 2nd Gen Taco. But mine is a 2006. There have been zero changes in the drivechain, therefore no improvement. (of course,..how can you improve on perfection). There have been some minor upgrades on the body/steering wheel/ displays. But the cloth on the seats have not changes since 2005. Whereas the price keep getting higher and higher. There comes a point where it is of no value in the purchase the smaller truck. I think the Toyota Tacoma has reached that point. Several of my friends say "You can buy a real truck for less.". And that is a valid point.

I consider Nissan the Chrysler Product of the Japanese Auto industry and would have a difficult time purchasing a Nissan product. I would always feel guilty if I purchased a Frontier.

I will probably be patient and wait for the newer body style Tacoma that Toyota keeps promising. But that Tacoma Pro is tempting.