2022 Nissan Titan

Built in Canton, Miss., the full-size Nissan Titan offers adequate capability and a great warranty, but little else to attract buyers in a segment of newer and more capable full-size trucks. The Titan entered its second generation in 2016 and got a mild refresh in 2020, but the Toyota Tundra’s complete redesign for 2022 makes it the oldest truck in its segment apart from the ancient, bargain-bin Ram 1500 Classic.

Its age and limited array of configurations put the Titan at a considerable disadvantage in the competitive pickup truck market, but it does have some real virtues, including a powerful standard V8. The 5.6-liter engine produces up to 400 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque. That engine gives the Titan a more powerful base powertrain than its rivals, which typically swap larger engines for better fuel efficiency. For folks looking for a heavier-duty machine, Nissan also offers the related Titan XD.

Nissan offers four trims for the 2022 Titan: S, SV, Pro-4X and Platinum Reserve. Pricing starts at $38,645, which includes a $1,695 destination fee. The Platinum Reserve trim tops out at $61,375 after four-wheel-drive and destination fees are added. Most Titan trims are offered in King (extended) or crew cab configuration. 

The $39,705 Titan S comes with 18-inch wheels, halogen headlights, trailer sway control, a split-bench front seat with manual adjustments, an 8-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth and more. Nissan equips every truck with a full suite of safety equipment, including lane-departure warning, haptic steering wheel alerts, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, automatic rear braking, forward collision warnings, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alerts and a vehicle security system. The $45,035 SV trim adds LED taillights, power exterior side mirrors and adaptive cruise control.

Nissan offers a more rugged alternative to the standard Titan with the $52,595 Pro-4X trim. It adds Bilstein off-road performance shocks, 18-inch wheels with all-terrain tires, an electronic locking rear differential, hill descent control and more. Though it’s a more off-road-capable truck than the regular Titan, Pro-4X falls far short of the hardcore capabilities of trucks like the Ford F-150 Raptor and Ram 1500 TRX. To be fair, Nissan’s off-road offering is significantly less expensive than those monster trucks.

Pro-4X models also get LED headlights, LED daytime running lights, unique exterior badges and black trim, cloth and embroidered vinyl upholstery, a 9-inch infotainment screen, navigation, SiriusXM radio, voice commands, heated seats and traffic sign recognition. The top $58,395 Platinum Reserve trim features interior footwell lighting, an in-bed cargo management track system, two-tone paint, leather upholstery, heated and ventilated seats, open-pore wood trim, a Fender audio 12-speaker stereo and a surround-view camera system.

Performance: 12/15

The 2022 Titan comes standard with a 5.6-liter V8 producing 400 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque. It’s paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive. Four-wheel drive is optional. While the V8 makes the Nissan one of the most powerful trucks on the market without needing to tick any option boxes, the Titan still falls short of most rivals with 9,960 pounds of maximum towing capability when properly equipped. That said, almost 10,000 pounds is probably more than many owners will ever need. 

Acceleration is strong, and a big benefit of the V8 is its sound, which is throaty and plenty loud. The Titan shines with a comfortable and quiet ride on the road, though its truck architecture shows through at times. Broken pavement and large obstacles like potholes can cause the truck to feel jittery and rough occasionally, but there’s little to complain about in most situations. The Pro-4X has off-road talents similar to GMC’s Sierra 1500 AT4 and F-150‘s equipped with the FX4 off-road package, but it isn’t as hardcore as a Ram TRX or F-150 Raptor. 

Fuel Economy: 7/15

With rear-wheel drive, the 2022 Nissan Titan provides an EPA-estimated 16 mpg in city driving, 21 mpg highway and 18 mpg combined. Four-wheel drive knocks the city rating down by one mpg. With its beefier off-road tires, the Pro-4X trim loses 1 mpg in every measure versus the standard Titan.

The Titan’s V8 engine means worse fuel economy than other base-model trucks. The new Toyota Tundra comes standard with a twin-turbo V6 for up to 20 mpg in combined city and highway driving, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. The F-150 Powerboost Hybrid provides up to 25 mpg combined with two-wheel drive, and the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 delivers 21 mpg combined, even with mud-terrain tires.

Safety & Driver Assistance Tech: 11/15

The 2022 Nissan Titan hasn’t received crash test scores yet, but the almost identical 2021 model garnered mixed results. In testing performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Titan earned “Good” scores in most crash categories except for small overlap front passenger-side, where it picked up an “Acceptable” rating. The truck’s headlights earned a “Poor” score, with notes from the IIHS that the low beams created excessive glare and had inadequate visibility in all four testing areas. 

Nissan offers a much broader array of active-safety gear than most competitors. It comes with lane departure warnings with haptic feedback, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, automatic rear braking, forward collision warnings, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alerts. Nissan does not, however, offer its ProPilot Assist system for the Titan, which brings hands-free driving to limited-access highway driving. A 360-degree camera and other features are available.

Comfort & Room: 10/15

Depending on the spec, buyers can get the Titan with either five- or six-passenger seating with the standard front bench. Nissan’s seats are deep and well-padded. Cloth upholstery is standard, but Nissan offers leather and several upgrades for the Titan’s cabin. They include heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel and heated rear seats. Even when decked out at the top trim level, the Titan doesn’t feel as plush or luxurious as its rivals.

Though the Titan King Cab lacks an expansive back seat, there’s still enough room for adults to remain comfortable and not feel crushed. The Crew Cab is far roomier and should be the first choice for people who regularly carry several passengers. It offers 41 inches of front headroom and 40.4 inches in back. Legroom measures 41.8 inches up front and 38.5 inches in back. While it’s hard to call this “cramped,” it’s worth noting that the Ram 1500 offers up to 45.2 inches of legroom in the back of its crew cab and the F-150 43.6. The Titan’s optional sunroof also cuts into headroom.

Infotainment: 10/15

Nissan’s infotainment software isn’t the flashiest, but it runs smoothly on the Titan’s standard 8-inch display and optional 9-inch display. A 7-inch digital driver’s display slots between a pair of analog gauges, and Nissan includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto with every Titan. Bluetooth, SiriusXM radio and steering-wheel-mounted audio controls are also standard. Upgrades include a Fender premium audio system, a Wi-Fi hotspot, wireless charging and USB inputs for data and charging.

Both touchscreens offer excellent visibility from the front seats. Though it’s not as feature-rich or pretty as other automakers’ systems, Nissan’s interface is intuitive and easy to use. The base audio system is adequate but unimpressive, but many will find the optional Fender audio system the perfect stereo for the Titan. 

Cargo Space & Storage:  10/15

Nissan offers the Titan with two cab configurations and bed lengths: A five-foot, seven-inch bed, or a six-foot, seven-inch bed with either a either King (extended) or crew cab. Niceties such as cargo tie-downs, bed lighting and power outlets cost extra. Interior storage is fine, but the truck lacks small-item storage spaces, leaving trinkets like keys and lip balm to roll around inside hollow spaces. 

Style & Design: 6/10

There’s nothing particularly remarkable about the Titan’s looks, but it offers a subdued exterior style, rugged outdoor look or chrome-laden luxury vibe depending on the trim. While a pretty face isn’t the main factor buyers that sways full-size pickup truck buying decisions, the Titan’s exterior styling does little to excite or inspire. 

The story is much the same inside, though the higher trim levels ditch the cheap plastics and dark colors for upscale wood and soft-touch materials. The old-school column-mounted shifter is a throwback to trucks and vehicles from a bygone era, and large buttons make gripping and using various controls a breeze. 

Is the 2022 Nissan Titan Worth It? Which Nissan Titan Is the Best Value?

The recently redesigned Ford F-150 and Toyota Tundra, and the still very new Ram 1500 around there are so many other great half-ton pickup truck options that it’s hard to recommend the Nissan over any of its rivals. 

All other full-size truck models offer more efficient powertrain options and better interior finishes, and most deliver greater towing and payload capability. Buyers need to consider the Titan a value play. They can get a truck that’s adequate for most needs. If the discounts are big enough, it is worth a look. Otherwise, the Titan is best purchased as inexpensively as possible, which means the base S trim with a few options—namely, four-wheel drive.

How Much Does it Cost to Insure the Nissan Titan?

The Nissan Titan is more expensive to insure than most of its peers. According to our data, a typical 30-year-old female driver with a clean record can expect an average annual premium of $2,013 on a Titan S, though this averages all 50 states. That compares to $1,656 for the Ford F-150, $1,906 for the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and $1,785 for the Toyota Tundra. To get a more accurate picture of your potential insurance expenses, visit our car insurance calculator.