Should I Trade My 22 Frontier For A Taco?

I can tell you riding in a buddies new frontier is pretty nice, not at all like an old pathfinder i once rode in for a long 10hr trip up north. That suv was a gas guzzling pos with no balls. I think nissan did their homework on the frontier. It is a formidable truck. Whether it retains the same resale value of the tacoma, that remains to be seen.

 

My only previous experience with Nissan was a 2014 Rogue, it was a nice crossover for the first 40k-50k miles, then little things started happening. at 77k I went with my wife and kids on a long out of state trip, to make a long story short the transmission went out, the Nissan dealer did me really right in terms of fixing it for labor costs only, I think the service manager called Nissan Corp. HQ and got it taken car of, I still appreciate that! I got rid of the car shortly after and went to a Mazda CX-5 which is an amazingly good car (if Mazda sold a truck in the US I'd buy it). Anyway I swore off Nissan after that experience, but when the 2022 Frontiers came out I thought they were cool and people were telling me that their trucks were different than their cars and SUVs. I decided to give them one more chance and got the truck.

It is too early to say that was a mistake, but I am starting to feel like the QC even on the trucks is not what it was in the first few years of this century. It is sad that a company would allow that to happen, hurting your customers also hurts you in the long run!

 

After looking at all the new little trucks they're all on the same level per se. If anything Toyota has gone down a bit and the others have come up.

Unlike the Tacoma which has super thick paint that never peels, fades or scratches and plastic interior pieces that never come loose and rattle.

 

I am leaning in the direction of a 2023 Tacoma. My thinking is this: get in at the end of a cycle when hopefully most of the bugs are worked out. When Gen 4 has run it's course and we are getting close to a Gen 5, I'll jump in at the end and get a Gen 4.

 

I am leaning in the direction of a TRD Off-Road with some of the premium features as long as I can find one with everything I want in a color I like.

 

I think I'll go drive a Tacoma tomorrow.

 

Keep us posted. If you can rent one, or if you have friends that will let you drive theirs, it'll be more telling than a test drive. Driving my buddy's is what tipped me over the edge.

 

My brother-in-law has a taco, maybe I'll talk nice to him and see if he will let me take his out for a spin when I see him at Christmas.

 

You have a local dealer with Tacomas sitting on the lot that hasn't been sold already? Must be nice...

 

They do exist. Also, some have used ones to can test drive as well.

 

Yes.



.

 

Yes, They have a few new and several used. None that match the trim level I'm looking for, but I can drive it and see how it fits me. Just sitting in one reminds me a little of a WWI era German U-boat, a smidge cramped and old fashioned feeling.

 

@Irons Love that British Sovereign avitar!

 

The power seat is a gamechanger, though I wasn't uncomfortable in my friend's SR.

Apologies if I missed it earlier, but what trim and options are you looking for?

 

I’m looking for a TRD Off-Road with some upgrades like a 360 camera.

 

Or at least that is what I’m leaning towards right now.

 

Solid choice, especially if you plan to mod at all. FYI the camera image quality is not the best. A lot of people complain about it, but it does function fine.

Any color you're gunning for, or colors that you refuse to buy?

 

My first choice is lime green followed by lunar rock

 

Keep an eye out for a 2022 Pro in the Lime. There are a few still out there, and people aren't buying with the new color being available. You might be able to get a Pro at a good price. I wouldn't hold my breath, but can't hurt to try.

 

As a former used car recon tech I would run away from the Nissan brand. I loved their old pick ups but the quality of their newer vehicles is suspect at best.