Japanese challengers to American dominance

The Ford F-Series has held the title of best-selling vehiclefor more than four decades, but it was recently dethroned by the Toyota RAV4. Toyota’s push against American dominance doesn’t end there, though. The midsize Tacoma pickup leads its segment, but it isn’t the only Japanese model in contention with Ford and Chevrolet. The Nissan Frontier managed to get an edge over the Ford Ranger last year. There’s a lot to love about the 2025 Toyota Tacoma and Nissan Frontier, but which model presents the best value?

Versatility, connectivity, and affordability

The Toyota Tacoma and Nissan Frontier are outfitted for a variety of use cases, with several cab options and bed sizes to choose from. In contrast, both the Ford Ranger and Chevrolet Colorado are available in just one configuration: a crew cab with a five-foot bed. There’s no single- or extended-cab body style or a longer bed available, and the Japanese midsize trucks are taking full advantage of that fact.

The 2025 Toyota Tacoma is available with a four-door double cab paired with a five-foot bed or a two-door extended cab (XtraCab) with a six-foot bed. Likewise, the Nissan Frontier is also available in two cab configurations. The King Cab features two doors and seats four passengers, while the traditional Crew Cab is a four-door configuration and seats up to five passengers. Either cab option can be paired with a five- or six-foot bed. 

Inside, the Tacoma gets an eight-inch touchscreen display, with higher-tier models getting upgraded to a 14-inch display. Likewise, the Nissan Frontier features an eight-inch touchscreen display, with an optional 12.3-inch screen. Both pickups feature wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility at all trim levels. Premium sound systems are available in both trucks, as is a wireless smartphone charging pad.

As far as pricing goes, both Japanese pickups are competitive with their American rivals. The 2025 Toyota Tacoma undercuts competitors at $31,590, while a new Nissan Frontier is available from $32,050. For comparison, the Ford Ranger starts at $33,080, and the Chevy Colorado is priced from $31,900.

Performance and capability go hand-in-hand

The 2025 Toyota Tacoma and Nissan Frontier pack plenty of power that leads to rather impressive capability across their respective ranges. The former offers a bit more variety in terms of performance, though. While the Frontier comes with one powertrain across the range, the Tacoma’s powertrain can vary based on the trim level and transmission.

The 2025 Toyota Tacoma is one of the few models left in the industry to offer a six-speed manual transmission, although it is limited to double-cab models. When paired with the manual transmission, the Tacoma’s 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine generates 270 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. If power comes channeled through an eight-speed automatic transmission, expect performance to fall to 228 horsepower and 243 lb-ft of torque in the base SR trim. 

Most Tacoma models come equipped with a more powerful 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. That combination delivers 278 horsepower and 317 lb-ft of torque. When properly equipped, the 2025 Toyota Tacoma can tow up to 6,500 lbs. and haul up to 1,705 lbs.

The Nissan Frontier offers a much simpler setup compared to the Tacoma. All Frontier models come equipped with a 3.8-liter V6 engine, producing 310 horsepower and 281 lb-ft of torque. That power is channeled through a nine-speed transmission, regardless of trim level. When properly equipped, the Frontier can tow up to 7,150 lbs. and haul 1,610 lbs.

Toyota Tacoma’s hybrid edge

It’s no secret that Toyota has been giving its lineup the hybrid treatment, and the Toyota Tacoma is no exception. There are five hybrid Tacoma trims to choose from, the most affordable of which is the TRD Sport i-FORCE Max, priced from $46,320. Like in the gas-only version, the hybrid Tacoma comes equipped with an eight-speed automatic transmission. 

Pairing the Tacoma’s four-cylinder engine with an electric motor does wonders for the midsize pickup’s performance. The hybrid powertrain puts out 326 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque, a massive improvement on paper. That hybrid setup adds weight, though, which means that increase in power doesn’t go as far as you’d hope. The hybrid powertrain is optional on some trim levels, but it’s the sole powerhouse on the off-road Trailhunter and TRD Pro trims. If you’re interested in seeing how the Tacoma’s off-road prowess fares against the Nissan Frontier, check out Nathan’s review.

Interestingly, the hybrid version of the Tacoma isn’t all that efficient compared to the standard model, either. While the gas-only Tacoma is rated for 21 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway, the hybrid Tacoma earns better fuel economy on urban streets, up to 23 mpg, but falters on the highway, earning up to 24 mpg. To top it off, the hybrid model can only tow up to 6,000 lbs., 500 lbs. less than the standard Tacoma.

Final thoughts

Despite neither model matching the towing specs of the Chevrolet Colorado and Ford Ranger, both the Toyota Tacoma and Nissan Frontier are giving American trucks a run for their money. One could argue that the variety of available body styles and bed sizes gives the Japanese pickups a distinct advantage over the likes of Ford and Chevy. To put it simply, the Toyota Tacoma and Nissan Frontier are solid middle-of-the-road alternatives to their American rivals.

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