My friend owns an 06 Frontier Crew Cab and I'm not gonna lie... it's a great truck. I don't know how long it'll last, but the bed definitely scores points with me. The interior isn't bad, and I feel more "upright" when I sit in the front seats (I feel sorta sunk in with the Tacoma seats). Of course I know the Frontier can't compare with the Tacoma off road, so that's really one of the few negative points I have with the truck.

I'd personally be happy with either though, especially if it's only street driven.

 

I'm glad I'm not the only Toyota guy that can give a fair opinion on this product it's killing me. I'm gonna put this truck to work 95% of the time. The pick/up box, payload, base towing, rear springs and brakes are more important to me than Off-Road prowess's. If I was looking for a "Toy" this would be easy Tacoma all day long, I'm not happy with the way my composite box has held up when used as a truck and the Toyota cleats can barely hold a grocery bag in place without sliding lose. Right now I currently take my 2wd 5-lug down trails most guys only bring their 4x4 trucks out on and I'm on Bridgestone Potenzas and X-Runner wheels & tires Knocks on wood never been stuck yet so the base 4x4 setup in the Nissan is more than adequate for any jobsite I'm going to be caught on. On most country roads I can look in the mirror on my '07 Tacoma and see my box flexing behind me, didn't notice any flexing even on the roughest roads today in the Nissan. Another thing I'm concerned with is I've had my '07 for 1.5 years and driven almost 40K miles, everything is still drum tight from the tranny, to the cab, no squeaks or rattles. The Frontier feels tighter than the Tacoma new as a brand new truck, but I'm concerned this could be one of those trucks that turn into a horse & buggy after the warranty period.

-Ryan

 

the stock tires on a tacoma are garbage. no surprise the handling blows.

 

This catastrophic failure of the timing chain tensioner is pretty scary in this Frontier related thread. http://www.clubfrontier.org/forums/f8/who-has-over-50k-miles-w-o-timing-chain-issue-26915/

I read about weak tailgates & weak rear suspension on the Tacoma in here, but now reading about these problematic chain tensioners on 4.0L Frontiers? Supposedly blow out around 40-100K miles WTF? Some have had it go out around 22K - 30K I would be pissed I knew there was something to good to be true about this truck.

-Ryan

 

This catastrophic failure of the timing chain tensioner is pretty scary in this Frontier related thread. http://www.clubfrontier.org/forums/f8/who-has-over-50k-miles-w-o-timing-chain-issue-26915/

I read about weak tailgates & weak rear suspension on the Tacoma in here, but now reading about these problematic chain tensioners on 4.0L Frontiers? Supposedly blow out around 40-100K miles WTF? Some have had it go out around 22K - 30K I would be pissed I knew there was something to good to be true about this truck.

-Ryan

I wouldn't worry to much about this issue - it is actually quite rare and the frequency of it is blown way out of proportion - take a look at the poll at the top of this post...

http://www.clubfrontier.org/forums/f55/vq40-timing-chain-issue-30020/

 

Even if the Frontier handled like a sports car, and had all the bells and whistles of a Mercedes, I still couldn't buy one. They're just too ugly, inside and outside.

 

+1

 

/\ Me thinks some of you are just expressing your brand loyalty. I'm going to pinch myself to make sure I'm alive here as a test to tell if I am sane and can tell whats ugly and whats not. Ugly to me (Dodge Dakota) Good looking to me ( 1970 Chevy C10) <--- Actually best body styled pickup ever bar none. If Chevy brought that bodystyle back as a retro truck with all the modernes of the GMT900 truck they would be #1 overnight. Ok back to reality, The Tacoma and I own a current bodystyle is not ugly but not as good looking IMO as the 2001-2004. And I don't think the Frontier is ugly by far, it just caters to a more conservative consumer. Tacoma shoppers tend to have something to prove, so like Ford Toyota learned to add faux performance cues like hood scoops, plastic flares etc... I found no scoops, wide flares, "PreRunner" or "Urban Cowboy" package with the current Frontier, just everything you need to get the job done. I don't think the Tacoma is ugly by any means, but it took me 4-years to warm up to the latest body. I've always liked every iteration of a Toyota truck from concept to production since the 1980's but the '05 took me a while. I've liked the simpleness of the Frontier since '05 I overlooked them last year because they didn't offer a reg cab, now I'm working on a family and need a crew so time to shop again.

-Ryan

 

/\ Me thinks some of you are just expressing your brand loyalty...

Absolutely, this is a Toyota enthusiasts discussion group!

 

I think you should just decide what you want?

Once I got my Taco I knew that this was a keeper!

But I know different people have different values and concerns.

If the Frontier fits your needs then buy it!:thumbup:

I actually think buying my Tacoma was a bad move! Well at least my wife and my bank account thinks so!

 

Just trying to get some input from other fellow Toyota lovers that have core seat time behind the wheel of both vehicles.

-Ryan

 

I'm still mulling over Frontier vs. Tacoma myself and will be visiting two dealers Sunday to hopefully put this to rest. For me, it breaks down like this

Frontier wins
-Bed: It's wider, metal, and has better rails and the tailgate locks and doesn't suck,
-Brakes: Rear drums on the Tacoma show where Toyota's head is at.
-Rear cabin storage: The Frontier has floor-to-ceiling with the seats folded, the Tacoma has half that.
-Sound: RF better system than JBL (if you go that way) and available iPod adapter on the Frontier
-Price: Nissan wins on rebates alone ($1k more than the Tacoma) and the dealers appear more flexible.


Tacoma wins
-Rear seat comfort: the rear seat in the Frontier is too upright
-Actual armrest: the center console on the Frontier is too far back
-Looks: subjective, but I do not really like the way the Frontier looks
-Turning: 40 ft. vs 43 ft. in the Tacoma. The Taco long-bed turns like the Frontier short-bed.


Basically, the Frontier is the better truck on paper, and the Tacoma is (may be?) the better truck in "feel" and subjectives. Frankly, if the Frontier had any kind of viable and low-cost solution to the arm rest issue my decision would likely be made. But when you're planning on having a truck for 5+ years and potentially spend an hour+ each way in traffic every day driver comfort becomes a huge issue.

I found a Nissan dealer with exactly the truck I want, and a Toyota dealer with exactly the truck I want. Hopefully both still have them in stock on Sunday and I'll get a chance to check them both out and see who's more willing to deal on price. So far the Toyota dealer is offering $3374 off MSRP and that includes the $1750 rebate. A $1649 drop? :thumbdown In this market and with gas prices what they are, they can keep it for that.

 

I'm not brand loyal. I was very close to buying the Frontier. In the trims I was willing to accept, I liked the Tacoma interior and body style slightly better. The rear disk brakes and the steel bed in the Fronty nearly won me over. It was almost down to flipping a coin. If the Toyota dealer hadn't relented and gave me that last $100 for my old truck, I was going to back to the Nissan dealer drive the Fronty home.

 

The Toyota gets better mileage which was the deciding factor for me.

 

Good point but in real world dollars the difference is very small

20mpg with gas at $3.30/gallon driving average of 12000 miles/year would mean yearly gas cost of $1980.00

18mpg with gas at $3.30/gallon driving average of 12000 miles/year would mean yearly gas cost of $2200.00

Don't get me wrong $220.00 is alot of money but the average household spends that if not more a year on Toilet paper so if you really want to break it down why not get a bede (spelling?) (it shots water to clear yur bum) therefore saving you $220.00 a year then you could get either.

I am not trying to flame you just showing that we as humans tend to sweat the small stuff when it is the big stuff (vehicle repair or resale) we need to concern ourselves with

 

I'm currently shopping for a new truck and the better Taco mileage is a big factor for me too (gas $1.12 a litre here today).

Wow I'm glad I'm not the only one who was thinking what the heck is with that centre console armrest in the Frontier? And what's with those roof racks?

I've test driven 2 4x4 4.0 litre automatic V6 2008 Tacoma's and found both to be a little sluggish off the line and accelerating on the highway. It's fine once you're up to speed but at the low end the engine seems kind of noisy and revving high before the truck actually speeds up and the tranny shifts.

Not such a big deal since I was pushing to test the response and I don't usually drive that aggressively. But is this something I can expect to improve after the engine & tranny are broken in?

Thanks.

 

I don't have a 4x4 but my Tacoma 4x2 will git er done off the line! As a matter of fact, I have to watch it getting on the freeway or I'll lite up the rear tires. (And at $100.00 a pop we can't have that)

 

I think with any truck or car for that matter you will have some kind of issue with it down the road. The difference between what people call reliable and down right crap is the cost of the said issue. IMO toyota' that have issues down the road are minor (new clutch vs. new transmission). With that being said the Tacoma has a far better resale value because of this.

You said you put 40k miles on your truck in 1.5 years, you need 2 things. 1 is a reliable truck, and 2 is one that you know will not cost much in upkeep as this drains money out of your pocket.

If you look at it from an investment perspective (which is what it is) I believe the Taco wins with flying colours. Cost of ownership is lower, resale is higher, if you already have owned multiple toyotas make it known to the dealer and they will give top notch service (possible even beyond the normal warranty period). I suggest making a spreadsheet of the cost associated with the vehicle, looks something like this...

Cost + (cost of ownership per mile x estimated number of miles) - estimated resale prices (look at historical data ie 05 frontier vs. 05 taco similar options)
don't forget in cost of ownership to include any borrowing costs
Then whichever has the lowest overall cost to you go with it.

That was long but hope it helps

 

well the only thing i can really say...

after being a mechanic for 15 years.. my nissan days were always complicated by electrical problems. and wierd one's..

if you live in a constant climate you probably would not know anything about what i am talking about. but if you live in salt and slush for 1/2 the year. nissans get wierd ass electrical failures. .now mind you.. they could have solved that in the harness now.. been 10 years since i was on the bench.

just my experience .

again the handling would be worse on the better 4x4....stiffer/no body roll would mean, she is prolly better on the road.

biggger stiffer sway bars/rear sway bar ??? on the nissan ??

taco front bumper would not hold up to a 5mph bumper bang. the whole bumper assembly wrap/mounts/bumper is about 25pounds total. its a joke.

i have no problem with the box.. i put my 07 APEX RTX sled in there. prolly 600+ pounds. the carbites have not done and damage.

i have 90,000km's on my 06 taco without issue... other than the leaf spring TSB and the tail gate TSB. both handled by my dealer.

cheers
Warts

 

I did the same comparison before I purchased my Taco. Both rigs have their pros and cons and to me the Taco came out ahead – based on design, mechanical logic (DIY’s priorities – especially the oil filter placement) and my past experience with Toyo. Do your homework, which you already did, and make a decision based on your research and not opinions.

 

I'm not sure if the Frontier V6 is the same as the Xterra V6, but if you change your own oil and service your vehicle, look under the Frontier first. I changed the oil in my wife's Xterra one time and that was it. The vehicle wasn't quite high enough off the ground (2x4) for me to crawl under, so I drove it up on ramps. Once under there it took a sec to find the oil filter. I found it and what a horrible design. I don't remember it exactly, but it was just up above some framing and you had to unscrew a little metal "patch" to get your hand to it. It then had a little "ramp" to allow the oil to flow when you unsrew the filter. Well that only works if the truck is level. Oil went everywhere but down that ramp. The oil filter was so tiny too. My John Deere has a bigger oil filter than that thing did.

Again, this is only if you are in to doing your own service. This was a 2004 Xterra.

 

Two down sides about the frontier for me.

-4 door nismo doesnt come in manual
-The peace of mind driving somthing reliable (not dissing the nissan, i just dont know.)

 

my $.02

I was looking at the Frontiers also before I got my 07 Taco and was diggin them. I like that they are slighlty smaller, since the current Taco is slightly too large. I also think the Tacoma has somewhat odd styling, such as the weird angle on the bottom of my access cab window and the goofy angle on the rear wheel flare. I loved the Frontier seats, they had a similiar weave to the TRD tacos, but the fabric underneath was blue, it looked really nice. But, it was hard to find a Frontier equipped the way I want and their option packages were weird. Ultimately, the price difference for what I wanted was around $1000, and I thought the Taco would be worth the extra $$$ over the long haul. Also, it is my 3rd Taco, so I knew what I was getting.

I don't think you would regret getting a Nissan, but I bet I would have in the long run...

Oh yeah, the rail system in the Nissan is WAY BETTER than the flimsy one Toyota uses.

Good LucK!
Michael S.

 

If I didn't own a Tacoma I would have a Frontier.

I test drove one when I was looking to by my Tacoma, I didn't think they where that bad at all but the Tacoma just felt like a better over-all "truck" to me.

The things that bothered my about the Frontier:
- Frontiers have more HP but are slower than the Tacoma
- they get worse gas mileage than a Tacoma
- even though they have 4-wheel disc brakes they still have a farther stopping distance compared to the Tacoma (according to Car and Driver)
- the 2006 model that I looked at had a lower towing rating than the 2006 Tacoma (although I believe Nissan has since "beefed up" to Frontier's towing rating to match the Tacoma).
- the Frontier's interior was very bland compared to the Tacoma....it just wasn't that impressive. It's weird, even though the Fronty I drove had leather seats and a moon roof, it still felt like the interior was lacking something compared to the Tacoma.

Get whatever one you like best, if you want the Frontier then get it - hopefully it will give you years of trouble free service.

I will say this though....there is a reason the Tacoma outsells the Frontier by leaps and bounds.

 

I'm definitely not biased. I came from an '05 Nissan Altima 3.5SE that was plagued with problems, all covered under warranty. Still, having your car in the shop damn near once a month gets old. I actually really liked the car but didn't like the thought of being out of warranty so it was replaced by the Tacoma at 28K miles. I haven't had one problem at all with the Tacoma as of yet (8500 miles).

Now, I understand that you might think I had a "lemon" or whatever but the fact is I had the same problems that MANY Altima owners had. Therefore, I wouldn't touch a Nissan with a 10 ft pole at this point. Will I in the future? Maybe but that would be a long time off. BTW, both the Altima and Tacoma were the first vehicles that I've owned from either brand (long time Ford guy).

One thing you guys might want to add to the list of pluses and minuses is paint. Nissan paint is, IMO, one of the auto industry's worst. Granted, Toyota paint isn't the best either but having owned both, I can say with confidence that Toyota paint is definitely better than Nissan.

Ultimately, the decision is yours and I'll tell you, coming on an enthusiast forum and asking which is better is kind of rhetorical. What exactly do you think you're going to get?

 

I kicked it around for months also, the T got the nod and I am so glad for it.

 

I'll admit, I am biased. If I wasn't I wouldn't be on my second Tacoma. Im on my second because I love the truck. Oh and when I took my 04 airborne @ 65MPH, came down on the nose then rolled 3-4 times!!! (it was a blur) I drove it 100 Miles home still driving straight, the outside was busted to hell, but all the internals fine!
I have a friend at work who drives a brand new 08 Frontier Nismo. I have gotten very up close and personal with it as im sure you have durring your testing. I looked it up and down and drove it. There just wasn't anything about the Nissan that made me wish I owned it.
Most of it is just personal preferance/wants/needs. I didn't like the seat position in the frontier, I like it in the Tacoma. Just little trivial shit. I don't really know why but the interior of the frontier makes me gag? I couldn't drive it.
Weigh the pro's and cons, buy the winner and enjoy it.

EDIT: Oh wait, Im not totaly biased. I saved every penny for a year when i was 16 to buy a 1980 Datsun 4x4 king cab lifted on 33's with a Nissan stamped engine. I needed all 80 of thoes horses to get off the line:lol:

 

I'd buy a Chevy before I bought another Nissan. I won't own another Nissan as long as I live.

 

Okay. the bottom line in my opinion- is that the Frontier is for weenies. Sorry, gotta throw that out there. I looked at them before I got my Taco. The main thing was that they just LOOK like little street trucks to me.

 

nissan store is a couple doors down from my toyota store. if you look in the employee parking lot, you see more tacomas than frontiers, tell ya anything?

 

another thing...

i dont know about u guys, but i see a whole lot more tacomas than frontiers on the road. this gen, and older gens.

 

Several months ago I went to the car show and looked at all the 08 trucks. I was really impressed with the Frontier bed. It looked very solid. The tie downs- center and side rails were heavy duty. The inside was a lot better when I last saw it in 05. Compared with Toyota, Toyota had the same composite bed and tailgate. No change.

 

The only nissan I'd own is a skyline GT-R 34 or the 33. They are gorgeous. I'll probably never own a nissan truck.