Nissan’s Titan is ready to clash with leading pickups
It takes a lot of guts to show up at a champion’s court and challenge him to a high- stakes game of oneonone. Just ask Nissan, whose Titan has been an also- ran every year since it was introduced back in 2004.
When it comes to full- size pickup trucks, F- 150 and Silverado won’t be taken down easily. Undaunted, Nissan’s back again for another spin. For 2017, Nissan is offering a slightly smaller half- ton version of the Titan in addition to the Titan XD.
Seen head- on, Titan has a smaller face and unique grille treatment, behind which reside active grille shutters for improved aerodynamics. Titan also features aero appendages under its chin, at the trailing edge of the cab and on the tailgate. The tailgate is also dampened so it opens smoothly to reveal a 5.5- foot bed, which offers a spray- in bed liner, lighting, channels with tie- down hooks and lockable storage boxes.
Power comes from a revised Nissan Endurance 5.6- literV- 8, which is also offered with Titan XD. Output is 390 horsepower and 394 pound- feet of torque. A seven- speed automatic transmission routes power to the rear wheels. Four- wheel drive is optional. With rear drive, fuel economy is rated at 15 mpg city/ 21 mpg highway/ 18 mpg combined. Go 4WD and you’ll see those numbers drop by one across the board. Towing maxes out at 9,390 pounds, while payloads of up to 1,610 pounds are doable.
As expected, interior accommodations vary according to the trim package you choose. However, they all share a well- conceived dash configuration and instrument layout. Nissan’s Around View camera system with moving object detection is standard, along with telescoping tow mirrors.
Listed among Titan’s available tech are blind- spot-warning, rear cross- traffic alert, Nissan’s Intelligent Key, dualzone automatic climate control, smart wipers, Nissan Connect with navigation and mobile apps, Siri Eyes Free and a 7- inch color touch screen. Hill descent control, a trailer brake controller and front and rear 110- volt outlets are also present and accounted for. Particular attention was paid to making the Titan ride quietly and more smoothly. The body structure is hydraulically mounted to the frame; additional insulation quiets engine sound, while laminated side glass in the front doors reduces wind and road noise. After a couple of hours on the road, we can confirm the Titan’s agility is quite impressive for a pickup truck. For off- road fans, Nissan is offering a specifically equipped version of the Titan for duty on dirt. Labeled PRO- 4X, its standard equipment includes hill descent control, hill start assist, a brake limited- slip differential and an electronic locking rear differential. Bilstein monotube offroad shocks provide damping. Overall, the 2017 Nissan Titan half- ton pickup is a pretty impressive piece. Is it enough to get Nissan a spot in the all- star game? It’s really going come down to the voting of the fans. Pricing starts at $ 34,780.