Nissan Frontier vs. Toyota Tacoma: What’s The Difference?
Source: Pixabay
For many years now, the midsize pickup truck segment has transformed into one of the most competitive classes in the market. If you’ve been researching your options for a good midsize truck, there’s a good chance that you’re considering the Nissan Frontier and Toyota Tacoma.
Nissan Frontier vs. Toyota Tacoma, which midsize pickup truck is worth buying?
In today’s midsize truck showdown, we have two popular models: the Nissan Frontier vs. Toyota Tacoma. We’ll take a look at each truck’s performance, cargo capacity, safety features, etc., and see how they stack against each other.
Exterior Features
Nissan is the originator of the compact pickup class, and the company truly knows how to build a diminutive but utilitarian truck. Trucks in this segment continue to grow in size, so it’s refreshing to see the Frontier maintaining its compact stature - making it an ideal vehicle for suburban and city drivers.
For 2021, the Frontier retains its trademark Nissan styling with an angled grille, a hefty bumper, and short overhangs in both front and rear. The 2021 Frontier boasts a spirited off-road aesthetic, thanks to some thoughtful design elements like the steel fender flares. Nissan offers the 2021 Frontier in two main configurations: King Cab and Crew Cab, plus the option to choose between standard and long bed formats.
Meanwhile, the 2021 Toyota Tacoma wears its iconic looks like a badge of honor. With its boxy outlines and curved fenders, the Tacoma’s exterior styling is unabashedly rugged. The Tacoma’s grille sits high and is framed by LED running lights that have grown more prominent over the years. Toyota offers a fairly wide range of customization options for the Tacoma, so its final look will depend on your configuration.
Frankly, the Tacoma’s base SR trim looks basic, and you’ll want to consider the higher trims to crank up its looks. For example, the TRD Pro editions feature a blacked-out trim, chunky tires, and a large Toyota badge emblazoned in the front. The top-most Tacoma trims also get larger 17 to 18-inch wheels and a power moonroof.
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Performance and Fuel Economy
The 2021 Toyota Tacoma is available in basic form with a 2.7-liter inline-4 gas engine capable of 159 hp and 180 lb-ft of torque. If you can help it, try to avoid the base engine because while it gets the truck moving along, it’s not in a manner of haste. Plus, it can only handle a paltry 3,500 lbs of towing capacity. Compared to its rivals, the base Tacoma just won’t cut it, performance-wise.
What you want is the 3.5-liter V-6 engine that comes with most Tacoma pickups, capable of delivering 278-hp and 265 lb-ft of torque. A Tacoma with an optimized configuration has a towing capacity of about 6,800 lbs. The engine is paired to a six-speed automatic gearbox which does good work for the most part. The V-6 engine unlocks the Tacoma’s full potential, especially when paired with the available manual transmission.
On the other hand, the 2021 Nissan Frontier has less to worry about in terms of performance. For the 2021 model, Nissan decided to use a new 3.8-liter naturally aspirated V6 engine that cranks out 310 hp and 281 lb-ft of torque. It’s hooked up to an also new nine-speed automatic transmission delivering power to an RWD or 4WD.
With a King Cab 4x2 configuration, the Frontier is capable of towing up to 6,720 lbs. This truck isn’t going to the 0-60 scoreboard, but the new engine and transmission give the Frontier a much-needed fervor. Whether you’re driving on tight city roads or rougher terrains, the Frontier is a reliable companion.
The 2021 Nissan Frontier has a fuel economy of EPA-rated 18 mpg/city and 24 mpg/highway, while the 2021 Toyota Tacoma has an average fuel economy of 20 mpg/city and 23 mpg/highway.
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Interior and Cargo Space
Few people buy a pickup truck to enjoy its luxurious interior - the 2021 Frontier won’t probably change their minds. As one of the oldest trucks on the planet, you can forgive the Frontier’s interior for looking straight from the early 2000s. Some people may find it charming, but most will likely find it basic to a fault. The simplistic ruggedness of the Frontier’s interior shows its budget-friendly nature.
Unlike most small to midsize pickup trucks, the Frontier offers a good seating capacity in the back for families with small kids. However, full-sized adults are not going to have a comfortable time in the rear seats. Fortunately, the front space is good and has several tiny compartments for storing small items.
The standard Frontier bed can accommodate 27.1 cu-ft of cargo, while the larger long bed truck has 33.5 cu-ft of space. The interior also includes a removable under-seat storage bin and a dual compartment glove box.
On the flip side, the 2021 Tacoma’s interior is about as plain as the Frontier. The style and layout are nothing to write home about, and the materials are tough but hardly high-quality. The upper trims include leather seats, but the dash and door panels are made of plastic.
The Tacoma’s cargo capacity depends on your choice of bed configuration. In both formats, Tacoma owners should have good access to cargo space. For example, the 4x2 Access Cab can handle a payload of 1,685 lbs. Unfortunately, outside of the glove compartment and center armrest console, there’s not that much storage access in the Tacoma’s interior.
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Infotainment and Safety Features
Both the Frontier and Tacoma aren’t luxury cruisers, so we tempered our expectations when it comes to infotainment. The Tacoma is outfitted with a 7.0-inch touchscreen display with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Amazon Alexa support - not so shabby at all. On the other hand, the 2021 Frontier’s infotainment system severely lags with its basic system that supports AM/FM radio, Bluetooth, WMA/MP3 capability, and an aux-in jack.
For safety, the Frontier received mixed feedback from the NHTSA and IIHS. A big contributor to the so-so safety ratings of the Frontier is its outdated safety systems and lack of driver assistance features.
Meanwhile, all Tacoma trims and configurations are equipped with the Toyota Safety Sense P suite of safety features. Under this suite, you can find features like pedestrian detection, dynamic cruise control, lane departure warning, and more.
Nissan Frontier vs. Toyota Tacoma: The Verdict
Comparing the Nissan Frontier vs. Toyota Tacoma is no small feat. Each midsize pickup truck clearly has its strengths and weaknesses. Both are excellent trucks, and it’s hard to go wrong with either one.
If you mostly care about performance, the 2021 Nissan Frontier is the runaway winner. But if safety and infotainment features are your main concerns, choosing the 2021 Toyota Tacoma makes more sense.
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