As a 2023 Pro 4x owner. I can say the Frontier aims to be a competent truck and not a class leader. They listened to their owners. Naturally aspirated, hydraulic power steering. Feels and drives like a truck.
I agree, glad you like your 2023. They are built like a damn tank under there :). My dad is in the market for one. He drove it, loved the "feel" of the drive. He currently has an xterra with 215k on it, runs like a top still.
I traded a 3rd gen Tacoma SR 4x4 V6 for a 24 Pro 4X Frontier. I will say, I did have E rated duratracs on the Taco. The Frontier rides so much better. It may not be fair to compare a base Tacoma to a Pro 4X but here we are. It is quieter, feels more solid over bumps, and delivers power so well. Also, the hydraulic steering feels amazing, it adds to the overall solid feeling of the truck. The Frontier drive train is what the 3rd gen Tacoma should have been...the transmission is what every Taco owner wishes they had. The infotainment is also just so much better than the 3rd gen taco. (obviously, the Tacoma came out in 2016 and the Frontier 2022, so again, maybe not a fair comparison) Faults of the Frontier: Terrible back seat posture, worse resale value, smaller aftermarket industry, no storage behind the back seats.
That's great to hear. I have some family members looking at the frontier too, mostly because they don't want a turbo charged vehicle, they keep them 15-20 years and are concerned about reliability of the new stuff. Regarding the hydraulic power steering, I have no idea why people don't want this. As a driver....it's such a nice feel, no comparison. I remember when electric power steering first came out, there was an uproar of people that hated the feel, now people are complaining about hydraulic...what a weird world we live in .
Right on, good choice. They are built like tanks :). My dad test drove one and really liked the way it drove. He's on the fence still because he has a nice xterra still working well for him with the 4.0L.
These are the volume sellers. For every extreme off road edition of these trucks, they probably sell 10 of these lower equipped versions. I'm glad that someone is looking at these lower equipped trucks and comparing them rather than endlessly drooling over $60, 70 or even 80k trucks. Way too many YT channels just want to show off the latest over priced toys for rich folks and forget that these $30-40k trucks are the ones most of us actually buy.
Thanks for the comment, that was my thinking too. I still can't believe mid-sized trucks are in the 40k range. I bought a 2017 Tundra TRD new out the door for $36k....these prices to me are maddening. Wish I had kept that truck now....
Unfortunately for Toyota 30-40k trucks don’t exist.. their base models with less features than all of their competitors are selling for 45k-50k, they’re doing it so they can sell the TRD Pro for 70k. The TRD Pro and the ZR2 were both supposed to be 49k, the only difference is I can go buy a ZR2 right now for 49k, but I can only buy a SR5 for 50k or a TRD Sport for 56k. It’s absurd. Those trucks don’t compete with the ZR2 in any way, and they’re being sold for more? Poorly equipped Base model Tacomas with no features, tiny screens, and baby low power engines cost more than the top tier fully loaded Colorado? GTFOH. Shame on Toyota, this is a massive L and they deserve to flop.. unfortunately that wont happen because people are stupid.
I own a 22 Frontier S 4x4 king cab. I could have bought a higher trim but there is something to say about a simple work truck that makes it fun to drive. I own 40 acres so the animals do not care what size rims I have.
I absolutely love me 22 frontier king cab S. Traded in a 2019 Colorado with the 4cyl for it. And wow what an upgrade. I as well love the base model work trucks they simple and reliable
Great job! Thank you for NOT counting cap holders in the salon, NOT discussing wheel design and similar gibberish other channels do, but talking about really important detailes.
Someday I hope to have enough time/clout to actually get ahold of these trucks and put them on a proper lift to check out. I may have to start renting them to do more thorough reviews :).
If I was placing bets given the data we have so far and my past mechanical experience, the NA engine etc., the Frontier right now might be the best bet for powertrain reliability. Just my opinion. I actually think any of these three would hit 100k with relative ease, but with what downside, who knows. I had someone in my comments posting about how he has to add oil to his 2.7L turbo (Chevy Silverado) and it has 100k on it. He loves the truck, it doesn't bug him to add oil, but to me that's a sign of direct injection + turbo engine/piston ring issues. No telling if Toyota will have the same issues, and even Nissan has direct injection in the 3.8L. If you can get a used/port injection car like the 4runner or older frontier, those have been proven to last over 200k with ease :).
Toyota is a massive L right now, I’m a huge fan of Toyota, always have been.. but what they’re putting out on the lots right now is completely insane when considering their competitors. The Tacomas are all poorly equipped with no features and are priced at 45-50k for base trims with the low power engine, even the non base trims have base trim level equipment, nothing really changes except the price goes up even more. I can go get a ZR2 right now for 49k at my local dealer, or an obscure colored trail boss for 34k, see that’s the difference, they’re priced how they were meant to be priced and that 34k trail boss is a 7k discount, which is awesome. Good luck finding anything like that at these predatory Tacoma dealers. Toyota has lost the plot, they need to reverse course. If they try to come out with a TRD Pro for 70 grand when the ZR2 is down the street for 49k like they both were supposed to be, I not only wont be a fan but I will vocally advocate against them every chance I get. What they’re doing is selling SR5’s and Sports for TRD Pro prices, so then when the TRD Pro finally arrives of course they’re going to sell it for 70k… shame on them, I can only hope nobody will buy it but there’s going to be plenty of stooges lining up to pay a 20k stupidity tax on the TRD Pro’s. Yuck yuck yuck yuck. This year we should be looking at Colorado’s, Canyons, and Frontier’s exclusively, and this is coming from a Toyota fan. Fuck Toyota and their price gouging bullshit for these work truck level builds being sold at or above TRD Pro prices. That’s the definition of pissing on someone and telling them it’s raining. I’ve really kind of soured on Toyota and unlike many I was actually excited for this generation, not anymore.
I agree completely. I have been a toyota fan for a while now but not happy with the direction they are going. The trail boss at $34k is much more capable than the taco, it's not really close. The ZR2/AT4x is just ridiculous off road for a factory truck.
I wish Honda would compete in this segment and also upgrade their Pilot a bit more for performance. They could be a game changing company but really nissan is the leader in quality and features for the proce at this point in my opinion. Nissan has actually done really well as a good price for the value compared to Toyota for a long time. Toyota only had "quality" in its favor which largely meant underperformance. Pretty easy to drive any car like a grandma and have it wear accordingly.
I live in honolulu hawaii. I was at the local Toyota dealer looking at a 4x4 TRD sport crewcab (56k!!!!). There was a Tacoma TRD pro on the showroom floor, sticker was 71k! It sold within a week. I bought a Frontier 4x4 SL for 42k...
@@biggyp808 great choice on the Frontier. It’s a better truck. It will be less headache, and you save a cool 30 grand, and that’s if the Toyota dealer didn’t have a 5-10k dealer markup on it, which in that case you would have saved approximately half of your money by buying the frontier. I really like the Frontier and the Canyon randomly, one pulled up at my dealership today it was an elevation which is a lower trim model but it looked awesome.
I own a ‘23 Pro4X and I love it. Good old fashioned body on frame and NA V6. There’s something to be said that the lower trims still have halogen headlights that anyone can replace the bulb in. Good luck getting any LED headlights replaced for under $1000.
Quick question on your truck. How is the seating are the seat bottoms wide and how about legroom. About to buy something and really like the pro 4x. Many thanks
@user-og9nr1fd9y The seating is very comfortable, plenty of leg room, the back seat is a little too upright, but I didn't buy it for backseat comfort..lol. driver and passenger seat are plenty wide and extremely comfortable. You won't be disappointed..my seats are leather as well.
Thank you for making a truck video opposed to how bright the colors are on the camera or how taking 3 seconds to get online is unacceptable most of us don't expect our trucks to be a laptop on wheels
You went above and beyond for this one crawling underneath trucks haha :). Really liking how simple yet sturdy the Frontier looks underneath. Not that I'm in the market for one but it's nice to see how Nissan is keeping up with the midsize competition, for now I'll just keep racking more miles on to my '17 P4x :)
Toyota does not use plastic oil pans. It is metal. The rear coil suspension is not new. Its new to this application but it has been used in the Lexus GX for years. Looks exactly like my GX460. Its proven all over the world as the Prado.
I didn't think I said it was plastic, sorry about that, maybe I did but that's not what I meant. I was thinking about the transmission pans how some are plastic (nissan/ZF I believe is), and also some other brands like ford have plastic oil pans in the 2.7. I probably should have re-recorded it to make it more clear :).
my 3.6 six speed 2016 colorado z71s been going strong since it left the dealer lot! shes sitting at 132,000 miles now- the frames very similar and you can tell they didn’t fully reinvent the wheel on the 3rd gen colorado. you can see the rear window and third brake light is the same. but that 2.7 turbo should be a decent engine since it’s been used in the silverado for a little while now, i’ve always loved the side steps on the rear bumper- never ripped em off my 2nd gen when on trails around hawai’i and it’s pretty fast on the road too.. overall this new colorado seems like a way better deal than the 2nd gen since it’s got way bigger wheel wells and all the new tech. plus it just looks a lot better to me.
I'm all about Toyotas but I'm disappointed of what they're putting out lately. Who wants a 4 banger truck that is overpriced?? The Frontier looks like a more solid truck and better choice. Never thought I would ever say a Nissan product is better than a Toyota. This is a first.
So far it seems the Frontier is the most reliable IMO, at least anecdotally. I don't hear too many issues with any of the engines on them so far, people seem to like the GM 2.7L..again so far, the nissan is well liked, taco engine from what I can tell doesn't have issues yet either. The GM/Taco have had some reported transmission failures and other issues, but not crazy widespread issues yet. If I was buying purely for reliability, I'd look at Nissan.
I've never seen any rust issues on Toyotas here in Colorado and I'm a few miles from Interstate Toyota. I'm currently looking for a Pro 4x. Ft Collins Nissan has them for $38k and we'll equipped. What worries me is reliability. Is that 9spd gonna hold up?
So far it seems to be holding up. I see reports of new Tacomas with failed transmissions so...at this point I don't think they are any better. I see reports of the Chevy Colorado with failed transmissions too. I think so far, the Frontier has one of the best track records for reliability of the new mid-sized trucks.
Toyota has gone from making quality vehicles with quality materials to making overpriced ipads with wheels. To be fair, this seems to be an issue across all brands, but i had higher expectations from Toyota
Do frontiers have issues with rust ? I was looking at a 2021 with 24k miles at a dealership and I was surprised how much surface rust it had. I didn’t expect to see anything ! Now I’m looking at 22’s and 23s. Should I figure on getting undercoating ?
I'm not sure if they do, traditionally Nissan has not had nearly as many rust issues as Toyota...but maybe times have changed. I think a lot of people get undercoatings anymore. Depends on where the rust is...was it on the frame or just on parts/exhaust etc.?
I want to make a comment about your channel here. I think what you're doing is great, seems like everybody's interesting if I have apple carplay or not, I'm interested in the items you're talking about. The guts. Thanks for making this type of video I think your videos will do well over time. 👍👍
I wonder if anyone has tested the domestics to the point of failure yet? Everyone seems to be concentrating on Tacoma. But no one seems to be driving the competition as hard. I wonder why?
Well, in the TFL case where they broke the front diff in the Tacoma, the trail boss Colorado made it just fine. The Colorado/Frontier have been out longer and had little to no issues so far, people have been beating on them for a few more years than the new taco. I think the redesign/unprovenness of the new tacoma is why it's getting all the focus now, that will wane in the next year or two. If it doesn't have any additional issues, it'll probably still be regarded as the "most reliable" just by default. For me, I don't really consider a truck reliable until you start seeing mass quantities of them hitting 150-200k virtually trouble free. We'll see if any of these can do that :).
The engine in the colorado has been out since 2019 in the Silverado and slightly refreshed in 2022 .Theres enough history that its an ok engine.Trust me as a GM owner if something is giving trouble.like the 3.0 duramax setup you hear it from owners
@@davefornit6235 I had one guy on my channel tell me he has the 2.7 with about 100k on it. He loves it but has to add oil between oil changes which is what I’d worry about, only DI, no Port injection. We will see if that becomes widespread because lots of people never check their oil lol
@@davefornit6235 You might be right on the maintenance, but people that buy these expensive trucks you'd think would be very careful about it. I just watched a teardown on "I do cars", love the engine tear downs there. I was surprised that another Ecoboost, 2nd gen with maybe 80-100k miles had all 6 pistons with the secondary rings frozen up with carbon. The crankshaft snapped, looked like a bad cast, but all of the pistons and rods were fine...just the rings were completely locked with carbon. Could be maintenance issues but, man that is such low mileage. With port injection and no turbos, people couldn't kill half the Toyota engines even when they tried to have poor maintenance :)....times sure are changing.
Thanks for this. Appreciate these views of the undersides and being done on lower trim models. I keep being impressed by GM''s design of the Colorado, particularly the TrailBoss. Only drawback is can't fit 4x8 sheet goods between wheel wells like Ranger. But GM kept a 21 gallon fuel tank versus the Ranger and Tacoma's tiny 18 gallon tanks. Hope GM has good QC.
As far as I know the transmission in the Frontier is build in house by Jatco and is desinged and licensed by Mercedes. That makes sence because there has been a partnership between Mercedes and Renault-Nissan. So it is not a ZF Friedrichshafen transmission.
With how they didn't clean up and so much trash under the trucks... it shows they don't take care of the inventory. They probably had that Frontier doing a few test drives after the roads had been salted, then just parked it without cleaning it at all.
I think you are making a good choice. All I hear from owners on my channel are good things about the Frontier. I haven't had one owner come forward and tell me horror stories, just how much they love them, how reliable they are etc. Not saying the other trucks aren't great too...but the Frontier seems to have the best track record so far.
I live a short distance from the Toyota plant in Baja California - MX and i see the new trucks being shipped on a daily basis. My nephew works in the paint department and the hiring is constant/ non stop for new personnel, of course at Mexican wages
Toyota fan boi here. Normally i would never buy a Nissan product, HOWEVER, I would buy the 2024 Frontier Pro X over the 2024 Tacoma. I don't like that Toyota got rid of their V6.
Thank you so much for this video! I agree in that I find this stuff much more interesting than other reviews out there. Would love to see this on the new ford ranger as well. Do you know if the new ranger has a differential disconnect?
Thanks for the comment. I'm not sure if the new Ranger has that. I need to find one and go shoot a video, others have requested it too :). When I shot these videos, I was unable to locate a Ranger due to low stock around me. Seems the Ranger/Colorado are in high demand.
@@TheCarGuyOnline Awesome, looking forward to that video. Before you do the ranger, look up "2024 ford ranger j-brace". You will find an interesting design flaw/quirk that you'll probably want to address in that review.
@@coltonwood9846 Interesting, thanks for the ideas. It's a bit crazy people are adding j-braces in order to support top mounts....are they really that weak from the factory? Crazy.
@@davefornit6235 You may have a point considering that maybe 9 out of 10 buyers want the SB; I am that 1 though. I have a SB now and I hate the bed length.
I have owned both frontier and Tacoma but I owned a 2014 frontier and I can confirm that the frame is definitely a little beefier than the Tacoma as it’s a boxed frame in almost the entire truck unlike the Tacoma where it was a C shape in most areas. I did get rear-ended in the frontier by a midsize truck going pretty fast. It bent the frame, but it held up a little bit better then I thought best part was it was very easy to fix and The Frontier was back on the road, unlike the guy who hit me which totaled his truck.
The Nissan impressed me I was thinking no way it'd hold it's own against the other 2 but I do like the fact it's a V6 & has buttons & knobs so ya don't have to open apps to turn your lights on etc very cool review that's the stuff I look at first when looking at a truck the underneath always tells a story
I think the epa mpg estimates are done indoors on rollers but i'm guessing the taco airdam has something to do with government mpg mandates. It's very easy to take off, through. I like the frontier best of the current gen midsize as far as bang for the buck.
Looks like Toyota cut corners with light weight splash shields, even the TRD off road is plastic skid plates, not very stout for any type of off road environment. Good overall look of the nuts and bolts below deck! I got a 2023 Tundra SR with zero skid plates, but went with some TRD off road ones that I will be installing because I like to play in the mud!
The odd colored Chevy Colorado Trail Boss’s are selling for 34k right now, you get a bigger screen than any of the builds these Toyota dealers are putting out on the lots, more features than most of the tacos they’re putting out on the lots, and a 16k savings for a truck that’s more capable and far better looking. L Toyota? Never thought I would be saying that. It’s the year of the Colorado/Canyon/Frontier.
You might be right, but there will be the loyal toyota fanbase that always buy just based on brand. I think the issue people have with GM/Ford is their reliability/trust of the engine/transmission etc. No doubt they are making a great looking truck. I do like the infotainment/gauges a lot more in the Colorado than the taco, but time will tell on reliability. I had a guy comment on my channel on the GM 2.7l Turbo, he loves it in his Silverado, but says it has been burning oil since 30k miles, it now has 100k miles and burns a qt every 1000 or something weird. He still likes it a lot but for me, that's a deal breaker. Time will tell if the Taco and others do the same thing with these turbo/direct injection engines. The taco has port and direct, but that doesn't mean it will fix the carbon issues. I think for people that just buy new vehicles every couple of years, or run to 100k then trade, all of these would be fine.
I got my eyes on the AT4X for the first time recently and man it is GORGEOUS… don’t hear a lot of people talking about it, if I were going to pay a premium over the Chevy, that would be the direction I went in, because it’s tangible, you can see it. It’s not just an arbitrary price hike out of nowhere. It’s very clearly an upscaled Colorado with more premium finishes. Even still, the GMC’s look like a bargain compared to the Tacomas. What am I supposed to think Canyon AT4x vs TRD Sport with no features, outclassed across the board, hmmmm very difficult choice! It’s mind boggling really, I can’t quite make sense of it. The math isn’t mathing. low to mid tier tacomas out pricing the highest tier ultra performance models of their opponents? Give me a break. This is what we get as a result of manufacturing in Mexico for pennies on the dollar? Yikes.
On the Nissan, the transfer case is used for the V8 Titan and Frontier... on the front diff, Frontier hold up but the V8 when mudding hard can blow the diff. Most of the parts from the Titan can transfer over to the Frontier (same automatic 5 spd between the two trucks) Hell the Frontier had the VK56DE as well. (edit: sorry my comment was on the A60 and D40, a lot of the 2024 look like the A60 and A61 generation)
Does it seems Toyota is going cheaper? Building less durable trucks ? For the profits over quality? The front skid plate is a good example of going cheaper and less quality?
Yeah I can almost guarantee they had snow just sitting/melting under and in between these trucks this winter, however I don't think they should rust like that in certain spots. I agree, was a little annoyed/worried.
Great and interesting review. Keep doing more like this! I was shocked to see that same felt type stuff on the TRD off road and Toyota actually calling it a composite skid plate.
Hard to see some of it, but the overall essence of the chassis mechanicals was captured very well in this comparison video. Most people probably don't rock crawl with these versions of each truck, but exposed components can get hit from all the crap on roads these days. Road shrapnel versus plastic, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand why protection is needed. Gheesh, think about aerodynamic benefits even if aluminum plates were used to cover exposed parts! Make those plates easy to remove for service and replace, even for aftermarket. Toyota has those two shoulder flange bolts on the TRD front skid plate, and that would be a good place to start on all these mid-size trucks.
Gotta 2024 Solar Octane 6 speed manual TRD Sport Taco, took the chin strap off and it's gorgeous and a hell of a lotta fun to drive in sport mode. Had a 2017 Lariat, 2019 Ranger, Taco is just FUN and perfect for my 6'2" 230lbs frame. I don't do off road, have a Grizzly for that, so this is the perfect truck for me! Cheers!!
Glad you like it. Having a manual is a big plus....almost impossible to come by anymore. Kinda crazy it has uphill hold and rev matching too. Like my old BMWs of 2010 era LOL.
Well done. Bought my son a 2017 TRD Sport new for 31.5k. It's been a great truck with 135k miles and only routine maintenance. When it came time to get my daughter a vehicle I was unsure about theTacoma availability (and price increase) so we went with a 2024 Canyon. Time will tell if we made the right call.
Thanks for the comment. I was pleasantly surprised with the build quality under that Canyon and the Colorado. It really was the only brand that actually seemed to understand the driver might go off road in the non BOSS/ZR2/TRD version :).
I had a 22 Frontier SV Crew Cab. It was nice but I liked the Frontier S King Cab that I had as a loaner so much more than the SV. I wish I got a Frontier S King Cab after my lease was up.
Yeah they are giving discounts on the Frontier, none on the Colorado or Taco, mainly because they are selling fast and don't have inventory like the Frontier.
I agree about the transmission lines id likely swap them out for stainless lines also I think that v under the Nissan was billstien as they supposedly reconfigured some of the chassis & some mounting points on not only the shocks but a few other things supposedly I guess it makes sense but I could be wrong
Nice job on the video! Different perspective than usual but it's good info. It looks like the Frontier was dipped in saltwater. Wow, I'll look under before I buy!
Yeah I probably should have considering that's part of what was in the video. I'll add that to the list of ideas :). I know in my older sequoia having a smaller gas tank is really annoying. It makes it feel like I get terrible mileage when I'm not...
Really enjoyed this video very helpful. I read someone got sand in the Alternator while driving it on the beach {which is a thing where I live} on the Frontier due to the placement glad it isn't a huge issue. That flex tube is horrible that needs to be metal also the rust on the Frontier was shocking they where all the same model years right? I agree I have seen ten videos about the electronics and interiors when someone is looking to buy a truck they should be interested in the things that make it a truck.
Yeah these were all 2024s. We did get a decent amount of snow on those Frontiers and I believe they sat through it a lot of the winter, I can't guarantee that but I still think they shouldn't be showing rust yet.. That Tacoma just arrived in the past week or so I believe, not sure about the Colorado. The Colorado has been selling fast here too, so only one non off-road model that I was able to find in stock.
I really want to like the Frontier since it has a reliable transmission and doesn't have a turbo you gave me a lot to think about thanks for doing this hope others find it helpful.
Great video. It seems like few people care about the mechanical parts these days. I would like to see what you think of the 2024 Ranger in the same comparison.
Yeah I will find a Ranger and some other mid-sized to compare. I tried to find one for this compare but there wasn't one on the lot, they did have hundreds of F150s though
I drove the new Frontier when they came out. What killed it for me was the posture anyone riding in the backseat was forced to maintain. Not comfortable at all.
Yeah the new frame is much larger, however not thicker steel in spots. I was surprised when the Toyota engineers said they used less steel in areas, then reenforced other areas. No telling if other brands are doing the same thing, making large looking frames but less thickness overall in the actual steel. Time will tell how they hold up, but they did appear more beefy (all of them).
I'm 99.99% sure It is built by ZF, probably licensed to Jatco/Merc. I'm 99.99% sure. I've been inside these repairing them before on the 6spd, the pan looks identical too :).
@@0psec From the interwebs... " The 2020-up Frontier 9 speed is a German ZF design manufactured under license by Jatco, Nissan’s transmission company. Many/most parts are ZF. Mercedes and BMW and others also use the same ZF. Mercedes-Benz had nothing at all to do with the engine. Nissan designed and engineered the VQ series of V6 engines three decades ago. The Frontier’s VQ38DD is simply an evolution of that design. Mercedes used to sell a version of the Navara (the cousin of the Frontier in the rest of the world) as the Mercedes-Benz X Class Ute (made by Nissan). But that stopped in 2020.
@@TheCarGuyOnline I'm not seeing zf having anything to do with it. Daimler engineers and builds their own AT. Look up star assembly in Romania. They started doing the 9g there.
To the designers and engineer who designed the Tacoma. Why didn't you just stick to the design of the old one and put in the aesthetic of the new one with the new power train? I wouldn't get the new Tacoma for another 3 years to wait and see. In the meantime getting a used one seems like the wises choice.
Because the old one sucked in all kinds of manners.The engine was subpar in peformance, getting up to speed , towing etc .Yea its reliable.However I want something that can pull a load and not struggle to get up to speed .Our 4 runner tows just like they Tacoma just not something Toyota seems to put a thought into
@@davefornit6235 I wouldn't say it sucked. Just extremely outdated. The tundra was meant for towing and we are yet to see these turbo engines long term longevity. Respectfully it should take them 5 years to make meaningful improvements for max durability. Maybe it's just a matter of chip tuning.
I get ya.Its the price point of the 3rd gen toyota for.me to both tech and performance and even comfort was a turn off to me The 45k they were selling it at opens up to alot of other brands reliabilty or not lol.Because the only thing the internet is used for when it comes to a model of truck or car is to complain about something not so much to say they been trouble free. You look at any model and reviews and its about some issue this or that.
I bought a new Colorado Trail Boss but still own my 02 Silverado I bought new, that new Nissan has way way more rust underneath it than my Silverado, I do live in Arizona but their is no rust whatsoever on the axil frame etc, that Nissan looks horrible considering it’s a 2024 truck! 🤯
Missing the Ford Ranger so this would have been a better video to at least cover the Ranger. I am not a fan of Ford, but I would like to have seen it's differences:P
I will try to locate a ranger, that's the plan. I wanted to include but the dealer closest to me didn't have any at the time. For whatever reason, they have 100 F-150s but nothing mid sized, go figure :).
More and more are buying hybrids and electrics which is why these, to include the mark ups, are sitting there. I hope more electric and hybrids sell so these will be cheaper for me, 😂
Yeah I never hear of issues with the Japan made 4runners, though they are even more old school using the 5spd and 4.0L. They'll ruin the runner in 2025 :).
I went from a proud Toyota truck owner to now a proud Nissan Truck fan boy. Toyota really cheapened their cars and trucks. Toyota deserves to lose and I don’t feel bad at all. Bye bye Toyota.
I think there are sure pros and cons to each. If I could trust the GM engine/tranny, I'd say they actually designed it the best with regard to just being able to buy it and go off road, even in the base model. I used to love GM but had so many issues with them, I had Nissans for a while with zero issues, then I eventually moved to Toyota and had really no issues. Now, I feel like there is so much parity between the brands, they might all end up having similar issues and less reliable vehicles, time will tell, all just speculation :).
As a 2023 Pro 4x owner. I can say the Frontier aims to be a competent truck and not a class leader. They listened to their owners. Naturally aspirated, hydraulic power steering. Feels and drives like a truck.
They're also made in Mississippi
I agree, glad you like your 2023. They are built like a damn tank under there :). My dad is in the market for one. He drove it, loved the "feel" of the drive. He currently has an xterra with 215k on it, runs like a top still.
As someone around nissan dealers alot, i have seen alot of 22-24 frontiers come in with major transmission issues within first 2k miles
@@m_shasta4451there is a recall. No big deal.
@@m_shasta4451what kind of issues?
I appreciate the better look at the undercarriage over the touch screen analysis you gave.
I traded a 3rd gen Tacoma SR 4x4 V6 for a 24 Pro 4X Frontier. I will say, I did have E rated duratracs on the Taco. The Frontier rides so much better. It may not be fair to compare a base Tacoma to a Pro 4X but here we are. It is quieter, feels more solid over bumps, and delivers power so well. Also, the hydraulic steering feels amazing, it adds to the overall solid feeling of the truck. The Frontier drive train is what the 3rd gen Tacoma should have been...the transmission is what every Taco owner wishes they had. The infotainment is also just so much better than the 3rd gen taco. (obviously, the Tacoma came out in 2016 and the Frontier 2022, so again, maybe not a fair comparison) Faults of the Frontier: Terrible back seat posture, worse resale value, smaller aftermarket industry, no storage behind the back seats.
That's great to hear. I have some family members looking at the frontier too, mostly because they don't want a turbo charged vehicle, they keep them 15-20 years and are concerned about reliability of the new stuff. Regarding the hydraulic power steering, I have no idea why people don't want this. As a driver....it's such a nice feel, no comparison. I remember when electric power steering first came out, there was an uproar of people that hated the feel, now people are complaining about hydraulic...what a weird world we live in .
Spot on. The 3rd gen taco drive train kinda sucked, right? Trans shifting all the time, under powered motor....
Awesome review!! Thank you.
I went with a ‘24 Nissan Frontier Pro 4X and love it.
Right on, good choice. They are built like tanks :). My dad test drove one and really liked the way it drove. He's on the fence still because he has a nice xterra still working well for him with the 4.0L.
Great choice
Smart man!!
Got my 23' pro4x for $40k. $3k off. Good luck getting a discount on a new TRD Tacoma
They’re going for 37k near me
@@user-zb7tg5hi3t got mine a year ago
These are the volume sellers. For every extreme off road edition of these trucks, they probably sell 10 of these lower equipped versions. I'm glad that someone is looking at these lower equipped trucks and comparing them rather than endlessly drooling over $60, 70 or even 80k trucks. Way too many YT channels just want to show off the latest over priced toys for rich folks and forget that these $30-40k trucks are the ones most of us actually buy.
The Frontier does not aim to be a rich man's gimmicky tech truck
Thanks for the comment, that was my thinking too. I still can't believe mid-sized trucks are in the 40k range. I bought a 2017 Tundra TRD new out the door for $36k....these prices to me are maddening. Wish I had kept that truck now....
Unfortunately for Toyota 30-40k trucks don’t exist.. their base models with less features than all of their competitors are selling for 45k-50k, they’re doing it so they can sell the TRD Pro for 70k. The TRD Pro and the ZR2 were both supposed to be 49k, the only difference is I can go buy a ZR2 right now for 49k, but I can only buy a SR5 for 50k or a TRD Sport for 56k. It’s absurd. Those trucks don’t compete with the ZR2 in any way, and they’re being sold for more? Poorly equipped Base model Tacomas with no features, tiny screens, and baby low power engines cost more than the top tier fully loaded Colorado? GTFOH. Shame on Toyota, this is a massive L and they deserve to flop.. unfortunately that wont happen because people are stupid.
@@Blue-moon12 But it still has a push button start when I ‘d rather have a turn key. 🫤
@@ChrisDavis333 And their "legendary reliability" is already proving to be out the door with major redesigns on Tacoma, and Tundra before that.
I own a 22 Frontier S 4x4 king cab. I could have bought a higher trim but there is something to say about a simple work truck that makes it fun to drive. I own 40 acres so the animals do not care what size rims I have.
Cheaper to replace tires too, and they are typically better on snow :).
The one thing I wish the S's have is power adjustable mirrors. Man that's a pain when manual.
I absolutely love me 22 frontier king cab S. Traded in a 2019 Colorado with the 4cyl for it. And wow what an upgrade. I as well love the base model work trucks they simple and reliable
Please note, the Frontier does not use a ZF transmission. They have a transmission designed by Mercedes and built by Jatco.
Great job! Thank you for NOT counting cap holders in the salon, NOT discussing wheel design and similar gibberish other channels do, but talking about really important detailes.
Someday I hope to have enough time/clout to actually get ahold of these trucks and put them on a proper lift to check out. I may have to start renting them to do more thorough reviews :).
The main thing for me is reliability, i wish we a crystal ball to see how which trucks will fair for ten years of ownership or at least 125,000 miles.
I’d put dibs on the frontier since it’s got a N/A V6
Frontier all day
Tacoma
Jatco transmission is a no go.@@brianmola711
If I was placing bets given the data we have so far and my past mechanical experience, the NA engine etc., the Frontier right now might be the best bet for powertrain reliability. Just my opinion. I actually think any of these three would hit 100k with relative ease, but with what downside, who knows. I had someone in my comments posting about how he has to add oil to his 2.7L turbo (Chevy Silverado) and it has 100k on it. He loves the truck, it doesn't bug him to add oil, but to me that's a sign of direct injection + turbo engine/piston ring issues. No telling if Toyota will have the same issues, and even Nissan has direct injection in the 3.8L. If you can get a used/port injection car like the 4runner or older frontier, those have been proven to last over 200k with ease :).
Toyota is a massive L right now, I’m a huge fan of Toyota, always have been.. but what they’re putting out on the lots right now is completely insane when considering their competitors. The Tacomas are all poorly equipped with no features and are priced at 45-50k for base trims with the low power engine, even the non base trims have base trim level equipment, nothing really changes except the price goes up even more. I can go get a ZR2 right now for 49k at my local dealer, or an obscure colored trail boss for 34k, see that’s the difference, they’re priced how they were meant to be priced and that 34k trail boss is a 7k discount, which is awesome. Good luck finding anything like that at these predatory Tacoma dealers. Toyota has lost the plot, they need to reverse course. If they try to come out with a TRD Pro for 70 grand when the ZR2 is down the street for 49k like they both were supposed to be, I not only wont be a fan but I will vocally advocate against them every chance I get. What they’re doing is selling SR5’s and Sports for TRD Pro prices, so then when the TRD Pro finally arrives of course they’re going to sell it for 70k… shame on them, I can only hope nobody will buy it but there’s going to be plenty of stooges lining up to pay a 20k stupidity tax on the TRD Pro’s. Yuck yuck yuck yuck. This year we should be looking at Colorado’s, Canyons, and Frontier’s exclusively, and this is coming from a Toyota fan. Fuck Toyota and their price gouging bullshit for these work truck level builds being sold at or above TRD Pro prices. That’s the definition of pissing on someone and telling them it’s raining. I’ve really kind of soured on Toyota and unlike many I was actually excited for this generation, not anymore.
I agree completely. I have been a toyota fan for a while now but not happy with the direction they are going. The trail boss at $34k is much more capable than the taco, it's not really close. The ZR2/AT4x is just ridiculous off road for a factory truck.
I wish Honda would compete in this segment and also upgrade their Pilot a bit more for performance. They could be a game changing company but really nissan is the leader in quality and features for the proce at this point in my opinion. Nissan has actually done really well as a good price for the value compared to Toyota for a long time. Toyota only had "quality" in its favor which largely meant underperformance. Pretty easy to drive any car like a grandma and have it wear accordingly.
I live in honolulu hawaii. I was at the local Toyota dealer looking at a 4x4 TRD sport crewcab (56k!!!!). There was a Tacoma TRD pro on the showroom floor, sticker was 71k! It sold within a week. I bought a Frontier 4x4 SL for 42k...
@@biggyp808 great choice on the Frontier. It’s a better truck. It will be less headache, and you save a cool 30 grand, and that’s if the Toyota dealer didn’t have a 5-10k dealer markup on it, which in that case you would have saved approximately half of your money by buying the frontier. I really like the Frontier and the Canyon randomly, one pulled up at my dealership today it was an elevation which is a lower trim model but it looked awesome.
I forgot to mention the taco had a six speed manual, manual cloth seats, no sunroof...
I own a ‘23 Pro4X and I love it. Good old fashioned body on frame and NA V6. There’s something to be said that the lower trims still have halogen headlights that anyone can replace the bulb in. Good luck getting any LED headlights replaced for under $1000.
this is the best video out there. notice one thing... there is no rust under Colorado. loving it.
Just bought the 2024 Nissan Frontier Pro 4X a month ago, fully loaded with every option, $45k out the door and loving it so far.
Quick question on your truck. How is the seating are the seat bottoms wide and how about legroom. About to buy something and really like the pro 4x. Many thanks
@user-og9nr1fd9y The seating is very comfortable, plenty of leg room, the back seat is a little too upright, but I didn't buy it for backseat comfort..lol. driver and passenger seat are plenty wide and extremely comfortable. You won't be disappointed..my seats are leather as well.
Thank you for making a truck video opposed to how bright the colors are on the camera or how taking 3 seconds to get online is unacceptable most of us don't expect our trucks to be a laptop on wheels
You went above and beyond for this one crawling underneath trucks haha :). Really liking how simple yet sturdy the Frontier looks underneath. Not that I'm in the market for one but it's nice to see how Nissan is keeping up with the midsize competition, for now I'll just keep racking more miles on to my '17 P4x :)
I have a 2020 Frontier Pro 4x. I love my truck! Definitely going to hold onto it for many years
Toyota does not use plastic oil pans. It is metal. The rear coil suspension is not new. Its new to this application but it has been used in the Lexus GX for years. Looks exactly like my GX460. Its proven all over the world as the Prado.
I didn't think I said it was plastic, sorry about that, maybe I did but that's not what I meant. I was thinking about the transmission pans how some are plastic (nissan/ZF I believe is), and also some other brands like ford have plastic oil pans in the 2.7. I probably should have re-recorded it to make it more clear :).
Thanks for a real review. Keep doing these. So few do. Subscribed and will recommend
Awesome, thank you. Next time I'll try to get better/clearer video and organize it in a better manner :). I appreciate the encouragement :).
@@TheCarGuyOnline it was fine. Please do other models. Was very useful and no one else does them.
my 3.6 six speed 2016 colorado z71s been going strong since it left the dealer lot! shes sitting at 132,000 miles now- the frames very similar and you can tell they didn’t fully reinvent the wheel on the 3rd gen colorado. you can see the rear window and third brake light is the same. but that 2.7 turbo should be a decent engine since it’s been used in the silverado for a little while now, i’ve always loved the side steps on the rear bumper- never ripped em off my 2nd gen when on trails around hawai’i and it’s pretty fast on the road too.. overall this new colorado seems like a way better deal than the 2nd gen since it’s got way bigger wheel wells and all the new tech. plus it just looks a lot better to me.
Outstanding underbody comparison 👏🏽
Everyone crying about the shock mounts. The Prado and GX have been that way. My 2013 GX460 gets wheeled offer and shocks are fine.
Like I said in the video, it might be fine. I just think it's yet another thing hanging down further than it needs to be.
Same placement just like the 4Runners , FJ Cruiser, GX for years, which is not a problem
@@TheCarGuyOnline at least make it slide over stuff other than plow ..where the seeder ,right.
I'm all about Toyotas but I'm disappointed of what they're putting out lately. Who wants a 4 banger truck that is overpriced?? The Frontier looks like a more solid truck and better choice. Never thought I would ever say a Nissan product is better than a Toyota. This is a first.
Can you please do the same for Honda Ridgeline and Ford Ranger?
Yes. These are so helpful
I'll see if I can get those in a new video, thank you for the suggestion.
How do the engines and transmission reliabilities compare ?
So far it seems the Frontier is the most reliable IMO, at least anecdotally. I don't hear too many issues with any of the engines on them so far, people seem to like the GM 2.7L..again so far, the nissan is well liked, taco engine from what I can tell doesn't have issues yet either. The GM/Taco have had some reported transmission failures and other issues, but not crazy widespread issues yet. If I was buying purely for reliability, I'd look at Nissan.
I've never seen any rust issues on Toyotas here in Colorado and I'm a few miles from Interstate Toyota.
I'm currently looking for a Pro 4x. Ft Collins Nissan has them for $38k and we'll equipped. What worries me is reliability. Is that 9spd gonna hold up?
So far it seems to be holding up. I see reports of new Tacomas with failed transmissions so...at this point I don't think they are any better. I see reports of the Chevy Colorado with failed transmissions too. I think so far, the Frontier has one of the best track records for reliability of the new mid-sized trucks.
Toyota has gone from making quality vehicles with quality materials to making overpriced ipads with wheels. To be fair, this seems to be an issue across all brands, but i had higher expectations from Toyota
Do frontiers have issues with rust ? I was looking at a 2021 with 24k miles at a dealership and I was surprised how much surface rust it had. I didn’t expect to see anything ! Now I’m looking at 22’s and 23s. Should I figure on getting undercoating ?
I'm not sure if they do, traditionally Nissan has not had nearly as many rust issues as Toyota...but maybe times have changed. I think a lot of people get undercoatings anymore. Depends on where the rust is...was it on the frame or just on parts/exhaust etc.?
@@TheCarGuyOnline …. All over but just surface rust. I’ve never owned a frontier but the more I research the more convinced I am it’s a great truck
@@grandmastert01 yeah I’ve heard nothing but good things, owned many Nissans and never had problems.
I want to make a comment about your channel here. I think what you're doing is great, seems like everybody's interesting if I have apple carplay or not, I'm interested in the items you're talking about. The guts. Thanks for making this type of video I think your videos will do well over time. 👍👍
Thanks for that! I really appreciate it.
I wonder if anyone has tested the domestics to the point of failure yet? Everyone seems to be concentrating on Tacoma. But no one seems to be driving the competition as hard. I wonder why?
Well, in the TFL case where they broke the front diff in the Tacoma, the trail boss Colorado made it just fine. The Colorado/Frontier have been out longer and had little to no issues so far, people have been beating on them for a few more years than the new taco. I think the redesign/unprovenness of the new tacoma is why it's getting all the focus now, that will wane in the next year or two. If it doesn't have any additional issues, it'll probably still be regarded as the "most reliable" just by default. For me, I don't really consider a truck reliable until you start seeing mass quantities of them hitting 150-200k virtually trouble free. We'll see if any of these can do that :).
The engine in the colorado has been out since 2019 in the Silverado and slightly refreshed in 2022 .Theres enough history that its an ok engine.Trust me as a GM owner if something is giving trouble.like the 3.0 duramax setup you hear it from owners
@@davefornit6235 I had one guy on my channel tell me he has the 2.7 with about 100k on it. He loves it but has to add oil between oil changes which is what I’d worry about, only DI, no Port injection. We will see if that becomes widespread because lots of people never check their oil lol
Lot of people dont and a lot dont do even base maintenace. I think its going to be a hit and miss with oil consumption.
@@davefornit6235 You might be right on the maintenance, but people that buy these expensive trucks you'd think would be very careful about it. I just watched a teardown on "I do cars", love the engine tear downs there. I was surprised that another Ecoboost, 2nd gen with maybe 80-100k miles had all 6 pistons with the secondary rings frozen up with carbon. The crankshaft snapped, looked like a bad cast, but all of the pistons and rods were fine...just the rings were completely locked with carbon. Could be maintenance issues but, man that is such low mileage. With port injection and no turbos, people couldn't kill half the Toyota engines even when they tried to have poor maintenance :)....times sure are changing.
Excellent. Well done. I'm a Nissan fan in general. Lots of integrity here.
I've pretty much owned every brand and Nissan has never let me down with the trucks. Had such good luck with them.
Thanks for this. Appreciate these views of the undersides and being done on lower trim models. I keep being impressed by GM''s design of the Colorado, particularly the TrailBoss. Only drawback is can't fit 4x8 sheet goods between wheel wells like Ranger. But GM kept a 21 gallon fuel tank versus the Ranger and Tacoma's tiny 18 gallon tanks. Hope GM has good QC.
You still trying to decide which one or did you already get the Colorado?
As far as I know the transmission in the Frontier is build in house by Jatco and is desinged and licensed by Mercedes. That makes sence because there has been a partnership between Mercedes and Renault-Nissan.
So it is not a ZF Friedrichshafen transmission.
With how they didn't clean up and so much trash under the trucks... it shows they don't take care of the inventory. They probably had that Frontier doing a few test drives after the roads had been salted, then just parked it without cleaning it at all.
Great video..... thanks for showing what matters. Going with the Frontier.
I think you are making a good choice. All I hear from owners on my channel are good things about the Frontier. I haven't had one owner come forward and tell me horror stories, just how much they love them, how reliable they are etc. Not saying the other trucks aren't great too...but the Frontier seems to have the best track record so far.
I live a short distance from the Toyota plant in Baja California - MX and i see the new trucks being shipped on a daily basis. My nephew works in the paint department and the hiring is constant/ non stop for new personnel, of course at Mexican wages
Does the Limited version of the Toyota have the ADD? I know its the only model that is a AWD.
Good question I'm not sure. I'll try to find one and get a video at some point.
Toyota fan boi here. Normally i would never buy a Nissan product, HOWEVER, I would buy the 2024 Frontier Pro X over the 2024 Tacoma. I don't like that Toyota got rid of their V6.
Thank you so much for this video! I agree in that I find this stuff much more interesting than other reviews out there. Would love to see this on the new ford ranger as well. Do you know if the new ranger has a differential disconnect?
Thanks for the comment. I'm not sure if the new Ranger has that. I need to find one and go shoot a video, others have requested it too :). When I shot these videos, I was unable to locate a Ranger due to low stock around me. Seems the Ranger/Colorado are in high demand.
@@TheCarGuyOnline Awesome, looking forward to that video. Before you do the ranger, look up "2024 ford ranger j-brace". You will find an interesting design flaw/quirk that you'll probably want to address in that review.
@@coltonwood9846 Interesting, thanks for the ideas. It's a bit crazy people are adding j-braces in order to support top mounts....are they really that weak from the factory? Crazy.
Chevy should have kept the LB option in the Colorado.
Exactly, I ended up with a Tacoma because they didn't have the lb option
Why keep all the options , probably chevys smartest move was to start eliminate all the variants.Less designs to track for different issues
@@davefornit6235 You may have a point considering that maybe 9 out of 10 buyers want the SB; I am that 1 though. I have a SB now and I hate the bed length.
Correct, I am not buying anything with a five foot bed. I am keeping my 2016 long bed Colorado and perhaps add a Frontier long bed
I have owned both frontier and Tacoma but I owned a 2014 frontier and I can confirm that the frame is definitely a little beefier than the Tacoma as it’s a boxed frame in almost the entire truck unlike the Tacoma where it was a C shape in most areas. I did get rear-ended in the frontier by a midsize truck going pretty fast. It bent the frame, but it held up a little bit better then I thought best part was it was very easy to fix and The Frontier was back on the road, unlike the guy who hit me which totaled his truck.
Nice video, I found this very interesting.
Thanks for putting this together.
All the mid sized trucks pretty much kick ass now. Buy the one that you like and never mind the haters.
The Nissan impressed me I was thinking no way it'd hold it's own against the other 2 but I do like the fact it's a V6 & has buttons & knobs so ya don't have to open apps to turn your lights on etc very cool review that's the stuff I look at first when looking at a truck the underneath always tells a story
I’ve seen videos where the exhaust vent hits the ground because it hangs low.
Yeah what a terrible design. Can't believe they did that.
Thanks for the video. Great information.
Love my 19 Pro4X
Gen 2 Pro 4X is unbeatable.
@@theRooster722 agreed 👍
I think the epa mpg estimates are done indoors on rollers but i'm guessing the taco airdam has something to do with government mpg mandates. It's very easy to take off, through. I like the frontier best of the current gen midsize as far as bang for the buck.
I agree, I think the frontier might be the safest option right now for long term reliability. They don't seem to be having issues with the latest gen.
Looks like Toyota cut corners with light weight splash shields, even the TRD off road is plastic skid plates, not very stout for any type of off road environment. Good overall look of the nuts and bolts below deck! I got a 2023 Tundra SR with zero skid plates, but went with some TRD off road ones that I will be installing because I like to play in the mud!
Yeah even my old 2008 Sequoia is more protected underneath...it also has more clearance LOL. They are turning in to pavement queens for sure...
The odd colored Chevy Colorado Trail Boss’s are selling for 34k right now, you get a bigger screen than any of the builds these Toyota dealers are putting out on the lots, more features than most of the tacos they’re putting out on the lots, and a 16k savings for a truck that’s more capable and far better looking. L Toyota? Never thought I would be saying that. It’s the year of the Colorado/Canyon/Frontier.
You might be right, but there will be the loyal toyota fanbase that always buy just based on brand. I think the issue people have with GM/Ford is their reliability/trust of the engine/transmission etc. No doubt they are making a great looking truck. I do like the infotainment/gauges a lot more in the Colorado than the taco, but time will tell on reliability. I had a guy comment on my channel on the GM 2.7l Turbo, he loves it in his Silverado, but says it has been burning oil since 30k miles, it now has 100k miles and burns a qt every 1000 or something weird. He still likes it a lot but for me, that's a deal breaker. Time will tell if the Taco and others do the same thing with these turbo/direct injection engines. The taco has port and direct, but that doesn't mean it will fix the carbon issues. I think for people that just buy new vehicles every couple of years, or run to 100k then trade, all of these would be fine.
I got my eyes on the AT4X for the first time recently and man it is GORGEOUS… don’t hear a lot of people talking about it, if I were going to pay a premium over the Chevy, that would be the direction I went in, because it’s tangible, you can see it. It’s not just an arbitrary price hike out of nowhere. It’s very clearly an upscaled Colorado with more premium finishes. Even still, the GMC’s look like a bargain compared to the Tacomas. What am I supposed to think Canyon AT4x vs TRD Sport with no features, outclassed across the board, hmmmm very difficult choice! It’s mind boggling really, I can’t quite make sense of it. The math isn’t mathing. low to mid tier tacomas out pricing the highest tier ultra performance models of their opponents? Give me a break. This is what we get as a result of manufacturing in Mexico for pennies on the dollar? Yikes.
On the Nissan, the transfer case is used for the V8 Titan and Frontier... on the front diff, Frontier hold up but the V8 when mudding hard can blow the diff. Most of the parts from the Titan can transfer over to the Frontier (same automatic 5 spd between the two trucks) Hell the Frontier had the VK56DE as well. (edit: sorry my comment was on the A60 and D40, a lot of the 2024 look like the A60 and A61 generation)
Had a 3rd gen Tacoma...now own a '24 Frontier.
Could not be happier.
It is better in every way except resale value.
You might actually end up with better resale value with Frontier after this terrible year for Toyota with both 24 Tacos and Tundras
So it's a win win
Does it seems Toyota is going cheaper? Building less durable trucks ? For the profits over quality?
The front skid plate is a good example of going cheaper and less quality?
That rust on the Frontier got me worried a little bit. Boy do I regret selling my 2019 Tacoma TRD offroad 🤦🏼
Yeah I can almost guarantee they had snow just sitting/melting under and in between these trucks this winter, however I don't think they should rust like that in certain spots. I agree, was a little annoyed/worried.
I have a 23' pro4x in TX, no rust issues.
@@TheCarGuyOnline Test driven on salty roads possibly,
Great and interesting review. Keep doing more like this! I was shocked to see that same felt type stuff on the TRD off road and Toyota actually calling it a composite skid plate.
Wow that’s ridiculous
That Taco chin would help plowing snow though.
LOL...that thing would break off in one winter where I grew up :).
Hard to see some of it, but the overall essence of the chassis mechanicals was captured very well in this comparison video. Most people probably don't rock crawl with these versions of each truck, but exposed components can get hit from all the crap on roads these days. Road shrapnel versus plastic, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand why protection is needed. Gheesh, think about aerodynamic benefits even if aluminum plates were used to cover exposed parts! Make those plates easy to remove for service and replace, even for aftermarket. Toyota has those two shoulder flange bolts on the TRD front skid plate, and that would be a good place to start on all these mid-size trucks.
The Frontier looks the best and will likely last twice as long as the 4 bangers! Frontier for the W!
Gotta 2024 Solar Octane 6 speed manual TRD Sport Taco, took the chin strap off and it's gorgeous and a hell of a lotta fun to drive in sport mode. Had a 2017 Lariat, 2019 Ranger, Taco is just FUN and perfect for my 6'2" 230lbs frame. I don't do off road, have a Grizzly for that, so this is the perfect truck for me! Cheers!!
Glad you like it. Having a manual is a big plus....almost impossible to come by anymore. Kinda crazy it has uphill hold and rev matching too. Like my old BMWs of 2010 era LOL.
great video. what nissan dealer was that?
Valley Nissan in Longmont Colorado. valleynissan.com
Well done. Bought my son a 2017 TRD Sport new for 31.5k. It's been a great truck with 135k miles and only routine maintenance. When it came time to get my daughter a vehicle I was unsure about theTacoma availability (and price increase) so we went with a 2024 Canyon. Time will tell if we made the right call.
Thanks for the comment. I was pleasantly surprised with the build quality under that Canyon and the Colorado. It really was the only brand that actually seemed to understand the driver might go off road in the non BOSS/ZR2/TRD version :).
Stop spoiling your kids.
I had a 22 Frontier SV Crew Cab. It was nice but I liked the Frontier S King Cab that I had as a loaner so much more than the SV. I wish I got a Frontier S King Cab after my lease was up.
Discounts for lot rot??
Yeah they are giving discounts on the Frontier, none on the Colorado or Taco, mainly because they are selling fast and don't have inventory like the Frontier.
For me it was Toyota all day long; however, now with the new four cylinder engine, and the blown up price, I’m definitely not so sure.
I agree about the transmission lines id likely swap them out for stainless lines also I think that v under the Nissan was billstien as they supposedly reconfigured some of the chassis & some mounting points on not only the shocks but a few other things supposedly I guess it makes sense but I could be wrong
Nice job on the video! Different perspective than usual but it's good info. It looks like the Frontier was dipped in saltwater. Wow, I'll look under before I buy!
Pretty weird on that one. I'd definitely check underneath if I was buying one...very weird.
As a 23 Tacoma Offroad owner, i will not be getting the new Tacoma. I will be trading in for a Frontier.
Be nice to add the fuel tank sizes also on each model. I know this was a discussion as well for the Tacoma on how they downsized it.
Yeah I probably should have considering that's part of what was in the video. I'll add that to the list of ideas :). I know in my older sequoia having a smaller gas tank is really annoying. It makes it feel like I get terrible mileage when I'm not...
@@TheCarGuyOnline Also is the spare tire. I think they moved from a full one to the cheap donut one.
Really enjoyed this video very helpful. I read someone got sand in the Alternator while driving it on the beach {which is a thing where I live} on the Frontier due to the placement glad it isn't a huge issue. That flex tube is horrible that needs to be metal also the rust on the Frontier was shocking they where all the same model years right? I agree I have seen ten videos about the electronics and interiors when someone is looking to buy a truck they should be interested in the things that make it a truck.
Yeah these were all 2024s. We did get a decent amount of snow on those Frontiers and I believe they sat through it a lot of the winter, I can't guarantee that but I still think they shouldn't be showing rust yet..
That Tacoma just arrived in the past week or so I believe, not sure about the Colorado. The Colorado has been selling fast here too, so only one non off-road model that I was able to find in stock.
I really want to like the Frontier since it has a reliable transmission and doesn't have a turbo you gave me a lot to think about thanks for doing this hope others find it helpful.
I wonder what the new 2025 Nissan frontier will you look like underneath. The 2025 is a new gen Frontier.
Great video. It seems like few people care about the mechanical parts these days. I would like to see what you think of the 2024 Ranger in the same comparison.
Yeah I will find a Ranger and some other mid-sized to compare. I tried to find one for this compare but there wasn't one on the lot, they did have hundreds of F150s though
@@TheCarGuyOnline I saw the 150s also, wonder why. No new rangers here in Pa.
Ehh why they call the frontier a baby titan, it uses the titan frame
I drove the new Frontier when they came out. What killed it for me was the posture anyone riding in the backseat was forced to maintain. Not comfortable at all.
Interesting. Is the Tacoma/Colorado better?
@@TheCarGuyOnline
Honestly don’t know. Went with Ram 1500 with a 32 gallon fuel tank.
Noticed a few lines on the 22 pro4x in the engine ay driver side shaking violently at idle... Didnt inspire confidence
Frame is a lot thicker, love the oil cooler before it goes in filter. its a 4runner rear end
Yeah the new frame is much larger, however not thicker steel in spots. I was surprised when the Toyota engineers said they used less steel in areas, then reenforced other areas. No telling if other brands are doing the same thing, making large looking frames but less thickness overall in the actual steel. Time will tell how they hold up, but they did appear more beefy (all of them).
Great content thank you brother !
Nissan will be way more reliable.. Turbos are expensive to repair
This was cool. Why no Ranger?
Frontier Transmission is a Mercedes Design built by Nissan / Jatco. Not a ZF.
I'm 99.99% sure It is built by ZF, probably licensed to Jatco/Merc. I'm 99.99% sure. I've been inside these repairing them before on the 6spd, the pan looks identical too :).
@@TheCarGuyOnline you sure you aren’t thinking about the pathfinder? That is a ZF
@@TheCarGuyOnlineit's a licenced Mercedes 9g tronic. Jatco makes it as the JR913E and it's in the Titan and new z.
@@0psec From the interwebs... "
The 2020-up Frontier 9 speed is a German ZF design manufactured under license by Jatco, Nissan’s transmission company. Many/most parts are ZF. Mercedes and BMW and others also use the same ZF.
Mercedes-Benz had nothing at all to do with the engine. Nissan designed and engineered the VQ series of V6 engines three decades ago. The Frontier’s VQ38DD is simply an evolution of that design.
Mercedes used to sell a version of the Navara (the cousin of the Frontier in the rest of the world) as the Mercedes-Benz X Class Ute (made by Nissan). But that stopped in 2020.
@@TheCarGuyOnline I'm not seeing zf having anything to do with it. Daimler engineers and builds their own AT. Look up star assembly in Romania. They started doing the 9g there.
What do they all have in common? They're waaay overpriced!!
Thanks
The bean counters left their marks, that's for sure.
To the designers and engineer who designed the Tacoma. Why didn't you just stick to the design of the old one and put in the aesthetic of the new one with the new power train? I wouldn't get the new Tacoma for another 3 years to wait and see. In the meantime getting a used one seems like the wises choice.
Yeah we'll have to wait a while to see how the powertrain holds up.
Because the old one sucked in all kinds of manners.The engine was subpar in peformance, getting up to speed , towing etc .Yea its reliable.However I want something that can pull a load and not struggle to get up to speed .Our 4 runner tows just like they Tacoma just not something Toyota seems to put a thought into
@@davefornit6235 I wouldn't say it sucked. Just extremely outdated. The tundra was meant for towing and we are yet to see these turbo engines long term longevity. Respectfully it should take them 5 years to make meaningful improvements for max durability. Maybe it's just a matter of chip tuning.
I get ya.Its the price point of the 3rd gen toyota for.me to both tech and performance and even comfort was a turn off to me The 45k they were selling it at opens up to alot of other brands reliabilty or not lol.Because the only thing the internet is used for when it comes to a model of truck or car is to complain about something not so much to say they been trouble free. You look at any model and reviews and its about some issue this or that.
Great vidio, like hands on look, real info
Glad you liked it!
I bought a new Colorado Trail Boss but still own my 02 Silverado I bought new, that new Nissan has way way more rust underneath it than my Silverado, I do live in Arizona but their is no rust whatsoever on the axil frame etc, that Nissan looks horrible considering it’s a 2024 truck! 🤯
yeah was a bit odd. It sat in snow for sure, but I don't think it should rust that fast.
I have a 2022 pro 4x been through 2 winters and 0 rust anywhere. Still looks new underneath
@@kennyg7102 Good to know. I almost wonder if my dealer got these from some flood area or something weird LOL.
Missing the Ford Ranger so this would have been a better video to at least cover the Ranger. I am not a fan of Ford, but I would like to have seen it's differences:P
I will try to locate a ranger, that's the plan. I wanted to include but the dealer closest to me didn't have any at the time. For whatever reason, they have 100 F-150s but nothing mid sized, go figure :).
Insane overpriced for what is supposed to be a truck that is no where near what a real truck should be.
Got a 2024 TrailBoss
Lol 4 cylinders trying to get invited to the v6 convention 😂😂😂😂😂😂
More and more are buying hybrids and electrics which is why these, to include the mark ups, are sitting there. I hope more electric and hybrids sell so these will be cheaper for me, 😂
EVs seems like they are on the decline so far in 2024, but hybrids are doing really well, outselling EVs for sure.
TFL definitely shilling for Toyota. Made in Mexico has something to do with it.
Yeah I never hear of issues with the Japan made 4runners, though they are even more old school using the 5spd and 4.0L. They'll ruin the runner in 2025 :).
NISSAN FRONTIER ALL DAY💯
Frontier is the only real reliable midsized truck left
Thanks!
I went from a proud Toyota truck owner to now a proud Nissan Truck fan boy. Toyota really cheapened their cars and trucks. Toyota deserves to lose and I don’t feel bad at all. Bye bye Toyota.
I love that Nissan
omg I though I had a pixel cluster die during this video
Frontier seems more a truck to me
I think there are sure pros and cons to each. If I could trust the GM engine/tranny, I'd say they actually designed it the best with regard to just being able to buy it and go off road, even in the base model. I used to love GM but had so many issues with them, I had Nissans for a while with zero issues, then I eventually moved to Toyota and had really no issues. Now, I feel like there is so much parity between the brands, they might all end up having similar issues and less reliable vehicles, time will tell, all just speculation :).
Toyota has lost its mind with engine and pricing. I will be switching to Nissan.
The Frontier 4X CrewCab