Nissan Titan

The redesigned 2017 Titan comes with a smooth and punchy gas 5.6-liter V8 that is mated to a slick and responsive seven-speed automatic transmission. A V6 engine is also available. The ride is more tolerable than the heavy-duty XD's, and handling is less clumsy. The roomy cabin has a variety of handy storage places, and the rear tailgate is damped--a nice touch. A suite of safety and driver-assistance features is offered, including Nissan's surround-view camera system, blind-spot warning, and moving-object detection. When properly equipped, the Titan tows 9,730 pounds. All 2019 models get a new 7-inch touch-screen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability.

Nissan's first full-sized pickup, the Titan has an impressively large cabin, is relatively agile and offers a fairly comfortable ride, along with a very smooth transmission. From its 2004 introduction, safety features included optional electronic stability control and head-protection airbags. On the negative side, the crew cab's cargo bed is fairly small compared with the competition and payload capacity was a meager 1,105 pounds in our 2004 version. The payload was raised in later models. The muscular V8 provides strong acceleration, but the constant engine and exhaust noise can become tiresome. A 2008 freshening included styling updates and a long-bed version.