2016 Nissan Titan XD
How could this happen? The first generation Titan, build for almost a geological epoch, was a good looking, nice to drive and generally reliable workhorse. But somewhere along its convoluted development, the new Nissan Cummins diesel big rig became one of the most disappointing vehicle I’ve driven over the last twelve months.
The concept: brilliant! A kind of 7/8th scale one-ton truck that would be more at home in typical urban cowboy use, tow most any load normal people might think of—boat, race car, camper—be pleasing to drive and get good fuel economy. But the drawn out development of this Titan (which started as a rebadged Ram) went through multiple management teams and last minute design changes. The result looks overwrought inside and out, gets awful fuel economy and drives like trucks from the 20th century.
I know lots of chrome and a monstrously large grill are de rigueur for new trucks, but the Titan’s proportions are bloated, making its 20-inch wheels and tires look too small, and the trim work is amateurish. This is only one person’s reaction, but inside the sins are less down to personal tastes. I’ll keep it short: there are four colors and textures that make up the seat upholstery. The dash has really nice, soft touch, matt-colored moldings right up against shiny and cheap plastics (perhaps to remind you of options you didn’t throw down for?). Many controls are cheap feeling, and the way Nissan recycled parts from other vehicles is obvious, for their design doesn’t cohere at all. Even the faux wood trim is strange: it appears to be applied like a sticker or photomasked, and it doesn’t even fully cover the areas it should; some of it fades to blank grey. Let’s finish the critique with the floormats. Designed to look like aftermarket ones from WeatherTech, Lund and others, they combine slippery plastic, tiny synthetic carpet patches and logos that you catch your feet on every time you get in or out. About the only place Titan XD development appears to have been completed is the bed, which has thoughtfully placed cleats and LED lighting, making it easier to use.
But it’s the way Titan XD goes about its driving duties that aggravates the most. It rides poorly, bouncing along over all but the smoothest pavement, and becoming out of sorts over rough patches. The frame feels flexy and isn’t well connected to the cab. The Nissan’s steering is slow, inaccurate and gloopy, like the recirculating-ball setups of decades past. The handling is lugubrious, with none of the nimble feeling of a newer F150, GM’s half tons or coil-sprung Ram 1500.
Now the worst part: why is the clean-sheet 310hp V8 Cummins engine’s performance so bad? You expect a whiff of turbo lag on almost any diesel, but in this case it feels like the waste gate opens just as the Cummins is about to take off. In response, the transmission keeps hunting about, with jerky, poorly timed shifts as a result. The Nissan is slower accelerating in independent tests than any ¾- or 1-ton diesel, and most all half tons, despite being rated at 555lb-ft of torque. That might even be fine if it turned in good fuel economy numbers—it is a diesel, after all. But here too the Titan is off the pace of the competition. Perhaps the test truck’s MPG computer was off, but according to its display the truck couldn’t get out of the teens on cruise controlled highway runs and plunged into the singe digits in town. I guess it’s not really surprising, as the XD weighs about 1750 pounds more than a Ram 1500 diesel, and has 300lb-ft less torque than the domestic diesels. How did Nissan, who is making some terrific machines, release this into the market so unfinished? I wish I knew, I really do. But as it stands, this new XD is more Titanic than Titan.
More info: nissan.com
Isaac Bouchard is owner of Bespoke Autos, an auto brokerage that helps people save time, money and hassle when buying or leasing vehicles. Since 1991 he has helped his clients save over $1 million dollars. He has written extensively about getting the best deal possible when buying or leasing a vehicle, arranging financing or trading in a car. Isaac has been a professional automotive journalist as well for over 12 years, having reviewed most all types of car, truck and SUV.
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