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Help me decide...Pro4x vs TRD Offroad

36K views 56 replies 40 participants last post by  mtyler11 
#1 ·
I understand this is a frontier forum. I get it. But I am looking for help in deciding between these two trucks:



and



I used to have the frontier in automatic (2007). Loved the truck but it wasn't offered in manual back then. Now I am back in the mid size truck market and want a manual.

I used to have a Toyo SR5 V6 (1994). Manual. Awesome truck.

So I have known both companies and can be swayed either way.

I really like the tacoma and its styling.

Tacoma Pros:
- Look and styling
- Toyota Reliability
- After market options
- Maintains value

Tacoma Cons:
- I am not very excited about its engine.
- Drum brakes
- Cost

Frontier Pros:
- I actually like the styling and interior. I like that old school look and feel
- Engine
- Price

Frontier Cons:
- Bigger tires don't fit unless you get lift.
- Aftermarket is limited

Just looking for any ideas from Frontier members…..
 
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#2 ·
I worked as a tech for the local Toyota dealership for 5 yrs. That 94 Toyota 3vze you refer to as awesome is the main reason I will never own another Toyota. Did you keep yours long enough for it to turn into the Chattanooga ChooChoo? I used to love watching them drive in pumping antifreeze out the tailpipe. Then came the 3.4l, and the antifreeze waterfalls down the front of the block. When they built them in Japan the were "Awesome" now its a legacy that follows them, I don't believe them to be any more reliable than anyone else(xcept Chevy). I like that I saved enough money to buy a lot of other nice stuff for me and my truck. Thanks Nissan!!
 
#3 ·
Frontier Cons:
- Bigger tires don't fit unless you get lift.
- Aftermarket is limited

Just looking for any ideas from Frontier members…..
I'll argue your cons...285s fit without a lift and you'll be able to find plenty of parts for the Frontier. It still amazes me when people say the aftermarket is limited. You can get just about anything you need.


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#4 ·
I believe you have been misinformed OP.

Toyota reliability has gone by the wayside (lots of friends are Toyota techs). The 2016 model year has had many many many issues. Plus, I am not paying $35k for a truck with drums in the rear. Even the big 3 have stepped up to disc all the way around.

All in all, it depends on what you need. I like the Tacoma for styling, ease of finding aftermarket parts and fuel economy. However, I need a truck, not a car with a bed. That's why I have a frontier

Btw, the frontiers can fit 33's with no lift, always available in 6speed unless you want a cc long bed and forget fuel economy I drive a truck!
 
#5 ·
Go read up on Tacoma World for the new gen Tacoma. Its got enough issues that it moved me to a PRO-4X and I had a major hard on for the new Tacoma. If you want to build it out, aftermarket support for the frontier is a bit less but for the main things you'd need to do to the truck, everything is available and for a similar price. IMO the Frontier is a better buy and is just as capable off road as my 2012 Tacoma TRD O/R was.
The new Taco may look good but the drivetrain issues (CPS, Trans, Drive line vibrations etc) make it not an appealing buy.
 
#6 · (Edited)
Brands aside, I think there is something to be said for buying a vehicle late in it's generation cycle. I had a late 1st gen Tacoma (02) and pretty much put brakes and tires on it in 213k miles. Best vehicle I had owned at that point.

Likewise, buying a frontier now, late in it's gen cycle, seems like a very wise choice in both longevity and value, if you are ok with a little less 'fancy', and want to keep your vehicle a long time.
 
#8 ·
OP
Go drive each vehicle. Buy the one you like.

I had a 06 Tacoma Sport 4x4 with the 4.0L, auto. It was a good vehicle. I have test drove the new 2016 Tacoma and find it lacking and over priced for what Toyota is offering.
When compared to the Frontier, Nissan provides more bang for the buck , and has a proven drive train.

Again, buy what you like and can afford.
 
#9 ·
Impress yourself most of all...then you'll be buying w/ your heart.

No 6-sp KC, just CC this year.

FWIW, Consumer Reports has Frontier in the mid-size PU truck lead by a fair margin in latest edition. Taco at bottom behind GM twins.
 
#10 ·
I have a coworker that just made this decision, and he went with the TRD. He told me his only reason for going with the TRD over the Pro-4x was that the Nissan seemed "dated".

I bought my Pro-4x 2 months ago for the opposite reason, the drive train and offroad capabilities are tried and true in the Nissan. Gas mileage may lack a little bit and the style may not have changed for over a decade, but I buy for usage. I do like the Frontier look more than the Toyota as well.
 
#11 · (Edited)
Needed to make the same decision

I was in the process of making the same decision as my 2010 Frontier is about to go out of warranty, except I included the GMC Canyon (Chevy Colorado) as well, this video helped which also included the Honda Ridgeline;



I suppose it just comes down to personal needs but I had decided on the PRO 4X except when I went to the dealer and found out there were no Nissan incentives being offered I changed my mind and decided to buy new tires, get a roadside assistance package (not that I think i will ever need it), and just keep running my 2010 Frontier.
 
#12 ·
I prefer the Frontier, Test drive both and see which one works best for you. I wasn't impressed by my 2006 Tacoma and don't miss it at all. Its a shame because I used to be a huge fan of Toyota and owned many of the trucks they built their reputation on. Oddly its the Tundra that possesses the qualities older Toyota trucks were known for but I just don't need something that big. I feel like the Tacoma is a bit of a status symbol these days.
 
#14 ·
I have a manual 2015 Pro-4X, and while I've driven manuals for more than thirty years, I can't get used to this one. You have to run the RPMs up to around 3000 to get smooth shifts, and even then sometimes there's a clunk, like when you let out the clutch, it has to use up some slack in the drive train. It's quite distracting to me still after 11 months of ownership. I like the rest of the truck.
 
#15 ·
Finding my 6-sp to be smooth, but not like a sportscar = less refined. Still love it.

DB, has the dealer had a look at your drivetrain? Perhaps something isn't quite right?
 
#18 ·
I understand this is a frontier forum. I get it. But I am looking for help in deciding between these two trucks:



and



I used to have the frontier in automatic (2007). Loved the truck but it wasn't offered in manual back then. …..
Don't understand that a 2007 6 speed was not available.
Maybe you just could not find one.
I own a 2007 6 speed.
 
#19 ·
If Nissan quit making trucks I would probably get a Toyota but imo Tacoma doesn't hold a candle to the Frontier. If you want an car/SUV with a box in the back, Tacoma. If you want an honest to god small truck, get the Frontier. Everybody's different and wants/preferences differ person to person. I can tell you, I was so impressed with my Tacoma that I traded it in on my wife's Nissan Juke.
 
#23 ·
Depends on your intended use, personal preference, if modifying, and price. Will it be a daily driver, utility, towing, off-roading, etc.?

Both are perfectly capable - feedback from my dad who owns a 2010 TRD says my 4X drives and responds like a truck. The Taco suspension to me feels like I'm in an SUV.

What's wrong with the Frontier exterior looks? :)
 

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#24 ·
I have a 2008 nismo 6spd. Best truck I've owned or driven imo. Started with a 93 s10 4.3, moved to a 04 Dakota 3.7(turd). And the frontier and my wife's xterra are the best imo by far.
I test drove a '10 taco and put it in 4lo and it beeped the entire time, don't know if they dropped that but I didn't want to be distracted by it in a crawling situation. Drove a '04 taco manual and the gear box seemed canted toward the driver. I'm sure it was an attempt at ergonomic's but it didn't feel right shifting.

Fwiw
 
#25 ·
To me the looks of a 15 year old truck which still looks fresh and not dated. IMO, buying a 2016 model would be a safe bet because it has all the bugs fixed. I have the first year Nismo with 6 speed, which had several issues but those are all fixed.
 
#26 ·
If were basing this on timeless looks and proven longevity I want to change my vote to the 67-79 Fords
 

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#28 ·
There is only a few rigs I miss out of the many I have had over the years. But my 79 Ford(not the 1 in pic)is surely one of them. If it wasn't for 8mpg and $75 to get the ATV to the mountains I would still have it.
 
#29 ·
I was shopping for a new mid-size truck earlier this year and drove all the usual suspects in the market. I'm in Phoenix, which is a truck market. My preferences were extended cab, V6, 4x4, preferably manual, but not a deal-breaker. My price was somewhat flexible, but I really wanted to be in the $30k range out the door (figuring close to 10% sales tax, title, license, etc.).

Colorado/Canyon: I like the GMC/Chevy stuff and always have. I like the drivetrain on these trucks. I like them aesthetically from certain angles. Unfortunately, there aren't many of those angles. The truck seems big from the outside, but smaller on the inside. And I couldn't come into range on my price point, oddly enough.

Tacoma: Though it's somewhat polarizing, I like the Toyota aesthetically. I thought it drove quite well on the test drive and was comfortable. I've owned a few Toyota trucks and have been very pleased with them. The new Taco just seems really, really big. It didn't really fit into my idea of a mid-size truck. Factor in the crazy pricing and it was off the table for me. I will say, if the Toyota was closer to the Nissan price point, it might have been more of a fight.

Frontier: To me, it's the only true mid-size truck on the market. Manual tranny was a no-go in my market. I've owned a Titan previously and liked it. I like the Nissan fine from a style perspective; it's a truck and looks like a truck without being overstyled (looking at you, Chevy). I like the engine, ride quality is good, interior is bland but comfy. And I got out the door at my desired price.

All in all, the Nissan was a no-brainer for me, based on what's available in this market segment.
 
#30 ·
V6/6-sp KC was last offered in '15. Sad that this iteration was phased out.
 
#31 ·
[/Quote]

I used to have the frontier in automatic (2007). Loved the truck but it wasn't offered in manual back then. Now I am back in the mid size truck market and want a manual.

I used to have a Toyo SR5 V6 (1994). Manual. Awesome truck.

So I have known both companies and can be swayed either way.

I really like the tacoma and its styling.

Tacoma Pros:
- Look and styling
- Toyota Reliability
- After market options
- Maintains value

Tacoma Cons:
- I am not very excited about its engine.
- Drum brakes
- Cost

Frontier Pros:
- I actually like the styling and interior. I like that old school look and feel
- Engine
- Price

Frontier Cons:
- Bigger tires don't fit unless you get lift.
- Aftermarket is limited

Just looking for any ideas from Frontier members…..[/QUOTE]


Just looking at your pros for the Taco - I believe that nissans hold their value extrememly well and they are pretty darn reliable. I only had one issue where mine died and it was covered under warranty, and a bad cat, also under warranty. With how hard i have beat this truck i am impressed. Not sure what aftermarket you are looking for (lift, stereo etc) so i cant answer other than if a lift is what you are talking about, i have taken this truck some pretty amazing places for only a 2' lift. I have friends that were extremely impressed.

My personal thought, and i looked at the taco when i bought mine in 2011, is that you get more for less money. The taco when i looked lacked disc brakes and intermitent wipers and had less power. For a truck that would have cost me $4-5K more it was not worth it. I do wish i had an outlet in the bed though, just not that much. I also really dislike the new taco styling.
 
#32 ·
Well man I can tell u that the pro 4x is the only 4wd frontier that they make that has a locking differential. I was looking today man and saw you can get a 6 speed manual with a pro 4x. Of course you have to order it but it is possible. I love my frontier ( 06 crew cab 4.0 V6) and I recommend a frontier ha.

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