Taco vs Frontier: Your Thoughts, Please

[Honey Badger282.8]

I will say that the cargo management system in the Frontier and Titan are leaps ad bounds better than any offering from any other OEM.

[Dave_L]

I had a 2006 Tacoma SR5 and had no complaints about. I just opted to get a 2500 duramax to tow a camper trailer. Otherwise, I would have kept my Tacoma.

[asmo]

I love my Taco ('12 access cab). I hate my gas mileage - 16-18.... Also, its a tad loud inside.

[blacklabel]

I will say that the cargo management system in the Frontier and Titan are leaps ad bounds better than any offering from any other OEM.

The utili-track system is awesom.

[Martinjmpr]

I have an '05 Taco (TRD Off-road). It's been just fine, reliable, good off-road, pulled many trailers many miles without complaint, mediocre gas mileage (~17).

I love my Taco ('12 access cab). I hate my gas mileage - 16-18.... Also, its a tad loud inside.

16 -18 is what you can realistically expect from anything in this class. From my experience of owning trucks and SUVs, it's difficult to break the 18 - 19 barrier with a modern gas engine. The good news is that while MPG has stayed the same, power has gone up considerably. My 1990 Mitsubishi Montero had a 3.0 V6 that barely put out 150hp and still got the same 17 MPG on the highway.

I was able to consistently get in the low 20's in my 1985 Toyota 4x4 pickup. Of course, that thing had tiny 15" wheels and 29" tires, the 22R engine was good for about 100hp on a good day and the doors were as thin as beer cans. It was gutless on the highway and it had no AC, no airbags, and manual steering. When you look at what trucks have today compared to what they had 20 or 30 years ago in terms of power, towing capacity, comfortable seats, safety, electronics, etc, the 7 -9 MPG hit isn't that bad.

EDITED TO ADD: One of the reasons I just made the jump from mid-sized (4runner) to full size (Suburban) was that I was willing to take the MPG hit in return for a bigger, more capable vehicle. So far I'm happy with my decision but then again gas is only $1.44 today. When it hits $3.50 I might be singing a different tune.

[KS63]

I'm not aware of any specific problems for the Frontier that aren't related to abuse (I've heard of the "exploding front diff" but my understanding is that trucks that suffer this are being used pretty hard.)

I got tired of paying the "Toyota Tax" last year and sold my 4runner. Toyotas are nice, don't get me wrong, but I think the prices on the used market are outrageous, especially for the Tacoma.

Since you're looking at used, have you considered maybe one of the last of the Rangers? I owned a '99 Ranger (albeit a 2wd) for several years and liked it. In fact, my DD is a Ranger (it's a Mazda B2300 but that's actually a Ranger.) Again, a 2wd but solid and reliable even at 20 years old (its a 1996.)

If you can live without a true crew cab (the Ranger crew cab was offered in other markets but never in the US, sadly) then you might add the Ranger to your list. You can probably find one for half the price of a Tacoma. Otherwise I think a good condition Frontier would be fine for what you intend to do.

ALSO remember that the Tacoma's of that vintage are all plastic after the cab. Frontier, Ranger and Colorado all have metal beds.

My 2005 TRD Taco has a plastic bed, but steel fenders, bumpers and tow hitch. Somethings wrong with mine I guess.....

[Calculated]

Your Pro-4X didn't come with heated seats?

Yes it did, and it's a real ball burner! But my vents are warm first, surprisingly!

[hurley842002]

For me, it was aesthetics. The only Frontier that appealed to me was the Pro 4x, and (at the time I was looking a couple years ago) the prices for those were not too much different that Tacomas. I test drove a one-owner 2009 TRD Offroad, 18,500 miles, with the nTRD supercharger and exhaust... and was sold. Paid a pile for it (as has been covered), but it always puts a smile on my face.

Very different experience than mine (although it was Xterra vs 4runner). 4runners of the same era were around $10k more than the Pro4x Xterras I looked at.

[HoneyBadger]

I love my Taco ('12 access cab). I hate my gas mileage - 16-18.... Also, its a tad loud inside.

Now that you mention it, the Xterra is very loud inside on the highway, so I think its probably safe to assume that the Frontier is as well.

[blacklabel]

Now that you mention it, the Xterra is very loud inside on the highway, so I think its probably safe to assume that the Frontier is as well.

It's definitely not quiet. I mainly catch tire noise.