Compare the2024 Nissan FrontierVS 2023 Toyota Tacoma

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Nissan Frontier have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Toyota Tacoma doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Frontier offers optional Rear Automatic Braking that use rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. The Tacoma doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

Both the Frontier and the Tacoma have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available four-wheel drive, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Nissan Frontier is safer than the Toyota Tacoma:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Nissan Frontier is safer than the Toyota Tacoma:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Frontier’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the Tacoma’s camshafts. If the Tacoma’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are better in initial quality than Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan above average in initial quality. With 14 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is rated below average.

The Frontier’s 3.8 DOHC V6 produces 151 more horsepower (310 vs. 159) and 101 lbs.-ft. more torque (281 vs. 180) than the Tacoma’s standard 2.7 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Frontier’s 3.8 DOHC V6 produces 32 more horsepower (310 vs. 278) and 16 lbs.-ft. more torque (281 vs. 265) than the Tacoma’s optional 3.5 DOHC V6.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Nissan Frontier is faster than the Toyota Tacoma V6 (automatics tested):

On the EPA test cycle the Frontier gets better mileage than the Tacoma:

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Nissan Frontier, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the Tacoma.

For better stopping power the Frontier’s standard brake rotors are larger than those on the Tacoma:

The Nissan Frontier has standard four-wheel disc brakes for better stopping power and improved directional control in poor weather. Only rear drums come on the Tacoma. Drums can heat up and make stops longer, especially with antilock brakes that work much harder than conventional brakes.

The Frontier stops much shorter than the Tacoma:

For better traction, the Frontier has larger tires than the Tacoma (265/70R16 vs. 245/75R16).

The Frontier S’ standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 70 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Tacoma’s standard 75 series tires.

The Frontier has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Tacoma doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

For greater off-road capability the Frontier PRO-4X Crew Cab has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Tacoma (9.8 vs. 9.4 inches), allowing the Frontier to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Frontier is shorter than the Tacoma, making the Frontier easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces:

The front grille of the Frontier uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Tacoma doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Frontier King Cab has 1.7 inches more rear headroom, 1.6 inches more rear legroom and .5 inches more rear hip room than the Tacoma Access Cab.

The Frontier Crew Cab has .2 inches more front headroom, .3 inches more rear headroom and .6 inches more rear legroom than the Tacoma Double Cab.

The Frontier King Cab has a much larger cargo box than the Tacoma Access Cab shortbed (49.6 vs. 42.6 cubic feet).

The Frontier Crew Cab shortbed has a much larger cargo box than the Tacoma Double Cab shortbed (40.1 vs. 34.8 cubic feet). The Frontier Crew Cab longbed has a much larger cargo box than the Tacoma Double Cab longbed (49.2 vs. 42.6 cubic feet).

The Frontier’s cargo box is larger than the Tacoma’s in almost every dimension:

Both the Frontier and Tacoma have bed indentations that accommodate 2x4’s for two-tiered loading, but the Frontier also has indentations to separate the cargo box into three different sections length-wise.

The Frontier’s minimum standard towing capacity is much higher than the Tacoma’s (6240 vs. 3500 pounds).

A Trailer Sway Control is standard on all models of the Frontier, using the Vehicle Dynamic Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. Only the Tacoma V6 offers a trailer sway program.

The Frontier Crew Cab 4x4 has a higher standard payload capacity than the Tacoma Short Bed Double Cab 4x4 (1290 vs. 1135 lbs.).

The Frontier uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Tacoma uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

The Frontier offers a remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Tacoma doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The Frontier’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Tacoma does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The Frontier’s speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Tacoma’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Frontier has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. The Tacoma only offers an automatic headlight on/off feature as an extra cost option.

On extremely cold winter days, the Frontier’s optional (except S) heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The Tacoma doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The Frontier Crew Cab has a standard center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The Tacoma doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Frontier second among midsize pickups in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Tacoma isn’t in the top three.