Nissan dresses up 2018 Titan Crew Cab with a special Midnight Edition package

Nissan continues to expand its offerings in the full-size pickup class since 2016’s introduction of the redesigned Titan, which now comes in two sizes

– the larger XD, which came first, and the regular half-ton model, which was introduced for model year 2017.

The Titan XD was rolled out originally with just a diesel engine available, then the half-ton model arrived with a 5.6-liter V-8. Now there are three available cab styles and bed lengths, and more choices of packages and options that can dress up the Titan.

That includes the Midnight Edition package ($1,250) that came on our test vehicle, the 2018 Titan SL four-wheel drive Crew Cab (base price $50,360 plus $1,295 freight).

Our tester came with two heated leather captain’s chairs up front, and a leather rear bench seat with 60/40 split flip-up bench seat with under-seat storage and a fold-flat floor.

The Midnight package gave the Titan Crew Cab a menacing look, with its solid black exterior; body-color bumpers, step rails and grille (with dark insert); dark headlights; black fog light trim/ outside mirrors/door handles; special 20-inch, 14-spoke black alloy wheels; black interior trim; and a Midnight Edition exterior badge.

Other extras included the Titan

Box ($895), rear bumper step ($290), Midnight Edition floormats ($205), and electronic tailgate lock ($290).

Under the hood is the Nissan 5.6-liter Endurance V-8 gasoline engine, rated at 390 horsepower and 394 foot-pounds of torque. It gave our Titan SL more than ample power for all the paces we put it through.

The V-8 engine is connected to a smooth-shifting seven-speed automatic transmission. Our Titan SL had the shift-on-the-fly four-wheel-drive system with a two-speed transfer case offering high- and low-range gearing for serious off-road driving.

This truck is shorter and on a different chassis from the Titan XD. It has a wheelbase about a foot shorter than that of the XD and the body is 14.7 inches shorter overall, at 228.1 inches, with the short bed that is standard on the Crew Cab. Also available in the Titan are single cab and King Cab versions.

Titan Crew Cab prices for 2018 begin at $35,680 for the base S rear-drive model, and range as high as $56,300 for the Platinum four-wheel-drive version.

In between are the SV, which starts at $38,820 with rear drive and the SL, $47,280 with rear drive. Platinum reardrive models begin at $53,210.

Four-wheel-drive S models start at $38,710; SV at $41,850; and SL at $50,390 (our tester).

Also offered is the special off-road oriented Pro-4X Crew Cab model, available only with four-wheel drive, starting at $45,920.

Single-cab Titan models, with front seat only, range from $30,030-$36,390, available only in S and SV trims, either with rear- or four-wheel drive.

King Cab models, with a slightly smaller cabin than the Crew Cab, range from $32,000 for the base S with rear drive to $43,740 for the Pro-4X fourwheel drive. The SV rear-drive starts at $36,380. With four-wheel drive, the S begins at $36,030 and the SV is $39,410.

With these new Titans, Nissan became the first Japanese automaker to offer two different sizes of big pickups – one is the standard half-ton, like our tester, and the other – the XD – approaches the size of U.S. domestic heavy-duty pickups.

In addition, Nissan also offers the larger XD Crew Cab model with the same V-8 Endurance engine. The XD lineup originally came only with the diesel.

Diesel models come with a Cummins 5.0-liter turbocharged V-8 engine, cranking out 310 horsepower and 555 foot-pounds of torque.

Until the redesign for 2016, the Titan had been essentially the same since it was launched for 2004. The XD has the