The entry-level Frontier and Tacoma are similarly priced with both starting at around $32,000.

However, the cost of the Tacoma escalates pretty quickly from there.

My luxury-oriented 2025 Frontier SL Crew Cab long-wheel-base 4x4 is the most expensive version of the Frontier, starting at $45,610. My test truck priced out to $46,750.

That's comparable in price and content to the middle-of-the-lineup Limited trim Tacoma, which starts at around $52,000 to $55,000, depending on whether or not you opt for the hybrid engine.

My range-topping 2025 Tacoma TRD Pro Double Cab 4x4 test truck starts at a whopping $63,900 and, as tested, cost $68,093 thanks to a myriad of specialty off-road equipment.

The Tacoma and Frontier are both handsomely styled trucks with styling elements evoking the look of their forefathers from the 1980s.

However, the Tacoma test truck's brawny off-road stance and heritage grille with an LED light bar put it over the top for me in this category.

The Frontier and Tacoma are available in two different cab types and two different bed lengths, making them the most configurable trucks in the midsize segment.

While both offer five-passenger seating in their Crew/Double Cab models, Toyota's extended cab model, XtraCab, does not have back seats and can only seat two, while Nissan's equivalent King Cab models can seat four.

The only engine available in the Frontier is a smooth and powerful 3.8-liter, 310-horsepower VQ-Series V6 engine paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission.

All Tacomas are powered by different versions of Toyota's T24A-FTS 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine.

My test truck had the most powerful powertrain option, the 2.4-liter turbo paired with a hybrid system consisting of a 48-horsepower electric drive motor and a small 1.87-kilowatt-hour nickel-metal hydride battery pack.

Together, they produce a robust 326 total horsepower and a whopping 465 pound-feet of torque while sending power through an eight-speed automatic transmission.

The Tacoma and the Jeep Gladiator are the last two pickups left in the US that can be had with a manual transmission.

Both trucks come standard with rear-wheel drive, with four-wheel drive available as an optional extra.

My Frontier and Tacoma test trucks were equipped with part-time four-wheel-drive systems that default to rear-wheel drive but can be manually switched to four-wheel drive.

My Tacoma TRD Pro is rated for 22 mpg city, 24 mpg highway, and 23 mpg of fuel economy in combined driving, which aren't spectacular for a hybrid but solid for a high-performance truck of this size.

My Frontier test truck was much more thirsty, with EPA fuel economy figures of 17 mpg city, 21 mpg highway, and 19 mpg combined.

The Tacoma's hybrid turbo four delivered strong and peppy performance while emitting an impressively throaty rumble. At the same time, the Frontier's powerful V6 delivers smooth acceleration on demand.

Neither vehicle is car-like to drive, but they're civilized enough for your everyday commute. The Tacoma came out on top here thanks to the Frontier's abnormally heavy steering.

Both trucks' cabins are designed to be durable and easy to use, with intuitively placed controls and large physical switches. The material and build quality of both vehicles are excellent.

The Tacoma and Frontier are similarly roomy, but the special IsoDynamic front seats on the TRD Pro trim take up a lot of rear legroom, rendering the back seats unusable for anyone except small children.

Both Nissan and Toyota have really stepped up their games with the updated tech in their pickups. Both trucks come standard with eight-inch touchscreens, but both test vehicles were equipped with upgraded systems. The Frontier's 12.3-inch display looked great, but you could only use 2/3 of its real estate when not running Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

The Tacoma's overall tech suite and massive 14-inch screen are on a different level, with a complex multi-terrain camera system, digital rearview mirror, color head-up display, and configurable digital instrument display.

The Frontier's towing capacity varies by trim, with the highest being 7,150 lbs for the base Frontier S King Cab 4X2. My loaner was rated for 6,700 lbs.

The Tacoma falls short of the Frontier at 6,500 pounds. Hybrid Tacomas max out at an even lower 6,000 pounds of towing weight.

I have to admit, the Toyota Tacoma is a better truck. It's more efficient, more powerful, has better driving dynamics, and boasts a truly impressive array of tech features.

But as great as the performance and efficiency gains from its turbo and hybrid systems are, they also add cost and complexity.

What I really need from a truck is simplicity, affordability, and dependability. And the Frontier is exactly that.

Despite the Tacoma's excellence, I'd buy the Nissan Frontier with its wonderful V6 engine.

The base two-seat Tacoma SR Xtra Cab 4X2 starts at $31,590, while my range-topping Tacoma TRD Pro Double Cab 4X4 test truck starts at $63,900.

Shipping fees and a few optional extras pushed the as-tested price to $68,093.

As a result, Toyota offers the Tacoma with a variety of front grilles and facias.

My favorite is the test truck's heritage grille, which evokes the look of the brand's iconic pickups from the late 1980s and early 1990s.

It has two cab types: a two-passenger XtraCab and a five-passenger Double Cab. It's also available with both a five-foot and a six-foot bed. Most of its rivals, with the exception of the Nissan Frontier, are available only with a five-passenger crew cab and a five-foot bed.

That means it comes with a ton of special off-road goodies like Fox adjustable shocks, a performance air intake, and massive 33-inch Goodyear all-terrain tires with 18-inch black alloy wheels. There are also beefed-up aluminum skid plates and underbody protection for the transfer case and fuel tank.

The seats feature a system of air-over-oil shock absorbers that absorb the impact of rough terrain on the occupants. A special air pump adjusts the firmness of the shocks.

My test truck was powered by a 2.4-liter, turbocharged inline-four-cylinder engine paired with a hybrid system consisting of a 48-horsepower electric drive motor and a small 1.87 kWh Nickel Metal Hydride battery pack.

Together, they produce a robust 326 total horsepower and a whopping 465 lb-ft of torque.

A non-hybrid version of the same engine is available with 228 horsepower, 270 horsepower (manual transmission), and 278 horsepower.

My test truck boasted fuel economy ratings of 22 mpg city, 24 mpg highway, and 23 mpg combined, which aren't spectacular for a hybrid but solid for a high-performance truck of this size.

For all its excellence, the old Toyota Tacoma was a chore to drive. Its V6 lacked grunt, and the driving position was uncomfortable. This time around, Toyota has fixed both.

Power from the turbo four is strong and immediate, with the electric drive motor contributing an extra kick of torque.

Despite being a Toyota hybrid, the Tacoma retains its torque converter and conventional eight-speed automatic transmission. Thus, it drives nothing like a Prius or a Camry, which depends on an e-CVT to drive the wheels.

Instead, it feels more like a regular pickup with an aggressive auto start-stop feature. In fact, I actually forgot I was driving a hybrid at one point and went hunting for the button to shut off the start-stop.

The engine also makes a surprisingly throaty rumble and is one of the better-sounding four-cylinder engines on the market.

Traditional Tacoma interiors are pretty spartan. This one does a full 180. It's got every creature comfort you could ever want in a truck and a few you didn't even know you needed, like seats with shock absorbers and a detachable JBL Bluetooth speaker.

What hasn't changed is that the cabin remains logically designed and easy to use.

The centerpiece of Tacoma's tech package is its massive optional 14-inch touchscreen (base models get an 8-inch unit) running Toyota's latest infotainment system, which is among the easiest to use on the market.

As a result, the back seats in my test truck would be uncomfortable for most adults. This is especially the case if the front seat occupants are taller than 6'0.

There are also USB, 12V, and AC power sockets, and some models even have a built-in air compressor.

That trails the Chevrolet Colorado's 7,700 lb and Nissan Frontier's 7,150 lb rating.

The 2025 Tacoma is a great truck. Toyota fixed pretty much everything that held it back from my good graces with more power, improved driving dynamics, and updated tech.

But the Tacoma's success has always been built on delivering no-nonsense dependability at a reasonable price. It's the very reason my father purchased one a few years ago.

Power, tech, and luxury have never been its calling card.

In fact, they've caused the price tag to skyrocket to levels that may drive loyalists toward its rivals.

As much as I like the fancy new Tacoma, I can't help but feel that they are diluting the secret sauce that made it so beloved.

The 2025 Frontier received a couple of minor styling updates, including revised headlights, grille, and bumper. The Frontier is an attractively designed truck. Its rugged, squared-off looks blend modern styling with design elements like the vents atop the front grille, inspired by Nissan's iconic Hardbody pickups of the late 1980s.

Most midsize pickups are offered only as a crew cab with a five foot-long bed. The Frontier comes in two different cab types (Crew Cab and King Cab) as well as two different bed lengths (five-feet and six feet), giving shoppers the opportunity to customize the truck to their needs.

My Frontier Crew Cab test truck with the six-foot-long bed is the longest version at nearly 19-feet long.

All Frontiers are powered by a 3.8-liter V6 from Nissan's award-winning VQ family of engines. The silky smooth, naturally aspirated V6 produces 310 horsepower and a 281 lb-ft of torque.

With the Tacoma, Ranger, Colorado, and Canyon all powered by turbocharged four-cylinders, the Frontier is one of the last trucks in the segment to offer a V6.

My 4,900-lb test car boasts EPA fuel economy figures of 17 mpg city, 21 mpg highway, and 19 mpg combined.

The Frontier drives like the modern body-on-frame pickup truck it is. It rides well, coasting over bumps with ease thanks to its large tires, and offers a relatively quiet cabin even at high speeds.

The punchy V6 and nine-speed automatic combined to deliver strong and smooth acceleration on demand.

One negative that stood out to me was its abnormally heavy steering, which can make navigating tight spaces a chore.

While it isn't as refined as the passenger car-based Honda Ridgeline, the Frontier is more than civilized enough to be a comfortable everyday driver.

The Frontier's cabin is designed to be durable and easy to use. And that's exactly what it is. Ergonomics are excellent; all the buttons and switches are where one would expect them to be. The big rotary dials and physical buttons made on-the-fly use a piece of cake, especially during cold weather when the driver wearing gloves.

Although monotone and plasticky, the material quality is solid, and everything feels well put together. No errant squeaks or rattles were detected.

The seats, exclusive to Nissan, are engineered to reduce stress on the driver's bones and joints by encouraging the occupant to hold a neutral body position like a person in a weightless environment.

The Crew Cab's rear seats offer a solid 33 inches of legroom, which is on par with the rivals like the Ford Ranger and Toyota Tacoma. Despite the upright seating position, the rear bench was comfortable to sit in. Rear seat passengers also get a power socket and USB plugs, as well as a sliding rear window.

The 60/40 split rear bench folds up to turn rear cabin into a flexible cargo compartment. There's also a cargo basket on the passenger side that's perfect for everything from tools to groceries.

The Frontier's truck bed comes equipped with adjustable aluminum Utili-track cargo tie-downs mounted on rails that are really helpful when you need to secure awkwardly shaped gear.

Infotainment in the midsize truck segment had been pretty neglected until this latest generation of pickups.

The Frontier's new 12.3-inch screen looks great, and Nissan's infotainment system, while a step behind some of its rivals, is solid and pretty easy to use. Unfortunately, its split-screen setup means you can only use 2/3s of its real estate.

However, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which are standard, do have access to the entire 12.3 inches of screen.

An eight-inch display comes standard on the base S trim.

The Frontier's four-wheel-drive system defaults to rear-wheel drive but can be switched to four-wheel drive using a rotary dial on the center stack. The two-speed transfer case offers a four-low setting for when the driver needs additional torque and traction when driving off-road or hauling heavy loads at low speeds.

Four-wheel drive equipped Frontiers also come with steel skid plates to protect the key engine component from rough terrain. Off-road-focused PRO-X and PRO-4X models get additional steel skid plates under the transfer case and fuel tank, as well as heavy-duty Bilstein shocks.

The truck's towing capacity varies by trim, with the highest being 7,150 lbs for the base Frontier S King Cab 4X2.

My SL grade test truck, which is rated for 6,700 lbs, came standard with a class IV receiver hitch member, trailer sway control, and a tow/ haul mode switch.

The Frontier's overall towing capability is on par with that of the midsize segment and should be sufficient for most consumers. You'll need to turn to the full-size truck segment.