2020 Nissan Titan XD Review

For 2020, Nissan has refreshed its tweener truck, the Titan XD. On the outside you'll find revised front and rear styling, new lighting, a redesigned grille and a new tailgate. Tech is also upgraded, with the newly standard Nissan Safety Shield 360 suite — a bevy of features that make driving easier and safer. There are also larger touchscreens with a new user interface that supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.

The Titan XD lineup has been simplified for 2020 too. Going forward, there is only one configuration: a crew cab with a 6.5-foot bed, four-wheel drive and a 5.6-liter gasoline V8. (The Cummins diesel has been dropped.) Output from the V8 is up slightly to 400 horsepower and 413 lb-ft of torque. Nissan has also swapped in a new nine-speed automatic transmission to replace the previous seven-speed auto. These changes, plus revised axle gearing, should enhance both acceleration and fuel efficiency.

While we're glad for these additions, they don't solve the Titan XD's fundamental issue: its lack of performance relative to other trucks. Conceptually, the XD occupies a niche between light-duty and heavy-duty trucks. But while it is priced like a heavy-duty, it tows and hauls far less than the 2500- and 3500-series trucks from Chevy, Ford and Ram. The light-duty trucks have gotten better too, and every one can tow more than the Titan XD except the Toyota Tundra and the regular Titan.

The 2020 Titan XD is a nice enough pickup when evaluated in isolation. But comparison-shop it against other trucks and you'll find it outclassed in nearly every metric.

What's it like to live with?

Edmunds' editors tested a Titan XD nearly 25,000 miles over the course of a year. The good news is that the Titan is definitely tough, but we came away less enthused about the truck's finer points. Is it the right truck for you? Read our Titan XD yearlong test for a full evaluation. Note that while we tested a 2016 Titan XD with the then-available diesel engine, the 2020 truck is of the same generation and many of our observations still apply

Edmunds' Expert Rating

Due to significant updates for 2020, we're revising our rating for the Titan XD. In the meantime, check out our full rating of last year's XD for a comprehensive evaluation. Certain scores may change for 2020, but our vehicle testing team's overall assessment from last year still applies.