Nissan Frontier Vs. Toyota Tacoma: Which Truck Depreciates Faster?

Both the Nissan Frontier and Toyota Tacoma start around $33,000 (including destination fee) for the 2026 model year, but they won't be worth that much for long. In fact, as soon as drivers leave the dealership, their trucks will lose some of their original value; they'll continue to do so as the months and years tick by. Yet based on the latest data, one of these two trucks is likely to lose its value notably faster than the other.

The estimated difference in depreciation between the two trucks varies between data sources, but the overall picture remains consistent. The Tacoma is predicted to lose less of its value over a 5 year period than the Frontier, although both models hold their value well compared to best-selling full-size pickups like the Ford F-150 and Chevrolet Silverado 1500.

According to the latest iSeeCars study, the Frontier will lose an average of 35.5% of its value after 5 years on the road, while the Tacoma will lose just 19.9% of its value across the same period of time. That makes the Tacoma the least-depreciating pickup truck on the market according to the study, just ahead of the larger Toyota Tundra. Meanwhile, CarEdge predicts that a new Frontier will lose 37% of its value after five years, while a new Tacoma will only drop 22% in value. KBB isn't so optimistic about either truck's depreciation rates, predicting that the Frontier and Tacoma will lose 52.2% and 44.3% of their value respectively over the same period.

The difference in predicted values between sources can be attributed to a variety of factors, from differences in calculation methodology to assumptions about the average new price each buyer will be paying. The latter factor is particularly important when comparing the Frontier and Tacoma, since the Tacoma has a far bigger price difference between its base and top trims.

Although both trucks start around the same MSRP for a bare-bones, base-spec model, many buyers will be looking further up the trim range to add as much extra capability and comfort as their budget allows. The costliest trim of the 2026 Frontier is the Long Bed Pro-4X, which starts from $44,115 (including a $1,745 destination fee). That price dwarfs the top end of the Tacoma's trim range, where the TRD Pro starts from $66,195 (also including a $1,745 destination fee).

The currently available study data doesn't confirm whether buyers who pick a top-spec Tacoma, which retails for roughly double the price of a base variant, can expect to hold onto as much of their original investment as those who buy a base-spec truck. Nonetheless, average value retention across the model as a whole remains very high, and given that the Tacoma was crowned the most dependable midsize truck on the market by JD Power in 2026, that class-leading value retention is unlikely to change anytime soon.