This chart compares the ratings you shop on most, using each truck's best available figure. 

The Nissan Frontier's V6, nine-speed automatic, and fully boxed frame are set up for steady work with weight behind you. That makes it a natural partner for weekends spent trailering a boat, a camper, or a pair of personal watercraft down to Buzzards Bay. 

The Nissan Frontier uses a direct-injected 3.8-liter V6 with 310 horsepower on every trim, while the Tacoma relies on a 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with an available hybrid. Six cylinders fire more often per revolution than four, which gives the V6 its naturally smooth, balanced feel. Because it makes power through displacement instead of a turbocharger, response stays consistent and linear as revs climb. 

That steadiness matters most under load. With no turbocharger adding heat and extra parts to the equation, the V6 keeps its power delivery predictable on long towing trips. The Tacoma's turbo four produces more torque, up to 317 lb-ft at a low 1,700 rpm, and its available i-FORCE MAX hybrid raises that to 465 lb-ft with 326 horsepower. The Frontier's V6, built on Nissan's long-running VQ engine family and paired with a nine-speed automatic, answers with 310 horsepower that keeps building as you merge onto I-195 with a loaded bed. 

That V6 and a fully boxed ladder frame let the Nissan Frontier tow up to 7,150 pounds when properly equipped, compared with the Tacoma's 6,500.*** The Tacoma carries slightly more payload, up to 1,705 pounds against 1,590.*** When you are pulling a boat to the ramp at Pope's Island, though, towing headroom is what counts, and the available Intelligent Around View® Monitor adds hitch guidelines for a quick hookup. 

Both trucks offer dedicated off-road grades, and the Nissan Frontier PRO-4X® arrives ready for rough ground with Bilstein® shocks, an electronic locking rear differential, skid plates, and all-terrain tires. Hill Descent Control and Active Brake Limited Slip help you keep steady footing on the sandy, rutted access roads through the Freetown-Fall River State Forest. 

New for 2027, the Sport Edition package brings that attitude to the SV grade with black 17-inch wheels on Hankook Dynapro all-terrain tires, an aluminum skid plate, and LED fog lights. The Tacoma's TRD Pro and Trailhunter go further with specialized off-road suspension. The Frontier Sport, however, puts real trail grip and PRO-4X-inspired styling within reach on a mainstream grade, in either 4x2 or 4x4. 

Both trucks include a standard safety suite, and on the Nissan Frontier, Nissan Safety Shield® 360 brings Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, Rear Automatic Braking, Blind Spot Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Lane Departure Warning, and High Beam Assist. Available Intelligent Cruise Control and Intelligent Forward Collision Warning, which watches up to two vehicles ahead, add confidence on longer highway runs. 

Inside, the available 12.3-inch touchscreen supports wireless Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™, and the updated Qi2 wireless charger delivers faster, more consistent charging with a built-in cooling fan. The Tacoma offers an available 14-inch display, while the Frontier keeps physical knobs for climate and volume that are easy to use with work gloves on.