2 new options out there now in the midsize sport truck segment

2005 Toyota Tacoma X-Runner - MSRP starts around $23,500 MPG: City/Highway 16/21 - Max Towing Capacity 3,500lbs








It's larger than its predecessor, with additional four-and-a-half inches of interior room, a four-inch wider track, and a wheelbase that's five inches longer. Tacoma will be available in regular, extended, and crew cab form with 4- and 6-cylinder power. The X-Runner chassis will sit about an inch lower than the regular Tacoma. The only powertrain available is a 240-horsepower 4.0-liter V6 engine mated to a six-speed manual transmission. Available later is an optional TRD supercharger, which ups horsepower to 300 and drops the 0 to 60 mph time to 6.0 seconds. Anti-lock brakes will be standard on the X-Runner, and options on all Tacomas will include a vehicle stability control system as well as side-curtain airbags.

Unlike other Tacomas with two-wheel-drive, the X-Runner is slammed one inch, rides on 18-inch 45-series performance tires(Bridgestone Potenza RE 050A) and employs firmer and shorter springs with specially tuned Bilstein gas shocks. The rear shocks are mounted outboard of the frame rails, similar to the 2004 Ford F-150, for increased vehicle stability. Front and rear stabilizer bars are standard, as well as a limited-slip differential.

Toyota claims that roadholding exceeds 0.9 g’s of lateral acceleration.


2005 Nissan Frontier - the new Frontier’s tow rating is at 5,500 lbs (also subject to change before production) - MSRP: Unknown, MPG:Unknown






265 horsepower and 284 lb-ft of torque - 6 speed manual option

And finally Nissan has now decided it was time for the VQ (all-aluminum, DOHC, and 24 valves) to go into the new Frontier. For the V-6 models, Nissan bumped the already large 3.5 liter displacement to 4 liters! This larger V-6 features the usual VQ formula for success: Continuous Valve Timing Control (C-VTC), Nissan variable Induction Control System (NICS), silent and long-life timing chain, microfinished camshaft and crankshaft surfaces, moly-coated pistons, resin intake manifold, cross flow engine coolant pattern, high capacity muffler, and platinum-tipped spark plugs.

Nissan, in their usual mind game with other manufacturers, won’t announce final horsepower figures until the vehicle is close to release. They’re giving out an estimate of over 250 bhp and 270 lb-ft of torque. Uh-huh. If the VQ35DE in the 350Z makes 287 bhp, we’d bet a few dollars the new VQ40DE would (or could easily) crank out over 290 horsepower and a lot more torque. One reason behind the secrecy may be the Frontier’s arch- enemy, the Toyota Tacoma, which will be offered with a factory supercharger option good for over 300 bhp.


Not too big, not too small sizing for most, mid 20k range, enough towing capacity for most needs, HP levels crushing the domestic V6 offerings and closing in on the V-8's, great handling, and fairly economical.

GM, Ford, Dodge need to work on an affordable midsize sport truck


Discuss.