2021 Nissan Titan Review

　　

2021 Nissan Titan Review

byTravis LangnessReviews Editor

　　Travis Langness has worked in the automotive industry since 2011. He has written thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career.

　　All right, so with your best Don LaFontaine (the famous movie trailer announcer) voice, say: "In a world where all of the light-duty pickups are thoroughly modern and highly customizable, there was one that stood up to resist the change: the Nissan Titan." Catchy, right? You'd watch that, or at least catch it when it came out on Netflix. Alas, the 2021 Titan might be better as a movie than a pickup you'd want to buy.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2021 Nissan Titan S 4dr King Cab SB (5.6L 8cyl 9A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.04 per gallon for regular unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$208/mo  for Titan S

　　Titan S

　　S 4dr King Cab SB (5.6L 8cyl 9A) - $36,950 MSRPS 4dr Crew Cab SB (5.6L 8cyl 9A) - $39,680 MSRPS 4dr King Cab 4WD SB (5.6L 8cyl 9A) - $40,180 MSRPS 4dr Crew Cab 4WD SB (5.6L 8cyl 9A) - $42,810 MSRPSV 4dr King Cab SB (5.6L 8cyl 9A) - $40,790 MSRPSV 4dr Crew Cab SB (5.6L 8cyl 9A) - $43,130 MSRPSV 4dr King Cab 4WD SB (5.6L 8cyl 9A) - $44,020 MSRPSV 4dr Crew Cab 4WD SB (5.6L 8cyl 9A) - $46,260 MSRPPRO-4X 4dr King Cab 4WD SB (5.6L 8cyl 9A) - $48,470 MSRPPRO-4X 4dr Crew Cab 4WD SB (5.6L 8cyl 9A) (Most Popular) - $50,690 MSRPSL 4dr Crew Cab SB (5.6L 8cyl 9A) - $54,930 MSRPSL 4dr Crew Cab 4WD SB (5.6L 8cyl 9A) - $58,160 MSRPPlatinum Reserve 4dr Crew Cab SB (5.6L 8cyl 9A) - $56,440 MSRPPlatinum Reserve 4dr Crew Cab 4WD SB (5.6L 8cyl 9A) - $59,680 MSRP

　　vs

　　$233/mo

　　Avg. Large Truck

　　Although Nissan rolled out a variety of updates last year, this is still pretty much the same truck that hit the streets back for the 2016 model year. So it's not surprisingly behind the times in regards to capability and configuration flexibility. True, a V8 comes standard, but you don't get any choice if you want higher fuel economy. Also, the Titan's towing and hauling numbers, while decent, are quite a ways off from what you can get from a Chevrolet Silverado, Ford F-150 or Ram 1500.

　　Overall, it's hard to recommend the Titan considering how good the competition is. But you can learn more by reading our in-depth Expert Rating.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Below Average

　　7.1

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

6.5/10

　　How does the Titan drive? You get a standard V8 engine in the Titan. That's fine if you like V8s but other trucks give you a lot more choice. The Titan we tested accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in 7.5 seconds, which is unremarkable for a light-duty pickup with a V8. But the V8, paired with the nine-speed automatic, puts the power to the ground smoothly.

　　We didn't expect the Titan to raise any eyebrows dynamically. But the steering is surprisingly heavy and cumbersome in a way that hinders maneuverability at low speed. You have to press hard on the brakes for full stopping power, and you feel the weight of this 3-ton truck on winding roads.

　　

Comfort

8.0/10

　　How comfortable is the Titan? The Titan rides smoothly over even pavement and handles cracks and bumps in the road without upsetting the cabin. It's a comfortable ride made better by the front seats that are cushy and supportive.

　　The automatic climate control springs into action quickly. But the fans are awfully loud and contribute to high levels of ambient noise that always seems present in the cabin. At speed, there is noticeable wind noise, and you need to speak louder to hold a conversation on the highway.

　　

Interior

7.5/10

　　How’s the interior? This is a familiar truck interior, with a traditional column-mounted shift lever and clearly labeled large buttons well within reach. Inside there's a lot of hard plastic, but Nissan does a good job of dressing up higher trims with soft materials and wood accents. Passenger space is good in the front and acceptable in the rear, though many rivals in the class are more impressive.

　　The door handles are huge, and it's easy to climb in and out. There's a high, commanding view of the road — taller drivers may actually wish the seat lowered a bit more — and a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel helps with finding a comfortable position. Front visibility is fine over the hood, but the blind spots are huge, even with large convex sideview mirrors. Thank goodness for the blind-spot monitoring system.

　　

Technology

7.5/10

　　How’s the tech? The 9-inch touchscreen that comes on most Titans provides crisp and clear graphics, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard. Unfortunately, parts of the screen wash out if you're wearing polarized sunglasses. Also, the rearview camera's resolution is poor and looks particularly pixelated and low-tech on such a high-definition screen. Even the Fender stereo system is only so-so.

　　Nissan deserves kudos for making Safety Shield 360, its suite of advanced assist features, standard equipment. The adaptive cruise control is especially effective, managing changes in speed smoothly even when other vehicles drift in and out of your lane. We also like the NissanConnect app services including a live on-call concierge who can troubleshoot tech problems or send directions straight into your vehicle.

　　

Towing and Storage

7.5/10

　　How are the towing and storage? There is a lot of storage space inside the Titan, but Nissan hasn't made it as clever or configurable as the storage in other trucks. For example, there's a handy soft smartphone grip in the Titan, but it's located in such a way that it takes away from accessible center storage space. The Ram 1500 has a similar smartphone grip, but it is tucked out of the way, pressed against a wireless charging pad.

　　The Titan's maximum towing capacity when properly equipped is 9,310 pounds. That's enough for a typical trailer but it's far from the best in the light-duty pickup class. Maximum payload capacity of 1,690 pounds is also a bit lightweight. But the bed is spacious, and it's easier to reach over the side than it is in other full-size pickups.

　　

Fuel Economy

7.0/10

　　How’s the fuel economy? A Titan with 4WD has an EPA-estimated 18 mpg combined in city/highway driving. That's on par with rival V8s, but Nissan doesn't offer a more fuel-efficient engine option as competitors do. Our test Titan returned 18.6 mpg on our mixed-driving 115-mile evaluation route. Many vehicles we test on this route easily do better than their EPA estimate.

　　

Value

7.0/10

　　Is the Titan a good value? The Titan has little to offer here. Warranty coverage is average, and there's no way to save on gas with a more fuel-efficient engine. Plus, the Titan is not exactly cheap, which makes hard plastics in the cabin more of an eyesore. It's harder to justify the costs and trade-offs associated with this truck than it once was.

　　

Wildcard

6.0/10

　　There's nothing that's special about the Nissan Titan. It will get you and a whole lot of stuff where you need to go, but little stands out about the experience besides basic competency. Even the powerful V8 engine lacks character, and some clever touches (such as the smartphone grip) are overshadowed by their unintended consequences.

　　We typically wouldn't expect a ton of personality from a full-size truck. However, the Titan's competitors have largely figured out how to stand out from the crowd in some way, shape or form. That's an obstacle Nissan has yet to conquer.

　　

Which Titan does zzdcar recommend?

With a wide variety of available option packages, the midlevel SV trim is our pick for the 2021 Nissan Titan. It offers standard features including adaptive cruise control and trailer sway control, as well as option packages that include creature comforts such as dual-zone automatic climate control and a larger 9-inch infotainment screen.

　　

2021 Nissan Titan models

The 2021 Nissan Titan is available in five trims: S, SV, Pro-4X, SL and Platinum Reserve. There are two cab sizes to choose from: the extended cab (Nissan calls this the King Cab) and the crew cab. The extended cab is only available in S, SV and Pro-4X trims, while the crew cab is available in all five trim levels. Every Titan is powered by a 5.6-liter V8 (400 horsepower, 413 lb-ft of torque) and paired to a nine-speed automatic transmission. The feature highlights include:

　　S

　　The base S starts off with:

　　18-inch wheels Heated side mirrors Two USB ports (one standard USB and one USB-C) 8-inch touchscreen display Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration Six-speaker stereo with satellite radio Trailer sway control (helps stabilize a towed trailer while driving)The S also comes with Nissan's Safety Shield 360 suite of driver aids. It includes:

　　Automatic emergency braking (warns if a front impact is imminent and applies the brakes if you don't respond in time) Rear automatic braking (brakes if sensors detect an imminent collision with an object behind the vehicle) Blind-spot monitoring (alerts you if a vehicle in the next lane over is in your blind spot) Rear cross-traffic alert (warns you if a vehicle behind you is about to cross your vehicle's path while in reverse) Lane departure warning (alerts you if the vehicle begins to drift out of its lane) High-beam assist (automatically turns the high beams on and off)SV

　　The SV trim is similar to the S but has:

　　Front tow hooks (with 4WD) Adaptive cruise control (adjusts speed to maintain a constant distance between the vehicle and the car in front)You can also get the SV with the following packages:

　　SV Convenience package

　　Parking sensors Leather-wrapped steering wheel Automatic dual-zone climate control Remote engine start Keyless ignition and entry Heated front seats Power-adjustable driver's seat Power-sliding rear window 9-inch touchscreen display with navigation Extra USB and power ports SV Tow package

　　Tow mirrors Trailer brake controller (allows adjustment of a trailer's brakes from the cab) Class IV receiver hitch and four-pin/seven-pin harness connector SV Utility package

　　Cargo tie-down system 120-volt power outlet in the bed Rear bumper step Electronically locking tailgate Automatic wipersPro-4X

　　The off-road-focused Pro-4X features a number of upgrades that include:

　　Most features from the SV Convenience package Standard four-wheel drive LED headlights Bilstein off-road shock absorbers Electronic locking rear differential Hill descent control Two-speed transfer case with 4-Hi and 4-Lo Radiator skid plate Spray-in bedliner The Pro-4X's packages include:

　　Pro-4X Convenience package

　　Leather upholstery Surround-view parking camera system (gives you a top-down view of the Titan and its surroundings for tight parking situations) Power-adjustable front passenger seat Heated front seats Power-adjustable heated steering wheel Driver-seat memory settingsPro-4X Utility package

　　Combines the SV Towing and Utility packages 12-speaker premium audio systemSL

　　The SL loses the 4X's off-roading hardware but maintains most of its features. It also adds:

　　Features from the Pro-4X Convenience package 20-inch chrome wheels Chrome exterior and interior trim Running boardsPlatinum Reserve

　　The top-of-the-line Platinum Reserve adds to the SL trim with features such as:

　　Premium leather seating Wood trim on the dash, doors and steering wheel Leather-wrapped center console Heated and ventilated front seats Heated rear seatsOther Titan options include:

　　Rear-seat entertainment system Panoramic sunroof Nissan's Titan Box in-bed storage

　　

2021 Titan Highlights

Type: Crew CabKing CabCrew Cab

　　Trim: SSVPRO-4XSLPlatinum ReserveS

　　

Base MSRP	$39,680
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	18 MPG
Cost to Drive	$215/month
Seating	6 seats
Drivetrain	rear wheel drive
Max Towing Capacity	9,310 lbs.
Warranty	5 years / 100,000 miles