In a 4 horse race, Tacoma is last.

They are not good. Never were. Maybe 75% as good as Toyota.

 

They were such crappy vehicles they had to ditch the ‘Datsun’ logo to go into hiding for a while.

 

I bet you the person I wrote that's a die-hard Ford fan

 

Its all opinion.

Here's Mine:

Gladiator: Rediculously Overpriced
Tacoma: Underpowered
Ranger: Mexico 2012 called they want their truck back before the head gasket blows again
Colorado/Canyon: I probably underestimated this truck but the 8 speed auto law suits going make me glad I didnt buy one.

 

Actually they ditched the Datsun namesake because Datsun was making warplanes for the opposing forces during WWII and they knew Americans wouldn't buy cars made by the same folks afterwards.

 

But then this OP can't get forum cred by having a "popular" dumpster fire.

 

Let me add to your excellent post a few suggested edits:

Gladiator: Looks like an ugly hat.
Tacoma: Milquetoast
Ranger: Two things are popular in Thailand, Ford Rangers and Ladyboys.
Colorado/Canyon: Interior by Fisher Price. Transmission by Pringles. Italian Taxi Cab Diesel engine.

 

Lol, mostly agree.

I would have put Ranger in the milquetoast category though. That thing is bland AF.

Tacoma is "Speak softly but carry a big stick, although slightly less big than 2nd gen"

 

I'm 6'8" and have no issues with headroom in mine lol

 

That's not even true. They changed it because the president of Nissan wanted the cars to have the Nissan name instead of Datsun. VW, BMW, and Toyota are all doing fine despite manufacturing for the enemy.

 

Mitsubishi kept their name and they made the zero...

 

SURE

 

Good summary.

I think the Jeep brand name is trash. Sure some folks swear by their Wrangler, but find a satisfied Patriot, Liberty, Cherokee, or Renegade owner. Crap components, major, major known drivetrain issues. Jeep sucks, some Jeep's don't suck.

Also, I don't see how you can add a consideration for value, but not include resell.

Dare the writer to find a 10 year old Tacoma for sale that has lost more than half it's value.

 

I'm 6'5" and lots of headroom in my OR.

 

little secret ...the first gen frontier/ Xterra (98-2004) is actually a very bitchen truck. It's essentially a pre-1995 Toyota pick-up/ Hilux copy. Most people here don't focus on things which truly make any truck unstoppable off road so this might go over your heads:

Gen-1 Frontier shits on all gen Tacoma’s (95-2020) in the following places:

1) Frame, fully boxed, thick steel and not prone to rust like a taco which is half C frame (which will crack unless boxed in).

2) Bolts, all coated grade 9 and way over sized in most applications.

3) Steering rack is an idler arm/ swing arm not POS rack and pinon prone to explode or have the rubber mounts fail and get all sloppy.

4) Front hubs are big and fully floated making manual hubs possible and much stronger vs a pathetic unit-bearing (like a Toyota corolla has). Have fun running 35’s with that unit-bearing.

5) Upper A-arm mounts are super stout and built off the frame unlike the Tacoma’s which are part of the coil bucket and rely on a single sheer bolt. Also lame you can’t cut the coil bucket out in order to run big boy coil overs and shock hoop/engine cage.

6)Both spindles use forged steel, but the Frontiers spindle is way stronger. Taco spindles have always been too thin up top (this is why total chaos sells weld on gussets) which caused them to twist.

7) Frontier lower ball joint mount is much stronger set up. Tacos lower BJ looks like a toothpick is holding it to the arm (will sheer off).

Tacos non-interference V6 engines are slightly better tho..

 

Maybe that's why Mitsubishi hasn't been a big North American seller.

Anyway, shitty test comparison. Offroad the Tacoma TRD OR is king for the price point. None of the other brands have really cut into that aspect.

 

Perhaps. But I owned a 2005 Xterra Offroad and I didn’t like it. When I see Frontier’s interior, which is identical 15 years later, it still makes me want to barf.

 

Wrong! they were still labeled Datsun into the mid 80's.

 

Yeah I stand corrected, heard it years ago and never bothered to fact check it.

 

Mitsubishi is responsible for running Mitsubishi into the ground.