Test Drive: 2016 Nissan Titan XD PRO 4X
They probably should have called it the Titanic. Powered by a 5-litre Cummins Turbodiesel V8 engine with 310 horsepower and 555lb.-ft. of torque, Nissan’s new Titan XD pickup targets a shopper seeking big towing capacity without going full heavy-duty—thanks to a unique chassis, a unique structure, and a multitude of upgrades applied in the name of heavy towing. If you’re frequently maxing out your half-ton with a heavy trailer, and want more capability without moving into a full HD model, the Titan XD was conceived just for you, and largely to combat white-knuckle trailering.
The big Cummins V8 fires up after a few slightly laborious cranks, before settling into a mildly-thudding idle that sounds like work getting done. It sounds like a Cummins, through and through. This engine is an absolute beast with heaps of power to spare, and absolutely effortless acceleration for in-town driving when you so much as breathe on the throttle.
It’s an enormous machine that’ll satisfy any need to pilot something big and tough and imposing. Capable too: the tested PRO-4X off-road model requires a hearty hop on board, lacked running board implements to preserve ground clearance, and rolled on a set of General Grabber tires for above average-bite into various mucks and turfs. From the driver’s seat, Titan seems to generously fill a highway lane. People stare and point at its towering body. All your friends—all of them—will respond the same way upon meeting your new Titan XD for the first time: by saying “oh my God, it’s so big!!”
So, start thinking of witty comebacks.
Off road, Titan XD drives like it looks like it drives: big, heavy, planted, stable and massively rigid. The Bilstein shocks and ultra-tough frame deliver the tough and jouncy ride expected of a big truck on rough roads, though the suspension feels finely tuned, and body motions are kept in check for overall comfort. On nasty back-roads with ruts and heaves and washboards and potholes, even at speed, it feels like the road, not the suspension, is getting beaten to a pulp.
From the driver’s seat, the feel is pure durability and toughness. Steering is isolated nicely, with all but the most severe ruts, bumps, washboards and potholes failing to pull or nudge the wheel from your hands. With minimal effort or fighting of the steering, Titan tracks straight and true over nearly anything. Traction—largely thanks to its tank-like weight and knobby tires, is massive. Four-low and diff-lock are just a flick-and-click away, when needed.
The highway drive is well-sorted: smooth in the face of the beefed-up shocks, with wind noise levels kept in check, near-nil road noise levels, and no need to raise your voice for a conversation. Steering is stable, exhibits a refreshing tendency to lock onto its line, and has a just-right blend of on-centre slack and quick response. Titan XD feels keen to both keep to its lane without readjustment, and to maneuver easily between lanes, as required. In all, steering and suspension feel dialed in nicely, in virtually any situation, and at virtually any speed.
It’s all taken in from a cabin that’s styled logically, dotted with high-tech interfaces, and manipulated with a just-right blend of touch-screen and old-fashioned knobs and switches. Stitching and metal line the cabin, it’s tidy and modern, and upscale materials are applied for good measure—though overall, the look is fairly generic. If there was an opportunity to do something different and revolutionary with pickup cabin design, Nissan missed it, here.
Though Titan XD is a monster, your writer was expecting more difficulty parking it. Still, brush up on your four and five-point turns if parking in tight quarters. Fire up the biceps, too, as Titan XD’s steering is labor-intensive at low speeds.
In back, the tester’s bed featured numerous implements for adjustable cleats and tie-downs, a bright LED cargo light, a tailgate assisted in both directions by a fancy internal spring, and a set of hefty side-mounted storage bins that can be removed when not needed. Built-in cupholders and drainage provisions make these bins a handy storage option for chilled beverages.
Mileage on my watch landed at a measured-by-hand 16.3L/100km. For where and how I drive, that’s right on par with any number of considerably less torquey gas-powered V8 pickups, and ultimately fantastic for a machine of this size and capability.
Gripes? Headlight performance is adequate and nothing more, the power steering will feel needlessly heavy at low speeds for some, and the 4×4 selector knob surround frequently found itself digging into the side of my knee, regardless of seating position.
For big capability, surprisingly good highway manners, and a mighty wallop from under the hood alongside a relatively reasonable fuel bill, Titan XD is priced from $52,400 with Cummins power and four-wheel drive, while the tested PRO4x model opens the bidding at $64.
Extended review here.
