2024 Nissan TITAN

Full-size trucks are big sellers in the United States. Well, some of them. Like the Ford F-150 and Chevrolet Silverado 1500. Nissan would no doubt love the Titan to be in that gang.

At one time, that might have been an easier proposition. But considering this current generation of Titan launched for the 2016 model year — while rival trucks are more contemporary and keep improving their abilities and technology — the Titan is left in their dust.

What we do like about the Titan, though, is its strong and refined V8, standard safety features, and (believe it or not) lack of choice. Other trucks have all sorts of options, which can lead to a lot of indecision and a higher ultimate price. Choosing which new Titan to buy is a much simpler exercise.

The gutsier Nissan Titan XD is reviewed separately.

This year’s only new thing is the SV Bronze Edition package ($2,980), providing the entry-level trim with various exterior and interior elements finished in bronze and black. The other changes are more to do with subtractions than additions. The previous base S trim and the rear-wheel-drive King Cab variants are gone. The King Cab is available only in SV 4×4 trim. The biggest news, though, is that this is the Titan’s final year of production.

This relatively high starting price buys the kind of power and equipment that base versions of most rivals can’t match. The Ford F-150 starts at around $35K. The Chevrolet Silverado 1500 begins in the high 30s, along with the Ram 1500. The GMC Sierra 1500 starts closer to $40K, the same ballpark as the Toyota Tundra.

Before buying a new Titan truck, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should be paying. Resale values of the Titan are well below average; the Tundra usually tops the tables.

There’s just one engine propelling the Nissan Titan pickup, a 5.6-liter V8 making 400 horsepower. That’s a class-leading figure, although the Toyota Tundra makes more torque: 479 lb-ft compared with the Titan’s 413 lb-ft. And we would argue that torque, the force that produces thrust, is the more important aspect — especially in trucks when they need to get heavy weights moving.

We’ve found the Titan’s V8 to be nice and refined, though, ticking over at just 1,500 rpm when cruising at 60 mph.

Given the high likelihood of someone using a Titan as a work truck, potential buyers will be glad to know that the front seats are wonderfully comfortable and supportive for long stretches. The cabin is also quiet, making life less tiring. We like driving the Titan — we appreciate that it’s a full-size truck, and therefore cornering heroics aren’t in its wheelhouse. It does what it does.

We’ve spent hundreds of hours driving and researching the current collection of full-size trucks, including the Nissan Titan.

Payload and Towing

Maximum payload is 1,710 pounds, achieved by the King Cab. For comparison, the Ford F-150’s best is 3,315 pounds.

With all that power developed by the V8, the Titan’s maximum towing figure of 9,320 pounds seems all the more underwhelming. An F-150 can pull 14,000 pounds. Even the Tundra can manage 12,000 pounds.

Fuel Economy

Rear-drive versions of the Nissan Titan achieve 18 combined mpg (16 city, 21 highway). Adding 4-wheel drive means city driving is thirstier by one mile per gallon. The Pro-4X manages 17 combined mpg (15 city, 20 highway).

The King Cab is a 5-seater with a tight 24.8 inches of rear legroom. The Crew Cab in SV trim has a 6-seat arrangement, with five seats in the Pro-4X and Platinum Reserve versions. The Crew Cab has 38.5 inches of rear legroom. However, most rivals are more spacious, like the Ford F-150.

Taller types will want to sit in a new Titan before selecting the optional panoramic moonroof to make sure there’s still enough headroom. It provides a nice airiness but lowers the ceiling noticeably.

The 9-inch infotainment touchscreen is super sharp. And the digital display in the instrument cluster provides plenty of well-rendered information. In general, the materials aren’t quite of the same quality as the Titan’s more modern rivals.

The SV Bronze Edition package has some interior as well as exterior elements. These include trim pieces in bronze and black, plus special mats.

The King Cab has four doors, but the back doors are hinged at the rear, so they open opposite to the fronts. The Crew Cab has four doors with the usual hinges on each. Both beds (5.5 or 6.5 feet) have four tie-down hooks and a removable/lockable/damped tailgate.

The SV trim adds a chrome front bumper to the King Cab. The Platinum Reserve Crew Cab comes with fixed aluminum running boards plus 20-inch alloy wheels with a 2-tone finish. The Pro-4X is the rugged off-roader, sitting on a higher suspension for greater axle articulation and ground clearance.

This year’s SV Bronze Edition package adds 20-inch alloy wheels finished in, you guessed it, bronze while adding a black front bumper and a gloss-black grille surround.

9-inch infotainment touchscreen
The technology behind the crisp graphics in this display is called WXGA. It’s all about the pixels, but this is better than high definition (HD). This is standard in the King Cab SV but not the Crew Cab SV. The two higher Crew Cab trims have it, though.

Nissan Safety Shield 360
Every new Titan truck has this array as standard. It includes forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, rear emergency braking, and road sign recognition.

Apple CarPlay/Android Auto
Phone integration is standard, bringing apps into the Titan’s infotainment system. At the Pro-4X and Platinum Reserve levels, Apple CarPlay becomes wireless.

Utili-track
Optional in the SV and Pro-4X models and standard in the Platinum Reserve, this system adds three bed rails and two tie-down cleats. It comes as a package with items like a lockable box, an electronic locking tailgate, and a 120-volt outlet.

Pro-4X
Although not an extreme off-road truck like the F-150 Raptor, the Pro-4X still comes with a specialized Bilstein suspension, skid plates, and all-terrain tires. And a new Raptor would cost at least $20,000 more.

Intelligent Around View Monitor
This 360-degree camera system is optional in the Pro-4X and standard in the Platinum Reserve but only in the Crew Cab. Nevertheless, it’s a useful feature when trying to maneuver a full-size truck.

When igniting premium gasoline, the 5.6-liter V8 in the 2024 Titan develops 400 horsepower and 413 lb-ft of torque. That’s muscular for the class, but the Toyota Tundra comes close with 389 horses and takes the lead with 479 lb-ft of torque.

Rear-wheel drive (RWD) is the default configuration, with 4-wheel drive (4WD) available as an option — or standard with the Pro-4X off-road specialist. In every case, a 9-speed automatic transmission is employed.

5-Year/100,000-Mile Warranty

Every new Titan comes with a class-best bumper-to-bumper warranty of five years or 100,000 miles, whichever happens first. Roadside assistance is included for the same terms.

Safety Ratings

In crash testing carried out by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Titan took top scores of good in most major categories, with an Acceptable in small-overlap passenger-side front impact. In Crew Cab form, the Titan earned an overall score of four stars (out of a possible five) from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).