The Nissan Frontier and the Toyota Tacoma share the crowded midsize truck segment. They also share the crowded off-road segment with each other, competing closely for dominance both on and off pavement. Each trim level, be it the Frontier’s Pro4X or the Tacoma’s TRD Pro, aims to do one thing: offer up the pinnacle of off-road performance from each brand. The two are festooned with recovery hooks, tough-sounding drive modes, locking differentials, and huge tires.
Putting all this setup aside for a moment, there’s one big point to keep in mind: Toyota’s off-road lineup extends way beyond what Nissan intends for its Pro4X trims, both in scope of capability and pricing. It’s worth acknowledging the more modest (though capable) TRD Off-Road would have been a better direct competitor for the Nissan.
Obviously, with a larger sticker price, Toyota is able to cram significantly more off-road tech and capability into the Tacoma. The front seats have their own suspension system, intended to further smooth out the ride and keep you upright and ready. Ridiculous should be printed across the bed, not TRD Pro. With a combined 326 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque from the TRD’s 2.4-liter turbocharged, hybridized four-cylinder, performance could be described as the same.
Chase Bierenkoven
The truck is fast and intended to be more of a high-speed off-road vehicle than the equally silly Tacoma Trailhunter. Big tires and a low-range option, plus its crazy Fox QS3 internal bypass shocks mean that you’ve got plenty of clearance at almost any speed, and the litany of drive modes makes sure that there’s always another button to push to get a little more traction. An under-appreciated highlight or two? The truck’s stellar off-road cameras mean that the spotter can stay home, and its electronically-disconnecting sway bar results in a buttery-smooth ride at lower speeds.
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The Frontier feels decidedly more old-school. It’s not meant to cater to the top percentage of off-road drivers. This is the kind of truck the occasional off-roader will appreciate. There’s no fussing around with the dual-mode rear seatback shocks or submenus for cameras. That has its drawbacks, but you can appreciate the overall simplicity of the Nissan after being totally overwhelmed by the Tacoma. None of this is to say the Frontier isn’t capable off-road. It’s similarly grippy tires provide plenty of confidence, and approach and departure angles, while not quite what the Tacoma’s are (owing largely to its slightly higher ride height), are enough for all but the most extreme trails. To push the Frontier Pro4X past its limit, you’ve got to be a deeply skilled off-road driver with years of experience.
It’s easy to miss the TRD’s insane power output, but the Frontier’s big naturally aspirated 3.8-liter V6 still packs a healthy 310 horsepower and 281 pound-feet of torque. The truck’s ride isn’t as smooth as the Toyota’s off-road, either, which makes sense given the huge gap in pricing (more on this below). This is most easily felt inside (again, more below), but also immediately noticeable in camera quality. Though the cameras offer 360 degrees of coverage, resolution is so poor you’ll do exactly what I did without a spotter: miss a light-colored rock because the camera is unable to distinguish between it and the sun-washed dirt around it. More than anything, it’s clear Nissan’s budget does deliver a competent off-roader, but one that can’t hope to soar to the nearly excessive highs of the TRD Pro.
Chase Bierenkoven
Chase Bierenkoven
I was glad to get into the Nissan Frontier after my time in the TRD Pro. Its cabin features nicer tech, but I’d happily forgo it for the simplicity of the Nissan’s. The dash is not so close to you that it feels claustrophobic; its windows are not so pillbox-like. The seats are a letdown, though, even compared to lower-tier Tacomas. They offer some adjustability, but break down on long drives. So does the tech, but stay within CarPlay or Android Auto’s interfaces, and you’ll hardly notice.
In back, Frontier passengers will notice much more room than in the Tacoma’s, but it’s still not much. Both feature crowded cabins and high floors, making the back seats best for kids, cargo, or short trips with adults. The Nissan, again, feels built to a much more stringent price point, and kind of occupies that old Toyota niche as a result: things like a foot-operated parking brake harken back to older trucks in a somewhat reassuring way. We all like a little familiarity.
The Tacoma, now, feels shockingly modern. After years of feeling old, the latest generation brings the Tacoma into the modern age. The screens are dazzling, clear, and massive. The dash looks and feels much newer and nicer than the Nissan’s, and is again something that isn’t relegated to this high-dollar off-roader. The shocks are a huge gimmick, frankly, but the seats themselves hold up well. They’re tightly bolstered, which is great for the high-speed off-road driving the Pro is built for, as well as super comfortable. The bolster on the door side is even a bit less severe to ease egress. Where the Nissan feels familiar, chunky, and budget-conscious, the Tacoma feels techy, modern, and in this spec, downright excessive.
Chase Bierenkoven
Chase Bierenkoven
Chase Bierenkoven
While both the Tacoma and the Frontier offer longer six-foot beds, each of these is equipped with a five-footer. These off-road versions come with some bed tie-downs useful for stowing gear, but the Tacoma also offers a luxurious powered tailgate. and a few other premium touches, like the embossed Tacoma text on the bedliner.
As for towing, maximum capacity for the Frontier is set at 7,150 pounds, more than enough to haul any variety of further outdoor toys, like side-by-sides or a small camper. That’s a bit more than the Tacoma’s 6,500-pound tow capacity, so if you’re towing a lot, the Nissan is likely the better choice.
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The elephant in the room here is pricing: as-specified, the Frontier Pro4X seen here costs $48,735, including destination and options. That includes the sweet green paint ($450) and a Pro Convenience package ($1,640), which adds those bed tie-downs, heated mirrors, a trailer hitch and harness, the atrocious 360-degree camera, the bed liner, and more. A Premium package ($3,080) adds a Fender audio system, sunroof, and other luxuries like navigation.
Chase Bierenkoven
The Tacoma is a whopping $67,735. That includes the more a la carte options selection, like a $575 bed liner, $850 tow package, a rear diff skid plate ($355), and a few other items. It’s a lot of money for a lot of truck. The Nissan is so clearly more focused on value that it’s hard to see a scenario in which the Toyota delivers here. Even against a more comparable TRD Off-Road, the Pro4X manages to undercut Toyota.
Chase Bierenkoven
Really, these two trucks represent the summit of each brand’s off-road ambitions. It just happens that one of those peaks stands much, much higher than the other, helped by a much higher price point. Are you the one everyone else turns to for off-road advice, recovery efforts, planning, and execution? Are you constantly called out of your own vehicle to spot for friends? Are you also rich? The Tacoma is the clear choice.
Inversely, would you like to go camping a few weekends a year in the back country, away from all those crowded designated sites with those crappy grills and screaming kids? Do you only head off-road a few other weekends a year, and off down the paved highway to work the rest of the time? The Frontier is about all the off-road truck you’d ever need, and it’ll tow more than the Toyota.
The Frontier feels older, more dated, and less sophisticated than the Tacoma TRD Pro. It’s not a bad thing, but it’s also a credit to Nissan’s Pro4X model that the Frontier even kept up with the Tacoma over a weekend off-road.
Chase Bierenkoven is a US-based journalist with more than five years of experience covering the automotive and transportation industries. From his home state of Colorado, he writes news, features, and reviews of new vehicles, with his work appearing in outlets including Edmunds, AP News, CarBuzz, and AutoGuide. In addition to his writing, Chase manages his own YouTube channel and regularly appears on camera for the publications he contributes to.
