It seems that Nissan is stuck in the slow lane when it comes to pickup trucks. Debuting back in 2003, we hardly even remember the Titans. And the compact Frontier truck has seemingly been around since the days of Davey Crockett.
But for 2016, Nissan is finally introducing a redesigned truck with the all-new Titan, with a twist. The 2016 Nissan Titan will be offered in both half-ton size and XD, for "extra duty." This new nomenclature describes a Titan engineered to slot between popular half-ton trucks and their commercial-grade, heavy-duty three-quarter ton variants.
Nissan says there are buyers who need to tow heavy trailers, but don't want an expensive heavy-duty truck that's an absolute brute to drive. Properly equipped, the 2016 Nissan Titan can tow more than 12,000 pounds. Like other trucks, there's a lots of helpful towing gear available, like a built-in brake controller and huge towing mirrors. But what's innovative here is an integrated goose-neck hitch, standard on XDs, plus the availability of blind-spot monitoring.
Behind the Wheel
We sampled a top-of-the-line XD Platinum Reserve, powered by a Cummins-sourced 5.0-liter V8 turbodiesel. It puts out a strong 310 hp and an absolute crushing 555 lb.-ft. of torque. It's mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. With figures like those, it is no wonder the engine pulls with confidence. You really only notice the diesel clatter when stopped, although the turbo whoosh is a frequent traveling companion. The Titan will also be offered with gas-powered V8 and V6 engines.
There's no confusing this 2016 Nissan Titan with a light and agile sports car, especially with its very slow steering response.
The ride is firm but considerably more civilized than the typical heavy-duty truck. It's certainly not as comfortable-riding as a Ram 1500, but it's not far off of a Ford F-150.
The Titan also doesn't mess around when it comes to tough off-roading, easily climbing our daunting rock hill.
But there's a softer side, too. The top-shelf Platinum Reserve we drove is very upscale inside, with acres of soft-touch material and finely tailored seats.
In typical luxury fashion, the front seats are heated and cooled. You also get heated rear seats and a heated steering wheel.
The controls are quite spread out, but most everything is reachable.
One interior feature in the 2016 Nissan Titan that's sure to raise some controversy is the somewhat ungainly shifter mounted on the steering column. This looks old-school, but removing the shifter from the center console frees up more space.
Indeed, there's lots of open and covered storage, several cup holders, easily accessible USB and auxiliary ports, and multiple 12-volt outlets. The spacious rear seat can be had with a clever storage system so you can keep valuables out of sight.
The available rear camera gives a 360-degree view, which you'll need when backing up this rig.
The bed has lots of tie-down cleats on tracks to secure cargo. It also offers a power supply and well-placed lights so you can see what you're doing in the dark. Finally, the tailgate is nicely damped and doesn't come slamming down when you open it. All bed details are well done.
Prices for the 2016 Nissan Titan will likely start around $40,000 for the gas-powered V8 XD. The extra-duty model will go on sale in late 2015, with the regular Titan available later.
Whether or not Nissan can convince truck diehards to part ways with the domestic rivals remains an open question. Certainly Toyota has spent a mint in building a high-tech assembly plant in San Antonio, Texas, in an attempt to makes its Tundra as "American" as possible. However, sales of the Tundra have never been spectacular. (The Titan is also domestically produced, being built in Mississippi.) Despite the solid towing and hauling capabilities of the Titan, Toyota's dilemma might be keeping Nissan executives up at night.
