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Nissan Frontier vs Toyota Tacoma: reliability compared

From 2006 to 2026, owners filed an average of 97 complaints per model year about the Nissan Frontier and 236 about the Toyota Tacoma.

Side by side

Nissan FrontierToyota Tacoma
Model years compared2006-20262006-2026
Owner complaints2,0404,957
Complaints per model year97236
Recalls2946
Years to avoid2006200720082006
Best years200920152017202020212022
Most common problemTransmissionSuspension
Crash ratingNo dataNo data
Fuel economy18-21 mpg combined (2026)20-23 mpg combined (2026)

A car that sells more collects more complaints, so the fairest test is the number of years to avoid, which compares each year with a typical year of the same car.

Complaints per model year

2006 Nissan Frontier: 6172006 Toyota Tacoma: 78220062007 Nissan Frontier: 5202007 Toyota Tacoma: 5412008 Nissan Frontier: 1362008 Toyota Tacoma: 45020082009 Nissan Frontier: 372009 Toyota Tacoma: 5202010 Nissan Frontier: 592010 Toyota Tacoma: 29420102011 Nissan Frontier: 642011 Toyota Tacoma: 1862012 Nissan Frontier: 802012 Toyota Tacoma: 29520122013 Nissan Frontier: 482013 Toyota Tacoma: 1252014 Nissan Frontier: 422014 Toyota Tacoma: 9320142015 Nissan Frontier: 332015 Toyota Tacoma: 1022016 Nissan Frontier: 442016 Toyota Tacoma: 32420162017 Nissan Frontier: 382017 Toyota Tacoma: 2452018 Nissan Frontier: 252018 Toyota Tacoma: 21020182019 Nissan Frontier: 282019 Toyota Tacoma: 2192020 Nissan Frontier: 232020 Toyota Tacoma: 9020202021 Nissan Frontier: 212021 Toyota Tacoma: 812022 Nissan Frontier: 1122022 Toyota Tacoma: 5920222023 Nissan Frontier: 682023 Toyota Tacoma: 542024 Nissan Frontier: 232024 Toyota Tacoma: 15520242025 Nissan Frontier: 112025 Toyota Tacoma: 1182026 Nissan Frontier: 112026 Toyota Tacoma: 142026
Nissan FrontierToyota Tacoma

Problems compared

FrontierTacoma
Transmission648738
Fuel system514355
Engine404460
Airbags218288
Electrical204339
Brakes132491
Suspension40768
Body63742
Acceleration74558

Questions about the Nissan Frontier vs Toyota Tacoma

Which is more reliable, the Nissan Frontier or the Toyota Tacoma?

Between 2006 and 2026, the Nissan Frontier has 3 years to avoid and the Toyota Tacoma 1. The Toyota Tacoma has been more consistent from year to year. By raw volume, the Nissan Frontier drew fewer complaints per model year (97 vs 236), though sales volume affects that number.

Which has more recalls, the Nissan Frontier or the Toyota Tacoma?

From 2006 to 2026, the Nissan Frontier was covered by 29 recalls and the Toyota Tacoma by 46.

What years of the Nissan Frontier and Toyota Tacoma should you avoid?

Nissan Frontier: 2006, 2007 and 2008. Toyota Tacoma: 2006.

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