Compare the2026 Nissan FrontierVS 2025 Toyota Tacoma

Safety
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Payload and Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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The Frontier has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the Tacoma’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Frontier has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert, helping the driver avoid collisions. Toyota charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Tacoma.

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, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available four-wheel drive and around view monitors.

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:

	Frontier	Tacoma
	Driver
STARS	3 Stars	3 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	29%	42.8%
Neck Stress	360 lbs.	456 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	32%	64%
Neck Stress	258 lbs.	339 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	383/260 lbs.	461/454 lbs.

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

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH moderate front offset crash tests on new cars. In this updated test, results indicate that the Frontier is much safer than the Tacoma:

	Frontier	Tacoma
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	MARGINAL
Structure	GOOD	GOOD
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Chest Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Thigh/hip Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Leg/foot Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Restraints	GOOD	GOOD
	Rear Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Thigh Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Restraints	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL

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

	Frontier	Tacoma
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	13 inches

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

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Frontier third among midsize pickups in their 2025 Initial Quality Study. The Tacoma isn’t in the top three.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 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 second in initial quality, above the industry average. With 31 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is ranked 17th, below the industry average.

Engine

The Frontier’s 3.8 DOHC V6 produces 82 more horsepower (310 vs. 228) and 38 lbs.-ft. more torque (281 vs. 243) than the Tacoma SR’s standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder. The Frontier’s 3.8 DOHC V6 produces 40 more horsepower (310 vs. 270) than the Tacoma’s optional 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder. The Frontier’s 3.8 DOHC V6 produces 32 more horsepower (310 vs. 278) than the Tacoma’s standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Nissan Frontier is faster than the Toyota Tacoma 4 cyl. hybrid gas (automatics tested):

	Frontier	Tacoma
Zero to 60 MPH	7.3 sec	7.7 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	21 sec	23 sec
Passing 30 to 50 MPH	3.6 sec	3.7 sec
Passing 50 to 70 MPH	4.7 sec	5.1 sec
Quarter Mile	15.7 sec	16.1 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	89 MPH	87 MPH
Top Speed	113 MPH	112 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

The Frontier has 2.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the Tacoma (21.1 vs. 18.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Transmission

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

Brakes and Stopping

The Frontier stops much shorter than the Tacoma:

	Frontier	Tacoma
70 to 0 MPH	183 feet	196 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	122 feet	137 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	136 feet	154 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Frontier has larger tires than the Tacoma (265/70R16 vs. 245/70R17).

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.

Suspension and Handling

The Frontier has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Tacoma doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The Frontier LWB SV Crew Cab 4x4 handles at .77 G’s, while the Tacoma 5-ft. bed TRD Pro Double Cab pulls only .71 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Frontier PRO-4X Crew Cab executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.7 seconds quicker than the Tacoma 5-ft. bed Trailhunter Double Cab (27.9 seconds @ .61 average G’s vs. 29.6 seconds @ .55 average G’s).

Chassis

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

	Frontier	Tacoma
Extended Cab Standard Bed	210.2 inches	213 inches
Crew Cab Short Bed	210.2 inches	213 inches
Crew Cab Standard Bed	224.1 inches	226.2 inches

The Frontier is 5.1 inches narrower on average than the Tacoma, making the Frontier easier to handle and maneuver in traffic.

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.

Passenger Space

The Frontier King Cab has standard seating for 4 passengers; the Tacoma XtraCab can only carry up to 2.

The Frontier Crew Cab has 3.1 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Tacoma (100.1 vs. 97).

The Frontier Crew Cab has .2 inches more front headroom, .5 inches more front legroom, .2 inches more rear headroom and .5 inches more rear shoulder room than the Tacoma Double Cab.

Cargo Capacity

The Frontier King Cab has a much larger cargo box than the Tacoma XtraCab shortbed (49.6 vs. 47.7 cubic feet).

The Frontier Crew Cab shortbed has a much larger cargo box than the Tacoma Double Cab shortbed (40.1 vs. 39 cubic feet). The Frontier Crew Cab longbed has a much larger cargo box than the Tacoma Double Cab longbed (49.2 vs. 47.7 cubic feet).

A low lift-over bed design makes loading and unloading the Frontier Crew Cab easier. The Frontier Crew Cab’s bed lift-over height is 33.4 inches, while the Tacoma’s liftover is 34 inches. The Frontier King Cab’s liftover is only 32 inches.

The Nissan Frontier offers an optional rear cargo step, which folds out and allows for much easier access to the cargo area. The Toyota Tacoma doesn’t offer a rear cargo step.

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 has an all welded cargo box to eliminate possible corrosion spots and to provide better chassis stiffness. The cargo box in the Tacoma is bolted through the bed to the frame with large bolts. These bolts are a prime area for corrosion to start as the normal flexing of the truck’s chassis causes them to eat through the finish; they can also snag cargo as it slides in and out.

Payload and Towing

The Frontier’s minimum standard towing capacity is much higher than the Tacoma’s (6760 vs. 3500 pounds).

The Frontier has a higher standard payload capacity than the Tacoma:

	Frontier	Tacoma
Extended Cab	1590 lbs.	1460 lbs.
Extended Cab 4x4	1430 lbs.	1230 lbs.

The Frontier has a higher maximum payload capacity than the Tacoma (1590 vs. 1495 lbs.).

Servicing Ease

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.

Ergonomics

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 SV/PRO/SL 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.

Recommendations

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Frontier third 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.

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