When it comes to so-called half-ton pickups, most people probably think of Detroit’s offerings, chiefly the Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado and Ram 1500. But there are options beyond what Motown has for sale. Of course, Toyota also competes in this vehicle segment with its Tundra, and so does Nissan, sending its Titan range of trucks into battle.
With its latest generation Titan, the Japanese automaker has taken an unusual approach to competing with rivals. Rather than offering traditional light- and heavy-duty variants, they’re walking a fine line between these distinct groups. The standard Titan tussles with the F-150s and Tundras of the world, but their XD variant isn’t quite a competitor to heavy-duty truck offerings. It’s intended to be a step back, to provide greater towing and hauling confidence than regular half-ton models without the coarseness and ponderous feel of three-quarter or one-ton pickups. Delivering that extra capability is a beefier frame, unique chassis and a wheelbase that’s about 20 inches longer than a standard Titan’s. A muscular Cummins diesel is also on the menu, in addition to the standard gasoline V8 is shared with its light-duty sibling.
The current-generation Titan was introduced in 2016 and at the time it thoroughly impressed us. The XD version won our Truck of the Year Award that year, the lighter-duty version took home the same honor in 2017.
While nowhere near as old as Toyota’s ancient Tundra, the Titan is nevertheless getting some gray hairs. A brand-new F-150 debuted in 2015 and was updated a few years later, Chevy and Ram both introduced totally overhauled light-duty trucks for 2019, with their respective heavy-duty versions the following model year. Nissan hasn’t done as much to keep its offering fresh.
But just because the Titan is getting old doesn’t mean it’s a bad truck. This rig is still a solid offering that will work hard day and night.
Both the Titan and Titan XD were developed and tested in the United States. These trucks are assembled in Canton, Mississippi, while their engines are built in Tennessee and Indiana.