2017 Nissan Titan, The Every-Duty Truck, Reviewed By Larry Nutson

Titan is a must-be-shopped pickup if a pickup is what you are after.

2017 Nissan Titan
The Every-Duty Truck

By Larry Nutson
Senior Editor and Bureau Chief
Chicago Bureau
The Auto Channel

For 2016 Nissan introduced the new TITAN XD full size pickup that fits in a space between the traditional heavy-duty and light-duty/half-ton entries. The XD is offered in crew cab configuration with an available Cummins 5.0L V8 Turbo Diesel or a new 390 HP 5.6-L gasoline V8.

Now for 2017 the Nissan Titan pickup range is being expanded with the introduction of 2017 TITAN XD and TITAN Single Cab models. This is the first-ever single cab offering in TITAN history. These new trucks are designed to provide an affordable and rugged entry-point in the commercial fleet/work truck market.

As you would imagine, Nissan is looking to gain market share and convince pickup shoppers to give them consideration. To that end, Nissan recently announced "America's Best Truck Warranty" on its 2017 TITAN and TITAN XD full-size pickups. The warranty features bumper-to-bumper coverage of 5-years/100,000-miles, whichever comes first. The announcement is part of Nissan's "Year of the Truck" – a new product onslaught of pickups, SUVs and CUVs.

Vehicles covered by the new warranty, which includes basic and powertrain coverage, include all TITAN V8 gasoline-powered models and diesel and V8 gasoline-powered 2017 TITAN XD models, including both 4x4 and 4x2 drive configurations, in Crew Cab and Single Cab models.

The Titan and Titan XD are now available in 4X2 and 4X4 crew cab models in S, SV, SL and Platinum Reserve trim levels.

Pricing for the all-new 2017 TITAN Crew Cab half-ton full-size pickup powered by the 5.6-liter V8 engine starts at $34,780 for the TITAN Crew Cab S 4x2. The top of the line Platinum Reserve 4X4 is priced at $55,400.

Pricing for the 2017 TITAN XD Crew Cab equipped with the 390-horsepower gasoline 5.6-liter V8 starts at $36,290 for the TITAN XD Crew Cab S 4X2. The Platinum Reserve 4X4 is priced at $56,910.

The 2017 TITAN and TITAN XD crew cabs are scheduled to begin arriving at Nissan dealers nationwide in August. The Single Cab models are scheduled to go on sale in late Fall 2016. A King Cab body configuration, along with a V6 engine, will follow and are expected by February 2017.

TITAN will ultimately be available in a total of three cabs, three bed lengths, three engines, 4x4 and 4x2 drive and S, SV, SL, PRO-4X and Platinum Reserve trim levels.

Nissan recently hosted us at their Adventure Drive media launch which included the opportunity to get up close and drive the new 2017 Titan crew cab. Nissan’s American truck - designed, engineered and produced in the U.S., seems to have everything going for it. It’s well engineered based on what Nissan tells us. And I don’t doubt that, considering the need to be very competitive in the tough but highly lucrative full-size pickup segment.

The TITAN half-ton has the style of the TITAN XD, sharing the same cabs, but is built on a completely separate chassis and is about a foot shorter in wheelbase (139.8 inches versus XD's 151.6 inches). At 228.1 inches in length, it is 14.7 inches shorter than the larger TITAN XD (242.8 inches).

We drove the Titan both off-road and on the highways and local roads of the Central California coast. Situated in the driver’s seat and behind the wheel one look around at the overall interior could easily convince me to become a gentleman farmer or rancher.

Switches and controls are well located and the center console is huge. The shift lever is on the steering column, which opens up space in the center console. There’s 2nd row under-seat storage with a locking lid. Nissan’s Zero Gravity seats are used front and rear and they provided good comfort during our two-hour test drive. Heated and cooled front seats and heated rear seats are available with a choice of water-repellant fabric or leather.

The instrument panel includes a combination of analog and digital gauges, along with a 5.0-inch color display, unique diesel monitoring and maintenance displays, and available NissanConnect with Navigation, Mobile Apps and Services with 7.0-inch color monitor.

The TITAN is fairly quiet which is helped by laminated front side glass and improved engine noise isolation and body sealing. Hydraulic mounts are used to mate the cab to the frame which helps reduce noise and improves ride quality.

Available technology features include NissanConnect with Navigation, a 7.0-inch color touch-screen display, SiriusXM Traffic and Sirius Travel Link, Siri Eyes Free, Nissan Voice Recognition for navigation and audio, Blind Spot Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert and rearview monitor, as well as around view monitor.

So as you can tell the 2017 Titan is quite comfy and well equipped with very nice interior materials and overall quality. Once seated you can easily forget that there is a very versatile cargo bed right behind you.

On the road recognizing that a full size pickup is large to say the least, overall road manners are very pleasant. Steering feel is slightly heavy but not overly so, and ride and handling are confident and predictable. The around view monitor is great for tight maneuvering, even providing a view of the right front corner.

More info and specs on the entire Titan and Titan XD lineup can be found very easily at www.nissanusa.com.

I would say that the 2017 Nissan Titan is a must-be-shopped pickup if a pickup is what you are after, especially considering the new warranty. The new, longer warranty is a sure attraction for those intending to keep and drive a truck for many years and miles. Granted there is lots of brand loyalty with the U.S.-brand pickups, but anything can change.

2016 Larry Nutson, the Chicago Car Guy

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