2017 Nissan Titan Review

The Titan S work truck is available with either cab and comes standard with 18-inch steel wheels, an active grille shutter, cab-mounted LED bed lights, a lockable damped tailgate, remote locking and unlocking, manual exterior mirrors, push-button ignition, air-conditioning, cloth upholstery, a vinyl floor, power windows and locks, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, a 40/20/40-split folding front bench seat, a 60/40-split folding rear seat, a 5-inch color display, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, NissanConnect mobile apps and a six-speaker audio system with a CD player, an auxiliary input and a USB port.

Step up to the SV, the highest trim level that's available in either cab, and you'll also get alloy wheels, chrome exterior trim (bumpers, door handles and grille), power-adjustable heated mirrors, a carpeted floor, cloth and vinyl upholstery, a driver information display, satellite radio and Nissan's Trailer Sway Control (see the Safety section).

The Titan Pro-4X takes the SV's equipment and adds dark-finish wheels with all-terrain tires, off-road-tuned Bilstein shocks, a lockable rear differential, hill descent control, a receiver hitch and a seven-pin wiring harness connector. Additional standard features for the Pro-4X include front tow hooks, skid plates, automatic headlights, foglights, automatic wipers, a spray-in bedliner, a rearview camera, a blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert, keyless entry and ignition, front bucket seats, an eight-way power-adjustable driver seat (with power lumbar), unique cloth upholstery, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, dual-zone automatic climate control, a 7-inch touchscreen, voice controls (with Siri Eyes Free), a navigation system, a rear air vent, a 110-volt household-style power outlet and floor mats.

Next is the SL, which takes the Pro-4X's upgrades (minus the all-terrain tires and mechanical upgrades such as the Bilstein shocks) and adds 20-inch wheels, power-folding mirrors with puddle lamps, running boards, a power-sliding rear window, LED cargo box lighting, a Utili-Track bed rail system with four movable tie-down cleats, remote engine start, front and rear parking sensors, a power-adjustable steering wheel, driver memory functions, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a four-way power passenger seat, heated front seats, leather upholstery, a Rockford Fosgate 12-speaker audio system, a 120-volt outlet located inside the bed and the NissanConnect Services emergency telematics features suite.

The range-topping Platinum Reserve builds upon the SL's features, adding unique wheels, dark chrome exterior trim, a 360-degree parking camera, upgraded leather upholstery, chrome and wood interior accents, a heated steering wheel with wood inserts, ventilated front seats and heated rear seats.

Several option packages are available for the Nissan Titan, many of which bring the luxury and utility features from higher trims to the lower trims. Other notable packages include the SL Towing Convenience package (tow mirrors, a trailer brake controller and front tow hooks for rear-wheel-drive models), the SV and SL's Chrome package (20-inch chrome wheels, chrome exhaust tips and a chrome grille) and the Platinum Reserve's Bed Utility package (in-bed "Titan Box" storage bins, a remote locking tailgate and a bed utility step). The Platinum Reserve can also be ordered with a rear-seat DVD entertainment system and an Off-Road package with the Pro-4X's 18-inch alloys, all-terrain tires and Bilstein shocks.

For now, every 2017 Nissan Titan is powered by a 5.6-liter V8 engine producing 390 hpand 394 lb-ft of torque (a V6 is expected to bow later this year). It is paired to a seven-speed automatic transmission. Rear-wheel drive (RWD) is standard, and four-wheel drive (4WD) is optional on all but the Pro-4X, which comes standard with 4WD.

Whether equipped with RWD or 4WD, non-Pro-4X models earn EPA fuel economy estimates of 18 mpg combined (15 city/21 highway). The Pro-4X's off-road features (including the deletion of the front air dam) knock its fuel economy down slightly to 17 mpg combined (15 city/20 highway).

When properly equipped, the crew-cab Titan can tow up to 9,390 pounds in RWD configuration, and 4WD versions can tow up to 9,230 pounds. These ratings are a bit lower than V8-powered crew-cab competitors; the Ram 1500 crew cab can tow up to 10,330 pounds, while the Ford F-150 and Silverado 1500 crew cabs can each tow up to 10,800 pounds. The Titan's maximum payload is 1,590 pounds for RWD models and 1,610 pounds for 4WD models.