Standard half-ton pickup or heavy-duty variant? That’s the question often faced by those needing a pickup for commercial use, combined personal/business activity, or heavy-duty towing. It’s a tough choice because heavy-duty pickups really do offer levels of functionality that typically exceed that of light-duty pickups, but they’re also costlier, more cumbersome to maneuver, and usually less fuel efficient.
Nissan’s fully-redesigned Titan XD aims to solve this conundrum by combining the capability of a heavy-duty pickup with the fuel economy and affordability of a half-ton model. It delivers welcome functionality with a 5.6-liter Endurance gasoline V-8 or a notable 5.0-liter Cummins turbodiesel that delivers 310 horsepower and a formidable 555 lb-ft torque. The latter is capable of carrying a 2,000 pound payload or towing up to 12,000 pounds.
A half-ton 2017 Titan variant introduced just this summer shares the Titan DNA but is distinguished by a unique chassis some 14.7 inches shorter than that of the XD. No diesel powerplant is offered with the lighter-duty Titan, which is powered by the same 390 horsepower, 5.6-liter Endurance gasoline V-8 and connected to a seven-speed automatic transmission. An as-yet undisclosed V-6 will also be available for the half-ton Titan.
Titan XD benefits from the first application of the new Cummins M2 two-stage turbo system, which helps reduce turbo lag through precision balancing between high-pressure and low-pressure turbos. The engine’s Rotary Turbine Control provides solid performance across the powerband and manages exhaust gas temperatures. Efficiency-enhancing weight reduction is achieved with a compacted graphite iron cylinder block, high-strength aluminum alloy heads, and composite valve covers. The CGI block, along with the dual overhead camshafts, contributes to Nissan’s goal of delivering excellent noise, vibration, and harshness characteristics.
The XD features an extended 151.6-inch wheelbase to handle the higher towing and payload potential of the Cummins diesel while maximizing stability, handling, and ride comfort. It also uses a new heavy-duty, highly stable suspension design. Titan XD buyers can choose between several available hitches including an integrated gooseneck hitch engineered into the frame that’s easily accessible in the bed. It is also snow plow-capable.
Clearly, the Titan XD is the right size pickup for many chores. Nowhere is this more evident than when it comes to overall driveability. The step up to a traditional heavy-duty pickup is more than many drivers care to deal with on a daily basis. Titan XD simply doesn’t feel as cumbersome as a bigger and heavier HD truck. We wouldn’t call it nimble, but it is certainly easier to maneuver, especially around town. Overall ride and handling is quite pleasant and on par with most half-ton pickups. We drove the Titan XD loaded near maximum payload capacity and it performed without complaint.
The Titan XD is offered in Crew Cab, King Cab, and Single Cab versions with three available bed lengths. A work truck version is also available. All are mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. The Titan XD is offered in several trims including a rugged-looking Pro-4X model and a top-of-the-line Platinum Reserve. All except the Pro-4X can be had with two- or four-wheel drive. Inside, The Titan XD’s instrument panel integrates both analog and digital gauges and a 5-inch color display, plus diesel monitoring and maintenance displays. A 7-inch color monitor includes NissanConnect with navigation, mobile apps, and service.
While fuel economy estimates are not required for heavy-duty pickup models, expect the XD's Cummins diesel to provide about 20 percent better efficiency than a gas-powered V-8 while towing full loads. Our driving experience in an XD with a fully-loaded pickup bed realized a mpg average of just over 20 mpg…pretty impressive for an HD pickup.
