Our Verdict
What's New
- Re-tuned 5.6-liter V8 now delivers 400 horsepower (up from 390) and 413 pound-feet of torque (up from 394) now paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission
- Nissan’s Safety Shield 360 suite of advanced driver technology is standard across all trims (blind spot monitoring, lane-departure alert, automatic high beams and automated emergency braking)
- New grille and strong styling cues to differentiate among trims
- Refined interior with moonroof
Pros & Cons
- Strong standard V8 engine
- Off-road package bundles lots of functional hardware upgrades
- A full suite of active safety tech is now standard
- Only one engine choice (and the diesel engine optional is cancelled for 2020 on Titan XD)
- Lack interior space offered by rivals
- Towing capability and load capacity are shy of the mark
REVIEW
2020 Nissan Titan: Still Faces An Uphill Battle Against Rivals
The Nissan Titan performs decently as a full-size truck. It’s not egregiously lacking in any one area except in towing capability, but in the hyper-competitive, lucrative and brand-loyal pickup truck world, passable isn’t good enough.
The 2020 Titan comes is five trims: S, SV, PRO-4X, SL and Platinum Reserve. Its powertrain also has been enhanced for more power. The 5.6-liter V8 has been re-tuned to deliver 400 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque (the same gas powertrain offered on the larger XD).
Most Titans are offered in single, king and crew cab body styles (the SL and Pro-4X aren’t available as a single cab). The single cab has an 8.2-foot bed, the crew cab has a 5.6-foot bed and the king cab has a 6.6-foot bed. All come in either 4×2 or 4×4 drivetrain configurations except the Pro-4X, which is 4×4 only. Every tailgate is loaded with a spring for ease of use and the cargo box can be outfitted with customizable storage systems.
The Titan is certainly powerful and can tow a maximum of 9,540 pounds when configured as a King Cab 4×2 model. The more popular Crew Cab 4×4 model tows a maximum of 9,210 pounds. Ford‘s F-150 can tow a maximum of 13,200 pounds and in the most popular Crew Cab in standard bed length with four-wheel-drive, can still tow 12,700 pounds. Also, the Titan’s suspension causes prodigious side-to-side rocking over things like speed bumps taken even slightly at an angle.
Nissan’s Safety Shield 360 suite of advanced driver-assistance safety technology is now standard across all trims. It includes blind spot monitoring, lane-departure alert, automatic high beams and automated emergency braking. These are smart and welcome additions to the standard equipment list on the 2020 models, along with revised front bodywork, lights, front bumper and several new wheel designs. Lighting for the tail lamps is now via fast-responding LEDs, as well. However, a guidance system for backing up with a trailer using the back-up camera or rear-view mirror with bending lines—offered by most of the competition—is not even optional on the Titan.
Inside, the Titan is well-equipped and spacious, but rivals have more legroom, especially for rear seat passengers. The Titan offers a standard 8-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability, and a larger 9-inch WXGA ultra-high-resolution touchscreen display is now optional. However, the Ram‘s infotainment system still shines with its 12-inch, high-resolution touchscreen sporting crisp graphics and the excellent Uconnect interface. The Titan’s available WiFi hotspot, however, can provide bandwidth for up to six devices. And a 12-speaker, 485-watt Fender audio system is optional.
The Titan does outperform all the others on one front, for sure. A 5-year/100,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty outstrips Ford, GM and Ram. For buyers that want engines, the Titan doesn’t have them, and there’s no longer will you a diesel option for the nearly-heavy-duty Titan XD. Almost every other full-size truck offers a variety of engine choices, and truck owners are notorious for pouring over the nitty-gritty specifications more than any other buyer. With limited engine availability and lower maximum towing and loading capability, the Titan has its work cut out.
And while pickup sales march ever-upward, the Titan dropped 23 percent in sales in the first six months of 2019 from 2018. Here’s some perspective: Where Nissan sold just over 18,000 Titans in the first half of this year, Ford sold well over 440,000 full-sized pickups. That does not make the Titan a poor choice, it just reflects the marketplace’s response.
So, the Titan has fewer advantages than the Ford, the Ram and the Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra offerings. Yet, rather than try to meet the competition, Nissan seems to be retreating a bit in 2020 by killing off the Cummins diesel engine available in the heavy-duty Titan XD, while also cancelling the Single Cab body style.
With high marks for safety, horsepower, interior comfort and equipment, plus decent fuel economy scores, the Titan has a few strong points. But the others score better on the core truck values of towing and engine choice.
Warranty
5 Years/100,000 Miles
5 Years/100,000 Miles
5 Years/Unlimited Miles
3 Years/36,000 Miles