cars news 10: Nissan Titan: 2017 Truck of the Year Contender

We Like: The good ride quality and accurate steering.

We Don’t Like: The noisy engine and subpar pulling power.

Sometimes, fitting into a group can take time. Ask any rat race–weary Manhattanite who’s attempted to relocate to small-town Maine. Or the four-wheel analogue—an Asian automaker entering the long-calcified American full-size truck segment. Let’s just say Toyota and Nissan haven’t been invited to join the Detroit Athletic Club.

Watch the 2017 Motor Trend Awards LIVE on November 14 at 7:30 p.m. PT, and don’t miss all the latest Car, Truck, and SUV of the Year content at MotorTrendAwards.com.

2017 Nissan Titan 4x4 SL front end in motion

2017 Nissan Titan 4x4 SL front three quarter in motion 02

2017 Nissan Titan 4x4 SL rear three quarter

And now, as Nissan continues to roll out its second-gen Titan, the standard-duty variant is finally one of the boys. All our judges noted the Titan’s smooth ride. Mark Rechtin found a “much smoother ride than the Ford in routine around-town travel.” And everybody fell for the stark simplicity, light weight, and happy handling of the bare-bones Titan S single-cab work truck. That version hauls, ahem, mulch.

But as the features (and weight) climbed, performance dropped. At full-boot throttle, the Titan’s 5.6-liter engine is harsh. The Titan also struggled up the Davis Dam tow climb and oversped its cruise control on the way down. “It stumbled off the line, both unladen and especially with the trailers attached,” Chris Walton said. “Perhaps this is a gentle throttle-map strategy, but I would’ve expected some snap from the big V-8.”

2017 Nissan Titan 4x4 SL front interior seats

2017 Nissan Titan 4x4 SL rear interior seats

Its styling is either refreshingly differentiated from the domestic brands or simply falls short of them. And the interior content quality, features, and packaging, including seat comfort and the reach to change radio stations, fall short of class-topping Ford.

At its heart, the Titan is a me-too pickup, and that’s not enough to gain entrance to the club. As I said, “It’s simply a competent alternative.”

	2017 Nissan Titan 4×4 Platinum Reserve	2017 Nissan Titan 4×4 S (Single-Cab)	2017 Nissan Titan 4×4 SL
POWERTRAIN/CHASSIS
DRIVETRAIN LAYOUT	Front-engine, 4WD	Front-engine, 4WD	Front-engine, 4WD
ENGINE TYPE	90-deg V-8 alum block/heads	90-deg V-8 alum block/heads	90-deg V-8 alum block/heads
VALVETRAIN	DOHC, 4 valves/cyl	DOHC, 4 valves/cyl	DOHC, 4 valves/cyl
DISPLACEMENT	338.8 cu in/5,552 cc	338.8 cu in/5,552 cc	338.8 cu in/5,552 cc
COMPRESSION RATIO	11.2:1	11.2:1	11.2:1
POWER (SAE NET)	390 hp @ 5,800 rpm	390 hp @ 5,800 rpm	390 hp @ 5,800 rpm
TORQUE (SAE NET)	394 lb-ft @ 4,000 rpm	394 lb-ft @ 4,000 rpm	394 lb-ft @ 4,000 rpm
REDLINE	6,300 rpm	6,300 rpm	6,300 rpm
WEIGHT TO POWER	15.3 lb/hp	13.9 lb/hp	15.2 lb/hp
TRANSMISSION	7-speed automatic	7-speed automatic	7-speed automatic
AXLE/FINAL-DRIVE RATIO	2.94:1/2.27:1/2.72:1	2.94:1/2.27:1/2.72:1	2.94:1/2.27:1/2.72:1
SUSPENSION, FRONT; REAR	Control arms, coil springs, anti-roll bar; live axle, leaf springs, anti-roll bar	Control arms, coil springs, anti-roll bar; live axle, leaf springs, anti-roll bar	Control arms, coil springs, anti-roll bar; live axle, leaf springs, anti-roll bar
STEERING RATIO	16.0:1	16.0:1	16.0:1
TURNS LOCK-TO-LOCK	3.0	3.0	3.0
BRAKES, F; R	13.8-in vented disc; 13.6-in vented disc, ABS	13.8-in vented disc; 13.6-in vented disc, ABS	13.8-in vented disc; 13.6-in vented disc, ABS
WHEELS, F;R	8.0 x 20-in cast aluminum	8.0 x 18-in steel	8.0 x 20-in cast aluminum
TIRES, F;R	275/60R20 114S (M+S) Goodyear Wrangler SR-A	265/70R18 114 (M+S) Toyo Open Country A26	275/60R20 114S (M+S) Goodyear Wrangler SR-A
DIMENSIONS
WHEELBASE	139.8 in	139.8 in	139.8 in
TRACK, F/R	68.1/68.1 in	67.9/67.9 in	68.1/68.1 in
LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT	228.1 x 79.5 x 77.2 in	228.1 x 79.5 x 75.1 in	228.1 x 79.5 x 77.2 in
TURNING CIRCLE	48.2 ft (wall-to-wall)	48.2 ft (wall-to-wall)	48.2 ft (wall-to-wall)
CURB WEIGHT	5,974 lb	5,404 lb	5,927 lb
WEIGHT DIST, F/R	57/43%	60/40%	57/43%
SEATING CAPACITY	5	3	5
HEADROOM, F/R	41.0/40.4 in	41.0/ — in	41.0/40.4 in
LEGROOM, F/R	41.8/38.5 in	41.8/ — in	41.8/38.5 in
SHOULDER ROOM, F/R	63.3/63.6 in	63.3/ — in	63.3/63.6 in
PICKUP BOX VOLUME	49.8 cu ft	72.6 cu ft	49.8 cu ft
PICKUP BOX L x W x H	67.0 x 61.7 x 20.8 in	97.7 x 61.7 x 20.8 in	67.0 x 61.7 x 20.8 in
WIDTH BET WHEELHOUSES	50.0 in	50.0 in	50.0 in
PAYLOAD CAPACITY	1,326 lb	1,896 lb	1,373 lb
TOWING CAPACITY	9,230 lb	9,560 lb	9,230 lb
TEST DATA
ACCELERATION TO MPH
0-30	2.6 sec	2.4 sec	2.5 sec
0-40	3.8	3.5	3.7
0-50	5.2	4.9	5.1
0-60	6.9	6.5	6.8
0-70	9.2	8.6	9.1
0-80	11.7	11.0	11.6
0-90	14.4	13.6	14.3
0-100	—	18.0	19.0
PASSING, 45-65 MPH	3.5	3.3	3.5
QUARTER MILE	15.4 sec @ 92.9 mph	15.0 sec @ 93.9 mph	15.3 sec @ 92.7 mph
BRAKING, 60-0 MPH	123 ft	125 ft	126 ft
LATERAL ACCELERATION	0.72 g (avg)	0.74 g (avg)	0.74 g (avg)
MT FIGURE EIGHT	28.3 sec @ 0.59 g (avg)	28.7 sec @ 0.60 g (avg)	28.5 sec @ 0.60 g (avg)
TOP-GEAR REVS @ 60 MPH	1,500 rpm	1,400 rpm	1,500 rpm
CONSUMER INFO
BASE PRICE	$56,595	$32,000 (est)	$50,655
PRICE AS TESTED	$56,595	$32,000 (est)	$51,015
STABILITY/TRACTION CONTROL	Yes/Yes	Yes/Yes	Yes/Yes
AIRBAGS	Dual front, front side, f/r curtain	Dual front/side/curtain	Dual front, front side, f/r curtain
BASIC WARRANTY	5 yrs/100,000 miles	5 yrs/100,000 miles	5 yrs/100,000 miles
POWERTRAIN WARRANTY	5 yrs/100,000 miles	5 yrs/100,000 miles	5 yrs/100,000 miles
ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE	3 yrs/36,000 miles	3 yrs/36,000 miles	3 yrs/36,000 miles
FUEL CAPACITY	26.0 gal	26.0 gal	26.0 gal
REAL MPG, CITY/HWY/COMB	12.4/18.4/14.5 mpg	12.6/19.2/14.9 mpg	Not tested
EPA CITY/HWY/COMB ECON	15/21/18 mpg	15/21/18 mpg	15/21/18 mpg
ENERGY CONS, CITY/HWY	225/160 kW-hrs/100 miles	225/160 kW-hrs/100 miles	225/160 kW-hrs/100 miles
CO2 EMISSIONS, COMB	1.13 lb/mile	1.13 lb/mile	1.13 lb/mile
RECOMMENDED FUEL	Unleaded regular	Unleaded regular	Unleaded regular