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Toyota guy looking at a brand new Frontier

7K views 41 replies 23 participants last post by  gw204 
#1 ·
Hey guys.

I currently own a 2004 Toyota Land Cruiser and a 2007 FJ Cruiser. I'm looking at mid-sized pick ups at the moment as a tandem overland vehicle to my Land Cruiser. I also plan to give that pick up to my son in several years.

Why am I not considering a Tacoma? Well the new engine and transmission combo in the new 2016 Tacoma is horrible from the reviews I've read on Tacoma World. Low end torque is gone and requires you to floor the pedal to get any power. That and my recent visit to a car show where I saw the new Tacoma and looked underneath and saw exposed metal around the welds pretty much killed my confidence in the vehicle since the 1st and 2nd gens had severe rust issues. Seems like when it comes to the Tacoma, Toyota relies on on too much on the reputation that was the Hilux before that, and it's no Hilux. Far from it.

From what I've read the early Frontiers has the strawberry milk shake issue but that seems to have been correct with new models. I also like the boxed frame, steel bed, engine power and bang-for-the-buck you can get. That and its reputation as the Navara overseas is pretty good. I don't want a vehicle that will rust out after 3 overland trips and the Frontier seems to be a hidden gem as a mid-sized pick up. Are there any former Toyota owners here or pretty much anyone here that can give me the safe okay that the 2nd gen Frontier is a good reliable vehicle?
 
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#3 ·
I've never owned a Tacoma but I'm on my second Frontier. I had a 2006 for 10 years with no issues except for the coolant-trans fluid issue that was paid for and one tire pressure sensor going bad. I just got a new one not because anything was wrong with the old one, just that it was old and I drive long distances on the weekend.

The Frontier is a real bargain this year. It's the last year before an update and both Toyota and GM have new trucks on the market. Nissan dealers are dealing on these trucks., Toyota and GM dealers are not. To get a similarly equiped Toyota would have ben $5000 more and GM would have been higher.

The Frontier is proven, has been nicely updated over the years, and it is a bargain. What more can you ask.

Ask for Lave Red, it looks great!
 
#4 ·
I've been on forum since '09 - 12 year old design, hasn't seemed to be any new problems for years and old problems solved. Go for it, probably as reliable as any vehicle made. Still really like my Frontier, even if it is an Equator.
 
#7 · (Edited)
My 06 Tacoma SR5 V6 4x4 was a let down after years of Toyota truck ownership. Mainly the driveability issues but also frame corrosion and lots of mechanical trouble. I waited years for the 3rd gen to come out only to find out its still atop of the same old chassis that gave me so many issues. I knew more weight + a smaller V6 lacking in low end torque was a bad combo and started looking at other trucks.

Ended up with a Pro4x 6spd, love it. Good visibility, smooth and quiet V6 with a nice exhaust note, all the little creature comforts that Toyota only recently added. Utilitrack is excellent, 265/75R16 ATs stock, 4 wheel disc brakes, boxed frame etc. I don't care if it ends up less reliable, it drives so much nicer that I actually feel good about doing repairs and mods in the future. There's no sign of that though, it's very solid thus far.
 
#8 ·
I had a Tacoma and while it was a nice truck, I prefer the Frontier. The bang for the buck is just so much better. The Frontier does not have that weak polymer bed the Tacoma has. Also I think it handles better. The Tacoma always felt top heavy to me. Maybe it was just the higher seating position.....

The Frontier also comes with realistic mud flaps. The rear ones on my Tacoma were so low to the ground that they would drag over speed bumps. I took them off, what good is a 4x4 truck that drags easily.
 
#9 · (Edited)
I'm on Tacomaworld too Fuego and remember the thread you posted regarding the rust.

From the research I've done, there is really not much improvement in gas mileage between the 4wd 2015 and 2016 Tacoma's nor much of a difference between the 2016 Tacoma and 2015 Frontier in regards to this (the new Tacoma is a little bit better in city mpg's and no different in highway mpg's).

A loaded up Pro-4x Frontier has pretty much all all the bells and whistles that a 2016 Tacoma TRD Sport does with the exception of blind spot monitoring (if you are handy for about $300 you can install an aftermarket blm kit yourself). The TRD Offroad does offer crawl control if that is important to you.

Ride is subjective but I find the ride between the 2016 Frontier and 2016 Tacoma to be similar. Same goes to the noise level - the slight endge to the 2016 Tacoma. If you can get past the dated interior on the Frontier (I'm not sure who would say the Frontier has a better looking interior than the new Tacoma) then the Frontier is certainly a much better value for the money. If you can get an old 2015 on the lot then you would get an amazing deal.

The only thing that concerns me between an old Frontier and new model truck is the safety rating because the newer models would be measured against the strictest standards as opposed to the Frontier who was rated on the old system/ratings.

I would take the Frontier for an extended test drive (not a 30 minute one - one for at least 2 - 3 hours if not 24 hours like some dealerships offer) and same goes for the Tacoma and make your decision there. Buying a truck is a lot of $ so you want to make sure you are happy with the final purchase.
 
#10 ·
I have owned 2 Tacomas and 3 Frontiers. In fact, I dumped a 2015 Tacoma for my 2016 Frontier. The Frontier is a superior truck.
 
#12 ·
My dad has a 2010 Taco TRD and it drives like an SUV. The steering and suspension are much different than the Frontier(at least to my '12 4X). He confirmed how much more responsive my truck is in steering(minus the turn radius issue) and feel than his.
For the price you get more bang for the buck, but note that most everyone on here will be biased (I'm on my 3rd Nissan truck).
My last Frontier was 14 years old when I sold it and I'm sure it's still running strong. Save yourself several thousands and get a 1 or 2 year old Certified Frontier(7 yr/100K warranty)........... can always lob that money into your future mods.
::grin::
 
#13 ·
I like a lot about my 2015 Frontier except for the seats. I think they are terrible because of the hard U shaped ridge around the bottom cushion. This week I considered trading it for a new 2015 Tacoma that my local dealer has. I drove the Tacoma and it felt less powerful. The seats felt better but kind of narrow. It would have cost 10 grand to trade my Frontier for the Tacoma so I passed. The Frontier is a huge bargain compared to any other truck. They are all more expensive. I'm going to try to learn to live with the seat. If not I may take the hit and trade for a leftover 2015 Titan. Another local dealer has a few of them and are offering $9000 off sticker on their websites. The Titan is a much more expensive truck than a Frontier or Tacoma so it would still cost a bundle.
 
#15 ·
Ive done that. He added padding but the problem for me is the design of the seat. That U is a piece of plastic in the seat cushion that holds the cover down. I had the guy undo his mods since they didnt help and I wanted to keep the seat original incase I trade it.

Sent from my SM-N900P using Tapatalk
 
#20 ·
I agree with a lot of the sentiments stated. The Frontier is a great Truck the Tacoma is like an SUV. The tacoma has better ground clearance. The Pro4x seats are nice. If you find the bottoms uncomfortable switch in the base from a Maxima. grab one from a wrecker.
 
#21 ·
I agree with what everyone else is saying...i am not biased this is my first frontier. I researched for months between tacoma and frontier, every website i could find, ever youtube video, even going to the dealerships. What I found was the frontier has more power, more features im the base models, and the composite bed of the taco was a huge deal breaker. I got a steal on my 2015 desert runner, it was a dealership loaner, with 2k miles on it...they marked it 5k off with a better warranty (7/100k). Which ever way you do go you will be happy. We would just like to have you in this side. Oh and the desert runner seats are very comfortable, my wife and I were raving about it after a 90 min drive
 
#29 ·
Just for the record: I love my simple 4-way adjustable SV seats. A manual lumbar adjustment would be most welcome for sure...but it is not even an option in SV trim level.

Oh and the desert runner seats are very comfortable, my wife and I were raving about it after a 90 min drive
For clarification, the DR's driver's seat is an 8-way manual adjusting seat (no manual lumbar adjustment) while the passenger seat is 4-way.

The BEST tool for understanding standard/optional features/etc:

https://ppg.nissanproduct.info/public.php
:nerd:
 
#23 ·
My Tacoma did get a little better gas mileage than my Frontier. The Tacoma got about 18 in mixed but mostly city driving. My Frontier gets about 16.5 in the same setting. I am not sure that is all that significant but it is true.
 
#26 ·
X Toyota Dealership Mechanic 1994-1999. Owned a 88 22re 4x4, 88 Xcab V6 4x4, 94 Xcab v6 4x4 & 98 Taco Xcab 4cyl 4x4. I would NOT buy another Toyota. Sludge in well cared for motors. Blown up V6s as far as the eye could see. They bought me a free 3VZE for my 94 X-cab cuz of a bearing knock. My accident free 80kmi Tacoma could not hit alignment specs due to frame sag. Now if you were looking at a Japanese built 22RE Toy I would say go for it!!! My Frontier performs better than any Tacoma I've driven plus it cost $4500 less than a comparable Taco after rebates. I'm 32K in now and still more than pleased with my Nissan. Your results may vary?
 
#27 ·
I spent 6 month researching both the tacoma and frontier. I really wanted the tacoma because of the reliability and the reputation it has made for itself. Plus my wifes dad had a 2007 trd sport at the time and I enjoyed driving it. But the dealership was not going down on price. They wanted around $31k for a base four door 4x4 tacoma. I bought my SV CC 4x4 for $24k. That's a win.

What got me to buy the frontier was definitely the price, fully boxed frame, more truck feel, much better V6, and dealership worked with me to get price down.

Only regret is that I didn't get the pro4x with the rear locker.
 
#28 ·
Only regret is that I didn't get the pro4x with the rear locker.[/QUOTE]

So did you buy a locker and stick it in?
 
#31 ·
love everything but the seats. nismo trim level but cloth seats. Wanted all the performance features with none of the electronic add ons (work truck) to get ****ed up. However, the cloth seats suck balls for comfort long distance. I drive usually 5-8 hours camping every weekend and usually i hear complaints. My only complaint on my vehicle(other than not being lifted already haha).
 
#36 · (Edited)
My Frontier has the spray in liner and the utilitrack system. I am not sure I would not have preferred a drop in bedliner and none of the utilitrack stuff. I think it gets in the way more than it helps.[/QUOTE]

Not to disagree with your reasoning but I saw it as an incentive to pick the Frontier. I've used the utilitrack to secure loads such as a grill, table saw and think it works very well. I have some bicycle fork mounts that were made to fit the track. I like the bed divider which I keep positioned near the cab. I even put groceries there for the 2 mile drive home when its not too warm. It's easy and convenient. Seems like the drop- ins tend to rub the paint off and moisture can get under causing rust.
 
#39 ·
My Frontier has the spray in liner and the utilitrack system. I am not sure I would not have preferred a drop in bedliner and none of the utilitrack stuff. I think it gets in the way more than it helps.
Not to disagree with your reasoning but I saw it as an incentive to pick the Frontier. I've used the utilitrack to secure loads such as a grill, table saw and think it works very well. I have some bicycle fork mounts that were made to fit the track. I like the bed divider which I keep positioned near the cab. I even put groceries there for the 2 mile drive home when its not too warm. It's easy and convenient. Seems like the drop- ins tend to rub the paint off and moisture can get under causing rust.[/QUOTE]

Agreed. Every truck I have had with a drop in bedliner wasn't all that great. Things slid all over, the tie downs always seemed like they were hard to hook on to.

I love the grip the spray in liner has and Utilitrac is a game changer as far as I'm concerned. the ability to bolt in different mounts and the ability to tie down items how you like, and not only the 4 corners is pretty sweet.
 
#37 ·
From what I've been reading of the gen3 tacos, those that are complaining about power all have the new 6-speed auto. Haven't run across a single person make the same statement about the 6-speed manual trucks. So I you can/feel like rowing gears you might want to look at the manual.

I've got a 2015 Taco prerunner. The complaints I have are uncomfortable seats, poor interior component quality, slight vibe when coming to a stop and the fact that I went up in trim level instead of getting a base model 4x4. I think the toyota 4.0 has plenty of power for the truck and I've gotten accustomed to the 5-speed auto. It rides much nicer than the Frontier I drove and overall seems much more refined.

That being said, I'm considering trading for a '16 Frontier as well...
 
#40 ·
I know ride quality is subjective but when I took a pro4x crew on an extended test drive it rode way nicer than my Tacoma SR5. Much less floaty (more connected to road) and better to corner (Tacoma feels it would roll over easier in a tight and high speed corner).

Could be suspension differences between different trims...?
 
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