Consumer Reports wasn't very kind to new 2017 Tacoma. It seems a little strange though: they have reliability "poor" for 2017 and "good" for 2016. That's hard to understand given that both are gen 3 (maybe it's due to lack of data points for 2017?). Nissan benefits on the year-by-year maintenance record due to many many years without a major update. I'm calling it a wash between those two. CR's favorite by a wide margin is the Honda Ridgeline, but that truck doesn't even have a usable bed -- it has a sort of elevated faux-bed that hides a trunk.
Rough total out-the-door cost including taxes, fees, etc.:
Tacoma I4 (SR, manual): $25000 (from Sam's Auto Buyers Club dealer)
Frontier V6 (SV, 2016): $27000 (from Sam's Auto Buyers Club dealer)
Tacoma V6 (SR5): $32000 (my current guesstimate; might be optimistic)
I've ruled out the I4. I'm still depressed that I can't have manual transmission w/ V6 in either maker (not without stepping up to super expensive trim level) but maybe it's time to get over myself about that. Tacoma wins on "wow" factor. But I've test driven and am quite happy with both V6s. Neither my wife nor I are bothered by Nissan being "dated". Nissan has better visibility, especially over the hood since they haven't updated (yet) for an aggressive front grill. (Nissan is doing major update for 2018. I expect visibility and camper fit will be worse after that due to new styling requirements.)
I do appreciate the lower depreciation of Tacoma. The flip side of that is that used aren't (in my mind) discounted enough, and car dealers won't discount much at all on new Tacoma (they will on I4, not on V6). Frontier already has lower msrp and dealers seem to be ready to come down $3500 below that for 2016s. At the end of the day, a stripped-down V6 Nissan is at least $5000 less out the door than Toyota. I can do a lot of camping for $5000.
Got a good offer already on 2016 Frontier. At the risk of loosing that, I think I will wait till later this week, or maybe even Monday next week, to take advantage of end-of-the month sales pressure. Still about 6 or so 2016s on lots in a 150 mile radius around me.