Carolina Auto Program
A red Nissan Frontier PRO-4X crew cab pickup on the Carova 4x4 beach, wild horses grazing far behind it by the dunes.
Nissan Frontier PRO-4X on the Carova beach · illustration

Compare · Frontier PRO-4X · Tacoma TRD Off-Road · Colorado Trail Boss · Ranger · Gladiator Rubicon

Frontier PRO-4X vs. Tacoma TRD Off-Road vs. Colorado Trail Boss: the midsize 4x4 pickups, on sand

The midsize pickups built to leave the pavement: Nissan’s Frontier PRO-4X, Toyota’s Tacoma TRD Off-Road and Chevrolet’s Colorado Trail Boss, with Ford’s Ranger and Jeep’s Gladiator Rubicon alongside. Here is the hardware that matters on sand, what the reviewers found, and how to spend half a day in one on the Carova beach before you buy.

Drive one The numbers

Five trucks, one beach.

A midsize pickup is the easiest 4x4 to live with all week and the most fun on the sand on Saturday. Every one of these has low range and a locking rear axle.

5Midsize off-road pickups
310Frontier PRO-4X horsepower, from a V6
11.1″Gladiator Rubicon ground clearance
45Minutes of Highway 12 each way

Highway 12 is North Carolina Highway 12, the two-lane road up the Outer Banks. The Ranger is shown with Ford’s FX4 Off-Road Package; a Ranger Tremor is reported for 2027.

The five

What each one is, and who it suits

From the reviews and the makers’ own specifications, current model year. Options vary; the truck on our beach depends on the dealer who places it.

A red Nissan Frontier PRO-4X on the Carova 4x4 beach, wild horses grazing far behind it.
Nissan Frontier PRO-4X · illustration

Nissan Frontier PRO-4XThe V6 value pick

The hardware

A 3.8-liter V6 with 310 horsepower and a nine-speed automatic, an electronic locking rear axle, Bilstein off-road shocks, skid plates over the fuel tank, transfer case and front suspension, and Hankook all-terrain tires on 17-inch wheels. 9.0 inches of clearance.

What reviewers say

TFLoffroad asked whether it beats the Tacoma, Ranger, Colorado and Canyon for thousands less; Edmunds took it off-road against the Tacoma TRD Off-Road.

The catch

The oldest design of the group under the skin, and 18 mpg combined.

Who falls for it

The buyer who wants a V6 and real off-road parts without paying extra for the name.

A blue Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road on the Carova 4x4 beach, wild horses grazing far down the beach.
Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road · illustration

Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-RoadThe name everyone knows

The hardware

A 2.4-liter turbo four with 278 horsepower and 317 lb-ft, or the i-FORCE MAX hybrid with 326 horsepower and 465 lb-ft. An electronic locking rear axle, Bilstein shocks with piggyback reservoirs, and a front sway-bar disconnect available. Tires run from 17-inch wheels up to 33-inch Falkens with the hybrid.

What reviewers say

The newest design here, redone for 2024; Edmunds put it head to head with the Frontier off-road.

The catch

About $500 more than the Frontier to start, with destination, and the big tires come with the expensive versions.

Who falls for it

The Toyota loyalist who keeps a truck for 15 years.

A tan Chevrolet Colorado Trail Boss on the Carova 4x4 beach, wild horses grazing behind it by the dunes.
Chevrolet Colorado Trail Boss · illustration

Chevrolet Colorado Trail BossThe lifted one

The hardware

A 2.7-liter turbo four with 310 horsepower and 430 lb-ft, a two-speed transfer case, an automatic locking rear axle, a 2-inch factory lift, 9.5 inches of clearance and 32-inch all-terrain tires on 18-inch wheels.

What reviewers say

The most torque of the gas trucks here and the highest tow rating, 7,700 pounds.

The catch

Premium fuel is recommended, and the skid plates beyond the transfer case shield are options.

Who falls for it

The buyer who tows a boat in summer and wants the lifted stance from the factory.

A blue Ford Ranger with the FX4 package on the Carova 4x4 beach, wild horses grazing behind it.
Ford Ranger FX4 · illustration

Ford Ranger FX4The one with a Tremor coming

The hardware

A 2.3-liter EcoBoost four with 270 horsepower and a 10-speed automatic (a 2.7-liter V6 is optional), and the FX4 Off-Road Package: an electronic locking rear axle, off-road shocks, a steel bash plate and all-terrain tires.

What reviewers say

21 mpg combined, the best of the trucks here with a published figure. Ford’s Ranger Tremor is reported for 2027.

The catch

The FX4 is an option package, not a dedicated off-road trim like the others.

Who falls for it

The Ford buyer who wants a Ranger now, or wants to wait for the Tremor.

A gray Jeep Gladiator Rubicon on the Carova 4x4 beach, with two wild horses far down the sand by the surf.
Jeep Gladiator Rubicon

Jeep Gladiator RubiconThe most hardware

The hardware

A 3.6-liter V6 with 285 horsepower, a 4:1 transfer case, locking front and rear axles, an electronic sway-bar disconnect, 33-inch tires and 11.1 inches of clearance. For 2027 the Rubicon gets a black hardtop and heated seats standard.

What reviewers say

The only pickup here with a top that opens and locking axles at both ends.

The catch

The most expensive of the five, $55,700 for 2027 before destination.

Who falls for it

The buyer who wants a Wrangler with a bed.

The spec sheet, kept short

The few numbers that matter on sand

“Not listed” means the sources we checked don’t say. Starting prices are before options; ask the dealer for today’s number.

Frontier PRO-4XTacoma TRD Off-RoadColorado Trail BossRanger FX4Gladiator Rubicon
Engine3.8-liter V6, 310 hp, 281 lb-ft2.4-liter turbo four, 278 hp, 317 lb-ft; hybrid 326 hp, 465 lb-ft2.7-liter turbo four, 310 hp, 430 lb-ft2.3-liter turbo four, 270 hp, 310 lb-ft; 2.7-liter V6 optional3.6-liter V6, 285 hp, 260 lb-ft
LockersElectronic, rearElectronic, rearAutomatic, rearElectronic, rearFront and rear
ShocksBilsteinBilstein, piggyback reservoirsNot listedOff-road tuned2.0-inch Tenneco
Ground clearance9.0 inchesNot listed9.5 inches, 2-inch factory liftNot listed11.1 inches
TiresHankook all-terrains, 17-inch wheels17-inch base; up to 33-inch Falkens with the hybrid32-inch all-terrains, 18-inch wheelsAll-terrains33-inch
UnderbodySkid plates: fuel tank, transfer case, frontComposite front skid plateTransfer case shieldSteel bash plateRock rails
TopFixedFixedFixedFixedOpens; black hardtop standard for 2027
Fuel economy18 mpg combinedNot listed19 mpg combined21 mpg combined19 mpg combined
Starting price$42,190 (2027) plus $1,745 destination$44,460 with destination (Edmunds, 2026)About $42,600 (Kelley Blue Book, 2026)XLT 4x4 about $41,300 with destination (KBB, 2026); FX4 package extra$55,700 (2027) plus $1,995 destination

Watch them

Two reviews worth your time, not ours

Their videos, their opinions.

TFLoffroad puts the 2026 Frontier up against the Tacoma, Ranger, Colorado and Canyon. Plays from YouTube when you press play; YouTube’s terms and cookies apply then.

Edmunds takes the Frontier PRO-4X and the Tacoma TRD Off-Road off-road, head to head. The trucks shown are the 2025 models.

Why this beach

The beach is the road

There is no pavement north of Corolla. Homes in Carova are reached over the sand, so this is real four-wheel drive on soft and packed sand.

The road leg is part of the test. About 45 minutes up Highway 12 through Duck and Corolla each way. How an empty bed rides over the patched pavement matters as much as how the truck floats at 35, the beach limit.

Air down to 18–20 psi. Every one of these floats on soft sand aired down, and digs in when it isn’t.

Questions

Straight answers

Is the Frontier PRO-4X as good off-road as the Tacoma TRD Off-Road?

On paper they are close: both have low range, an electronic locking rear axle and Bilstein shocks. The Frontier brings a 310-horsepower V6 and a slightly lower price; the Tacoma brings a newer design, a hybrid option with 465 lb-ft and bigger optional tires. Edmunds ran the two off-road head to head; the video is on this page.

Which midsize pickup is best in deep sand?

The Jeep Gladiator Rubicon carries the most hardware: front and rear lockers, a 4:1 transfer case, 33-inch tires and 11.1 inches of clearance. Among the rest, the Colorado Trail Boss has the factory lift and 9.5 inches of clearance, and the Frontier PRO-4X and Tacoma TRD Off-Road both have a rear locker. Aired down to 18–20 psi, all five will do the Carova beach.

Which one costs the least?

Four of them start within a few thousand dollars of each other: the Ranger XLT 4x4 at about $41,300 with destination before the FX4 package, the Colorado Trail Boss at about $42,600, the Frontier PRO-4X at $43,935 with destination for 2027, and the Tacoma TRD Off-Road at $44,460 with destination. The Gladiator Rubicon is the most expensive, $55,700 for 2027 before its $1,995 destination charge.

Is there a Ford Ranger Tremor?

Not in the US yet. Edmunds reports a Ranger Tremor coming for 2027. Until then, the Ranger with the FX4 Off-Road Package (locking rear axle, off-road shocks, steel bash plate, all-terrain tires) is Ford’s midsize off-road pickup below the Raptor.

Which one has a V6?

The Frontier (3.8-liter, 310 hp) and the Gladiator (3.6-liter, 285 hp). The Tacoma and the Colorado use turbocharged four-cylinders, and the Ranger offers a 2.7-liter V6 as an option.

Which one tows the most?

The Colorado Trail Boss, at 7,700 pounds. Check the exact rating for the configuration you want; towing figures change with cab, bed and axle ratio.

Can I drive these on the Carova beach before I buy?

Request a date and name the truck you want to drive. We confirm by email the same day whether one is on the sand for your date. Drivers are 25 or older.

Are these the prices I will pay?

No. They are starting prices from the sources listed, before options. On the Carolina Auto Program, our dealer for that brand puts one no-haggle, out-the-door price on a numbered certificate, good for 30 days.

The Carolina Auto Program · Open all year

Torn between two of them? Drive them on the sand.

Request a date
Pick your date

$325 a vehicle for the full five and a half hours, any month of the year. Request a date on the main page and name the truck you want; we confirm by email the same day whether one is on the sand for your date, with the booking link and the online license and insurance check. Questions? Text (252) 564-4218 or email bret@beach4x4.com.

The price
How the savings add up

Our dealer for that brand emails one no-haggle, out-the-door price on a numbered certificate after the drive, good for 30 days. Beat it in writing within the 30 days and we refund what you paid for your experience. Drivers 25 and older.

Order alerts

We email you when factory ordering opens or changes for the vehicle you pick, and only about that vehicle. It is not a reservation.