Testing Driving Frontier & Tacoma V6 4X2 Crew/DoubleCab

cdevor · Jun 12th, 2005, 03:23 PM

This is a bit long, but needed to give my views and get some feedback before purchase.

The family is in the market for a crew/double cab truck. I wanted to give my impressions after test driving both this weekend and see what feedback I receive regarding my impressions.

Quality - The quality of both seemed to be about equal. I could not give a clear edge to either one. Both had nice interiors and the outside of both looked good.

Adjustability - Reaching the pedals and adjusting mirrors seemed to be easy enough in both. We liked the shifting action of the Froniter A/T better than the Tacoma. The Tacoma had you moving the shifter more like a manual transmission. Edge Frontier.

Roominess - Both Crew and Doublecab had plenty of room for the 5 of us. The kids sit comfortably in the rear as did I when test driving.

Engine Response - Seemed to be good in both. We considered them equal. 4.0L V6 in both.

Transmission - Both have 5spd Overdrive. They seemed to be about equal. However, due to the different action of the shifter we liked the Frontier in this one. Edge Frontier.

Noise - Cabin noise seemed to be minimal and both compared favorably. We couldn't choose one over the other in this area so we considered them equal.

Handling - The Frontier is a bit harder to manuever in a crowded parking lot. The turning radius is a bit larger than the Tacoma. Edge Tacoma.

Braking - We gave both hard tests in the braking area. We slammed the brakes a few times when coming to a hard stop to test the ABS. Both seemed to do well. The only reason that Frontier edges out Tacoma in this area is that Frontier has 4 wheel disc brakes with ABS, and Tacoma has front disc/rear drum ABS. Edge Frontier.

Ride Quality - The Frontier was a little springy on the in town drive. It seemed to give more bounce than the Tacoma in the under 40 mph range. When on the freeway, both rode about the same. Not sure why this was. Edge Tacoma.

Rear Window - We liked the Frontier in that it had the rear window defrost. We wished that either offered a full power rear sliding window like the bigger models. We don't care for the small sliding window and Tacoma only offers the rear defrost as an aftermarket accesssory. Edge Frontier.

Locking Tailgate - The Frontier has a locking tailgate and the Tacoma's at our local Toyota Truck Center did not have this feature. Important to us for securing cargo. Edge Frontier.

MPG - Both seemed to be rated about the same with Frontier being 17/21 and Toyota being 18/22. Not a huge difference in our minds.

Color - The SE Frontier seemed to limited in the colors that we liked. We liked the red, but the blue is not offered in the SE. We can live with red, but don't understand the limitation. Tacoma offered many. Edge Tacoma.

Cruise Control - Frontier is offered on the steering wheel, the Tacoma is mounted to the steering column and is a bit awkward. It was pointed out that the Toyota is more like an aftermarket install even though it was factory installed. Edge Frontier.

Bed Length - The Frontier is offered only as a SB and the Tacoma comes in both SB and LB. I am not sure this really will matter to us in the end, but edge to Tacoma.

Engine Components - The Frontier and Nissan's in general are built with a timing chain as opposed to a timing belt. The Tacoma is built with a timing belt. I've had enough belts either replaced or break that I know this is not fun or cheap. A chain would theoretcially last longer, possibly as long as I owned the vehicle. Edge Frontier.

As my wife and I went through our test drive checklist and what we are looking for, it seemed the Frontier edged the Tacoma and we were surprised.
I am sure there are other factors to consider and I would appreciate any advice.

jerryp58 · Jun 12th, 2005, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cdevor

This is a bit long, but needed to give my views and get some feedback before purchase.

The family is in the market for a crew/double cab truck. I wanted to give my impressions after test driving both this weekend and see what feedback I receive regarding my impressions.

Quality - The quality of both seemed to be about equal. I could not give a clear edge to either one. Both had nice interiors and the outside of both looked good.

Adjustability - Reaching the pedals and adjusting mirrors seemed to be easy enough in both. We liked the shifting action of the Froniter A/T better than the Tacoma. The Tacoma had you moving the shifter more like a manual transmission. Edge Frontier.

Roominess - Both Crew and Doublecab had plenty of room for the 5 of us. The kids sit comfortably in the rear as did I when test driving.

Engine Response - Seemed to be good in both. We considered them equal. 4.0L V6 in both.

Transmission - Both have 5spd Overdrive. They seemed to be about equal. However, due to the different action of the shifter we liked the Frontier in this one. Edge Frontier.

Noise - Cabin noise seemed to be minimal and both compared favorably. We couldn't choose one over the other in this area so we considered them equal.

Handling - The Frontier is a bit harder to manuever in a crowded parking lot. The turning radius is a bit larger than the Tacoma. Edge Tacoma.

Braking - We gave both hard tests in the braking area. We slammed the brakes a few times when coming to a hard stop to test the ABS. Both seemed to do well. The only reason that Frontier edges out Tacoma in this area is that Frontier has 4 wheel disc brakes with ABS, and Tacoma has front disc/rear drum ABS. Edge Frontier.

Ride Quality - The Frontier was a little springy on the in town drive. It seemed to give more bounce than the Tacoma in the under 40 mph range. When on the freeway, both rode about the same. Not sure why this was. Edge Tacoma.

Rear Window - We liked the Frontier in that it had the rear window defrost. We wished that either offered a full power rear sliding window like the bigger models. We don't care for the small sliding window and Tacoma only offers the rear defrost as an aftermarket accesssory. Edge Frontier.

Locking Tailgate - The Frontier has a locking tailgate and the Tacoma's at our local Toyota Truck Center did not have this feature. Important to us for securing cargo. Edge Frontier.

MPG - Both seemed to be rated about the same with Frontier being 17/21 and Toyota being 18/22. Not a huge difference in our minds.

Color - The SE Frontier seemed to limited in the colors that we liked. We liked the red, but the blue is not offered in the SE. We can live with red, but don't understand the limitation. Tacoma offered many. Edge Tacoma.

Cruise Control - Frontier is offered on the steering wheel, the Tacoma is mounted to the steering column and is a bit awkward. It was pointed out that the Toyota is more like an aftermarket install even though it was factory installed. Edge Frontier.

Bed Length - The Frontier is offered only as a SB and the Tacoma comes in both SB and LB. I am not sure this really will matter to us in the end, but edge to Tacoma.

Engine Components - The Frontier and Nissan's in general are built with a timing chain as opposed to a timing belt. The Tacoma is built with a timing belt. I've had enough belts either replaced or break that I know this is not fun or cheap. A chain would theoretcially last longer, possibly as long as I owned the vehicle. Edge Frontier.

As my wife and I went through our test drive checklist and what we are looking for, it seemed the Frontier edged the Tacoma and we were surprised.
I am sure there are other factors to consider and I would appreciate any advice.

Intersting write up.

Did you happen to see Car & Driver television on Spike TV this weekend? They compared 5 mid-sized CC 4x4s. The chose (from first to last): Honda, Nissan, Toyota, Dodge, and Chevy (I think I got that right). Here's the article.

thezombi122 · Jun 12th, 2005, 09:49 PM

Friend of mine is a QC manager at the honda plant in alliston where they build those ridgelines, Basically a Pilot with a pseudo truck body on it, still sports the FWD based drivetrain with the transverse mounted engine/tranny and the AWD rear drive bolted on... Junk.

that and they cost way too much.

Frontman · Jun 13th, 2005, 12:41 AM

I considered the Taco crew cab with the long bed, but I really liked the looks and ride of the Frontier better. It's a shame that Nissan doesn't make the CC with a long bed because I bet they would sell a lot more Frontiers. To me, the only neat feature of the Ridgeline is the "trunk" in the bed. But IMO it is downright ugly. I kind of rate it in the same category with the Aztek.

05 NISMO 4X4 · Jun 13th, 2005, 07:55 AM

The latest Consumer Reports has a comparison of the same five vehicles, and came up with the same ratings!

What was the price difference between the Frontier and Tacoma, I'm assuming they were equiped pretty much the same? When I was shopping and comparing, a similarly equiped Tacoma was about $2000.00 more than the Frontier!

Have you considered the NISMO Package over the SE? A lot of the "must have" options (like the power package and Limited Slip, electronically locking rear axle) come standard on the NISMO, and it's available in the Blue color you like. When I priced mine, the difference in price was only about $200.00 after I added everything to the SE.

nsfrontyman · Jun 13th, 2005, 08:07 PM

I compared them too and got the Frontier. The Taco is only available with the long box with the auto trans, and would require the SR5 package to be equipped as the SE Frontier is and would cost almost 5k more. As far as the El Camino -er Ridgeline- goes it would add nearly $8k to equip as well as the SE Frontier. It was a no brainer!

05 NISMO 4X4 · Jun 14th, 2005, 06:35 AM

The Ridgeline would make a nice vehicle for someone rich who wants a cushy riding SUZ wanna-be with an open bed for hauling the occasional Petunias! If your looking for a solid built mid-sized TRUCK with plenty of usable options, at a reasonable price, the Frontier is the ONLy truck to meet all those requirements!

I looked at the Ridgeline, and the cheapest one on the lot was $32K! They have some nice features, but there were many more draw-backs.

For me it was a pretty easy decision, I wanted a King Cab/Extended Cab/Super Cab pick-up! I don't need a truck with four full sized doors and room for five, so that eliminated the Honda and all other Double Cab/Crew Cab models from the start. I also wanted something that had some serious off-road capabilities without have to dump a bunch of money into after-market equipment right after dumping a bunch of money into a truck! Interior space, sitting position, and seating comfort were also high on my list. And ultimately the price I was paying for all these qualities played an important part of the decision. I reasearched them all, test drove a few, and the field narrowed quite fast! It ultimately came down to the Toyota and the Frontier, and as nsfrontyman pointed out, similarily equiped, the Toyota cost quite a bit more, and I didn't like the sitting position or seating comfort as much as that of the Frontier.

I truely think Nissan has a clear winner with the Frontier, and if these Magazines could get off their Honda bias long enough to give them an objective chance, I think the Frontier is the clear winner!

cdevor · Jun 14th, 2005, 11:45 AM

Thank you for all the responses. I have gathered quite a few opinions and have checked many forums for both the Frontier and PreRunner.

I did learn that the new Tacoma V6 does finally have a timing chain (new on the '05). The 4-cyl does not. However, it seems even on the Tacoma boards, those who compared the Frontier and Tacoma found the two vehicles to be very favorable. Those who purchased Tacoma's made decisions based upon the bed length among other factors. Also, some who own Tacoma's are 2nd guessing their decisions due to the numerous manufacturing flaws of the new Tacoma. Still they are happy Tacoma owners as it is a good vehicle in general.

I lean towards the Frontier due to the purchase price and the fact that I like the look and feel of the SE Frontier. The Frontier does not recommend a higher octane and the Tacoma does. I would like the LE, except for the roof rack. Maybe some of you can sway me towards the LE as my wife does like the Electric Blue which is not offered on the SE.

Why should I purchase a RWD LE over the SE, besides the color option?

05 NISMO 4X4 · Jun 14th, 2005, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cdevor

Thank you for all the responses. I have gathered quite a few opinions and have checked many forums for both the Frontier and PreRunner.

I did learn that the new Tacoma V6 does finally have a timing chain (new on the '05). The 4-cyl does not. However, it seems even on the Tacoma boards, those who compared the Frontier and Tacoma found the two vehicles to be very favorable. Those who purchased Tacoma's made decisions based upon the bed length among other factors. Also, some who own Tacoma's are 2nd guessing their decisions due to the numerous manufacturing flaws of the new Tacoma. Still they are happy Tacoma owners as it is a good vehicle in general.

I lean towards the Frontier due to the purchase price and the fact that I like the look and feel of the SE Frontier. The Frontier does not recommend a higher octane and the Tacoma does. I would like the LE, except for the roof rack. Maybe some of you can sway me towards the LE as my wife does like the Electric Blue which is not offered on the SE.

Why should I purchase a RWD LE over the SE, besides the color option?

Have you looked into the NISMO Version? It's available in two wheel drive, you can get it in Electric Blue, and it does not have the roof rack! It also comes standard with the power package, BF Goodrich tires (instead of General tires), limited slip rear axle, Blistien shocks, the trip computer, and all the skid plates. If you were looking at the Tacoma Pre-Runner, the NISMO is basically a Frontier Pre-Runner! Actually, the only things the LE has over the NISMO is dual lighted vanity mirrors, body side molding (can be added yourself for $85.00 aftermarket), tubular side steps (can be added for $195.00 aftermarket), Utiliti-Track system with sprayed in bedliner and bed rail caps (can be added for $550.00 from the factory), auto dimming rearview mirror with Homelink (can be added for $225.00 aftermarket) and the option of having leather interior (can be added aftermarket for about $1000.00) and of course the roof rack you don't really want!

Trust me, I went through the same thing! I started out looking at the SE, moved to the NISMO, compared it to the LE and finally decided on the NISMO!

Good luck!

cdevor · Jun 15th, 2005, 08:22 AM

So how does the Nismo 4x2 ride compared to SE 4x2? I would definitely need to drive it and I only found one in the Kansas City area. Most of driving will be in town and highway driving.

05 NISMO 4X4 · Jun 15th, 2005, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cdevor

So how does the Nismo 4x2 ride compared to SE 4x2? I would definitely need to drive it and I only found one in the Kansas City area. Most of driving will be in town and highway driving.

I sent you a response to your private message with a lot more details, but for the benefit of the others here on this board, here's a brief summary:

Before purchasing my 4X4 NISMO King Cab, I test drove a 4X2 King Cab SE and a 4X2 NISMO Crew Cab. This was at a dealership in Florida and they had no 4X4's (which I like when it snows here in Indy), but I did want to see the difference between the SE and NISMO. My impressions were that the SE had a smoother ride than the NISMO and I'm sure it has to do with the off-road Blistein shocks that come standard on the NISMO. The SE felt like it had more power from a dead stop, but that's probably directly attributable to the extra weight of the Crew Cab over the King Cab.

I ultimately decided on the NISMO bacause of the standard features that came on it that could not be easily added with aftermarket parts, i.e. Limited Slip axles, electronic locking rear axle, trip computer, etc. I also personally liked the NISMO wheels over the SE and LE wheels, and the NISMO came in the color combinations I liked. What ultimately made up my mind was when I priced an SE to be equiped identical to the NISMO, and the price was within a $100 dollars or so, and I still didn't have Blistein shocks, skid plates, BF Goodrich Rugged Trail tires and six spoke wheels! I briefly considered an LE, but felt I was giving up a lot just to get body side molding (which I have already ordered), lighted vanity mirrors, and tubular step rails (which I'll be ordering next)! The truck I purchased had just about every option available on a NISMO, so it already had the UtiliTrack, sprayed bed line w/bed rail caps. It also had the Audio Upgrade Package, Traction Package, Tow Package, and side curtain airbag Package! I probably paid the same as a comprably equiped LE, but even if I got te LE, I still wouldn't have had the shocks, skid plates, tires and wheels that come on the NISMO!

As you can tell, I really favor the NISMO, but I hope this helps just the same!

brad1369 · Jun 16th, 2005, 11:34 PM

I have to say, I found the Nismo to be a harsher ride compared to the se/le versions of the vehicle. And since I won't be taking it off-road much, I felt comfort was a prevailing factor in my dicision.

Two errors I noticed in the previous post. Nissan does recommend premium fuel in the frontier for "optimum" performance in the manual. I however have been runnin 87 octane for the past month with little or no performance or gas mileage hits.

second (and I may be wrong on this

. The se/Nismo do not come with the "keyless" entry. The truck IS prewired for it and it can be purchased and installed as an option. IT is a "standard" feature with the LE.

Now, all things considered. I was able to purchase my LE CC with leather for about the same price as the se with all options (no leather) once I was thru working with the dealer. Two points here: I was pre-approved for a vehicle, so I didn't have to hassle with dealer financing. And I was willing to walk out the door if I didn't get what I want.

And for all of you "roof" rack detractors

, I've already used it three times in the 1 1/2 months I've had the truck.

05 NISMO 4X4 · Jun 17th, 2005, 06:58 AM

Brad,

My NISMO came with the key fobs for the keyless entry, and from what I understand, the latest build of the SE with the Power Package also include the key fob. According to all the litature I read and all the research I did prior to my purchase, the NISMO always included the keyless entry, which was one of the reasons I choose the NISMO over the SE, but recent posts in this and other Forums have indicated the SE will be including the keyless entry now.

I agree the NISMO has a harsher ride than the SE (I never test drove the LE), but I didn't find it that bad, after all, it is a truck, and I did get 4X4, so I expected a stiffer ride going in. You didn't mention in your post if you have 4X4 or 4X2, and I would expect the 4X2 would have a much smoother ride over a 4X4 anyway!

Regardless of whether you get 4X4 or 4x2, if you really want to see how much better the Frontier rides (regardless of what trim level you want), test drive a Ford Ranger! The Frontier will feel like a Cadillac in comparison!

05 NISMO 4X4 · Jun 17th, 2005, 05:57 PM

Well, I got a flyer in the mail today from the dealer I purchased my truck from announcing Employee Pricing for everyone! To bad I already purchased my truck and I have no intention of buying another! Seems everyone is jumping on the banc wagon GM started with the Employee Pricing to the Public! Quite honestly, I feel it's just a gimmick, I doubt I would get the truck for any less today than I did two weeks ago!

brad1369 · Jun 17th, 2005, 11:35 PM

Paul,
Cool on the fob. I was hoping I was wrong about that by now. In april, when I bought mine all the dealers I had talked to were gripping about the se's not coming with it. Glad to see it's changed.

I've got the 4x2 le with leather, sunroof, roof rack, etc. I was lucky enough to find one without the rockford system (piece of junk, in my book) cause I am looking at aftermarket anyway. I don't get to do much off roading anymore, and when I do go camping we take the pathfinder anyway.

agreed on the Ranger. Had one of those in the 90's. sway bucket.