2017 Nissan Titan Review
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Edmunds' Expert Review
byCameron Rogers
Manager, News
Cameron Rogers has worked in the automotive industry since 2013. He has tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Today, he leads the news team in developing cutting-edge news articles, opinion pieces and sneak peeks at upcoming vehicles. Favorite cars that he's driven during his tenure at Edmunds include the 991-era Porsche 911 Turbo S, Rolls-Royce Ghost and several generations of Honda Odyssey (really).
Pros
- Standard V8 offers plenty of power
- Numerous in-cabin and bed storage solutions
- Optional Pro-4X off-road package offers useful upgrades for backcountry use
- Generous bumper-to-bumper warranty
Cons
- No alternative engines for 2017
- Only one available axle ratio
- Touchscreen interface hampered by small physical and virtual buttons
- Maximum towing and payload capacities slightly lower than rivals
What’s new
After a one-year hiatus, the full-size light-duty Nissan Titan is back for 2017. Fully redesigned, it boasts an aggressive new look, a vastly improved cabin design and a powerful V8 bolted to a seven-speed transmission.
Vehicle overview
Last year, Nissan revitalized its full-size truck line with the Titan XD, a pickup that uniquely slotted between the usual half-ton and heavy-duty markets in terms of payload and towing capacities. The Titan XD can tow more than 12,000 pounds with its available diesel engine, and its crew cab is paired with a standard bed (6 feet 6 inches) that makes it over 20 feet long. But if you don't need a pickup of the Titan XD's capabilities or just want something smaller, there's the completely redesigned 2017 Nissan Titan.
Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2017 Nissan Titan SV 4dr Crew Cab (5.6L 8cyl 7A) 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 $3.35 per gallon for regular unleaded in Virginia.
Monthly estimates based on costs in Virginia
$237/mo
Titan SV
vs
$247/mo
Avg. Large Truck
The regular Titan and Titan XD are similar inside and out; crew-cab size and feature availability are nearly identical between the two trucks. But the Titan crew cab is more manageably sized because it doesn't stand quite as tall and its stubbier nose and short bed (5 feet 7 inches) make it over a foot shorter. Work-truck versions can be had with a regular cab with a long bed (8 feet 2 inches), and an extended cab with a standard bed is expected next year.
The engine bay is where you'll find the next point of differentiation. For now, the only engine available on the Titan is a 5.6-liter V8 that produces a robust 390 horsepower and 394 lb-ft of torque. A V6 will debut next year, but you must look to the Titan XD if you want the Cummins diesel V8. Several thoughtful touches, such as a trailer brake-light check program accessible through the key fob, cargo rails on the bed floor and long bumper-to-bumper warranty coverage also contribute to the Titan's appeal.
But whether the new Titan is the truck for you might depend on what you think of the competition. The current generation of the Ford F-150 and Chevrolet Silverado 1500 are fairly new, and both offer modern, high-tech cabins in addition to higher payload and towing limits. The Ram 1500 is a bit older and its capabilities are slightly less, but its ride comfort is second to none, and you can get it with a class-exclusive diesel engine. Toyota's still got a pretty nice truck with its Tundra, too. Overall, though, if you want a nicely equipped truck and don't need the ultimate in trailer-towing capacity, the 2017 Nissan Titan should suit your needs just fine.
Every 2017 Nissan Titan comes with stability and traction control, antilock disc brakes, front-side airbags, full-length side curtain airbags and hill start assist. The Pro-4X also comes standard with hill descent control, and SV models and above come with Nissan's Trailer Sway Control, which helps keep a trailer tracking straight when buffeted by crosswinds or while driving on poor-quality roads.
A rearview camera and a blind-spot monitoring system with rear-cross traffic alert are standard on the Pro-4X level and up, and can be added to the SV by opting for the Comfort & Convenience package. A 360-degree parking camera is standard on the Platinum Reserve and can be added to the Pro-4X via the Luxury package.
The SL and Platinum Reserve come with NissanConnect Services, a subscription-based service that includes automatic crash notification, stolen-vehicle recovery assistance and roadside assistance. It's added to the Pro-4X when you buy the Convenience package.
Edmunds' Expert Rating
Driving
We haven't extensively tested the 2017 Nissan Titan yet, but initial impressions are favorable. The 5.6-liter V8 feels strong from the moment you press on the gas. Braking effort is predictable, and the pedal stroke isn't overly long, so the Titan should prove easy to drive in traffic. Steering effort is lighter than in the Titan XD, and in general the Titan feels more nimble than its heavy-duty relative. Check back later for further driving impressions.
Interior
The 2017 Nissan Titan's cabin is spacious, although it doesn't feel cavernous the way the F-150 crew cab does. Still, there's plenty of room for five, and the rear passenger area features nifty storage options. Optional on the SV and standard on above trims is a cab-width lockable bin with removable dividers located under the rear seats. Flip the seats up, and you'll find the unfolded cargo platform features bungee tie-downs for keeping your stuff secure.
All controls on the center stack are within the driver's reach, including the trailer brake controller, which is out of the way but easily accessible at the bottom of the stack. The entire stack, and indeed much of the cabin overall, isn't overwhelmingly impressive or distinctive from a design perspective. Functionality seems to be the guiding factor — as opposed to the sleeker look of the Silverado, which keeps many of its controls confined to touchscreen menus, or the F-150, with its usable and attractive layout.
The 7-inch touchscreen and user interface also lags behind the best. Having physical buttons control top-tier menus is a good idea, but the buttons are fairly small. The interface also features small, horizontal virtual buttons that can be difficult to operate accurately. On the bright side, the optional 360-degree camera view is easy to view and makes it easy to navigate the Titan into a parking space. Bear in mind that systems with a rearview camera but not the surround-view camera do not feature dynamic guidelines, making it more difficult to predict the Titan's path while turning.
2017 Nissan Titan models
The 2017 Nissan Titan full-size pickup is available across the board as a crew cab with a short (5-foot-7-inch) cargo bed, while the work-truck versions can be bought as a single-cab with a long (8-foot 2.5-inch) bed. An extended cab with a standard (6-foot-6.7-inch) bed is expected next year. The crew cab can seat five or six, depending on trim or equipment. The Titan is available in five trims: S, SV, SL, Platinum Reserve and the off-road-oriented Pro-4X. All are available with two- or four-wheel drive except the Pro-4X, which is 4x4 only.
2017 Nissan Titan videos
2017 Nissan Titan King Cab First Look | Chicago Auto Show
The 2017 Nissan Titan King Cab fills the gap between the single and crew cab models. A unique rear-seat delete option further increases the pickup's utility appeal.