Could the 2022 Nissan Frontier Finally Beat the 2022 Toyota Tacoma?
The Nissan Frontier has long been a mid-size truck that seemed to trail behind the competition. That is understandable because until recently, the Frontier was a pickup that was over a decade old. But for 2022, it appears buyers are flocking to the new Frontier with its standard V6 engine and updated styling. For other mid-size trucks like the Toyota Tacoma, that means they have been put on notice.
The 2022 Nissan Frontier takes second place
In comparison to the previous model year, the 2022 Frontier has more than doubled its sales for Q1 2022. Meanwhile, models like the Tacoma and Ford Ranger saw sales decline. In order to maintain second place, both the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon sales must be combined under their corporate umbrella as General Motors vehicles.
When it comes to exact sales numbers, over 22,000 Frontier units were moved within the first quarter of 2022. Now, Toyota was able to sell an impressive number of Tacoma pickup trucks, but sales were down about 20%. If Toyota hopes to stay in first place, the brand cannot keep losing sales like that.
Why is the 2022 Frontier a good truck?
There are several key factors that go into making the Nissan Frontier a successful mid-size truck, it comes with a standard V6 engine and has relatively affordable pricing. Each Frontier truck is outfitted with a 3.8-liter V6 engine. With this powerplant, the truck benefits from 310 horsepower and 281 pound-foot of torque. This should be ample performance for most needs of a mid-size truck owner. Because of its powertrain, the 2022 Frontier can tow up to 6,720 lbs when properly equipped.
Better yet, pricing is not too outrageous on the Frontier. The base model has an MSRP of $28,690 which puts it under the $30k mark. Of course, to get a Nissan truck that is more well-equipped, buyers will need to add on the cost of options or higher trim levels.
Is the Nissan Frontier better than the Toyota Tacoma?
For some time, the Toyota Tacoma has been the most popular mid-size truck, which does seem like a good indication that it may be better than the Nissan Frontier. But, sales are not always the end-all-be-all of how good a vehicle is. According to Consumer Reports, the Honda Ridgeline is one of the top mid-size trucks, but its sales year after year are fairly low.
The Nissan Frontier can be more affordable than the Tacoma, and it also comes standard with a V6 engine. In order to get the power of a V6 on Toyota’s mid-size truck, buyers must opt to take on some additional cost as the truck comes standard with a four-cylinder engine.
One area that we do feel the Tacoma outshines the 2022 Frontier is its transmission options. The Nissan Frontier used to offer a manual transmission, but for 2022 hand-made shifts are now a thing of the past. The 2022 Tacoma is one of the few mid-size trucks left that has a standard transmission. Still, it does not seem like that fact is doing the Tacoma any favors when it comes to sales.
