2016 Nissan Titan XD Cummins First Drive

Nissan’s new Titan XD is the truck for you. Or at least it definitely maybe could possibly be the truck for you.
 
Seriously, the Titan XD just might be the answer for someone who needs more capability than a half-ton but doesn’t want something as large, or expensive, as a 3/4-ton pickup. With its 5.0-liter Cummins turbo-diesel engine, a max tow rating of 12,314 lbs. and a payload capacity of 2,091 lbs., the Titan XD is intended to perfectly shoot the gap between half-ton pickups and their usually much heavier-duty 3/4-ton brethren. Its capabilities and features place it right in that undefined area between the two markets. After sampling the Titan XD, all we can say is that even if it represents a truck nobody as asking for, we’re sure glad Nissan answered the question anyway.

We had the chance to get behind the wheel of Nissan’s new turbo-diesel truck at a press launch in Arizona. We were also lucky enough to be allowed behind the gates of Nissan’s Arizona Test Center (ATC) to see where the Titan XD was put through its paces before launch. The Titan XD may not fit neatly into a conventional truck category, but we came away from the event with a clear understanding of how that was part of Nissan’s design parameters from the very beginning. Rich Miller, Chief Product Specialist for the Titan XD, explained that the Titan XD isn’t looking to reshape truck segments so much as it is to offer something that isn’t currently available.

“We’re not defining a segment; we’re providing an alternative to the customer,” Miller said. “They can still buy a big 3/4-ton truck or 1-ton truck, that’s there for them to go grab, but it’s giving them an alternative for something more right-sized and getting the right tool for the job instead of taking less, or a lot more, than what they need.”

If there’s one question that we editors get more than any other, it’s “Which is the best (fill in the blank)?” Which is the best 4x4 SUV, or which is the best diesel pickup, or what’s the best exhaust to buy, etc.? Our response, more often than not, is usually the same: What do you plan to do with it? Answering that question, and maybe a few others, will typically point someone in the right direction, or at least narrow their choices. Nissan went through that very exercise with a number of different truck owner focus groups, and the feedback from those sessions factored heavily in the Titan XD’s development.

Nissan points out that there are roughly 75,000 customers moving up to a 3/4-ton truck and another 75,000 or so people moving down to a half-ton truck. The Titan XD finds that “white space,” and as Miller explained, the key for Nissan was to target that specific truck buyer to see if a vehicle such as the Titan XD meets his needs.

“We know we’re not going to only sell to this customer, but we know if we make this customer happy that there’s a lot of other customers on the fringe that kind of ripple away from that person,” Miller said. “So our buyer for the Titan XD is a little bit younger for the segment. He’s 45-48 years old, has two kids that are a little bit older—in the 10 to 12 range—he’s a sub-contractor type person, and he uses his truck for business. He has guys that tow trailers for him and he tows trailers as well, but he also uses the truck as a dual-purpose vehicle because he also has campers, and he coaches his kids’ teams and goes camping and stuff like that. So there’s more than just the work part of it for this customer. That’s the person that we were really looking at—a person that really needs a truck but also needs one for his lifestyle.”

Cummins Now
Nissan made no secret that a Cummins powerplant would power the Titan XD (if you remember seeing those Cummins Soon bumper stickers that the company released in its advance press, then you know what we mean). The move was a crafty one, as it spoke directly to the heart of diesel enthusiasts, who typically buy from the Big Three, by partnering with the well-known diesel-engine manufacturer. Nissan then wore it like a badge of honor for the past two years.

Unlike the turbodiesel found in Ram’s line of heavy-duty trucks, the Titan XD’s Cummins isn’t an inline six-cylinder. It is a 5.0-liter V8 turbodiesel rated to produce 310 hp and 555 lb.-ft. of torque. Contrary to popular belief, Cummins does in fact produce V8 engines and this isn’t the first, though this is the most modern small V8 the company has produced. It is based on Cummins’ ISV5.0 engine, which typically powers busses, RVs and more (and provides up to a 30,000 lbs. GVWR in those applications), and the Titan XD engine shares 70 percent of its parts with the ISV5.0, so it is hardly uncharted territory for Cummins.

The Titan XD V8 features a compacted graphite iron engine block and it uses a Cummins M2 two-stage turbo system that uses a smaller turbo to help minimize turbo lag during initial acceleration and a larger one to provide boost through the rest of the power range. A Bosch High-Pressure Common Rail (HPCR) fuel system is employed along with a timed HPCR fuel pump for efficient fuel delivery. The V8 features dual overhead cams, and Bosch ceramic glow plugs are employed that Cummins says will still cycle in 2 seconds at -30 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s B20 biodiesel compliant as well.

But perhaps the biggest selling point for this engine, and for the Titan XD itself, comes down to its comparison to typical gas engines. As Cummins notes, in a typical driving range, the 5.0-liter turbo-diesel provides 45% more torque at cruising speed. Those familiar with diesel engines know that the engine will be spinning at a lower RPM at said cruising speed too, so that means fuel savings are part of the equation as well. We’d love to report fuel economy figures for the Titan XD, but unfortunately we didn’t have a large enough sample size to provide test data, and due to the truck’s size it isn’t required to have EPA fuel data. We’ll have our hands on a test unit very soon so that we can provide real-world fuel economy data.

All-New Design
Nissan says durability is one of the cornerstones of the Titan XD, and its chassis is designed to be rugged. The fully boxed ladder frame borrows key architecture from the company’s NV2500 and NV3500 commercial vans. Unlike the vans, however, the Titan XD doesn’t rely on rack-and-pinion steering and instead uses a recirculating-ball setup that provides decent, but not great, overall turning. Suspension chores are handled by an independent a-arm front system with coil springs up front and a solid axle with leaf springs out back. The Pro-4X model, in which we spent a great deal of time during out intro, is upgraded with monotube Bilstein shocks that we greatly prefer over the standard twin-tube shocks on the SL and Platinum Reverse trims at the event. Although the Bilsteins offer superior off-road performance, we had no overall complaints with the ride of the truck on the highway regardless of trim.

Ride comfort is key for Nissan, as they know this buyer will spend a great deal of time on the road. So Nissan uses Zero Gravity Seats both front and rear that are based on NASA research synergy. The front bucket seats are very comfortable in our opinion, and although the back seat is not uncomfortable it lacks the definition and cozy feel we found up front.

A new four-spoke steering wheel is used on the Titan XD, and although the new dash design isn’t very flashy and could be considered a little boring it is nicely laid out and really easy to find the proper dial or button needed. The push-button start is a nice addition for the Titan XD, and the column shifter opens up space on the center storage console and features manual shift buttons for towing applications. Automatic dual-zone climate control is a nice addition, as are the heated and cooled seats, and Rockford Fosgate premium audio is available on upper trims. Charging devices shouldn’t be an issue in the Titan XD either, as it features 12v, 120v and USB connections. We also like the Nissan’s AroundView monitor that uses cameras on the truck to provide a 360-degree view while backing up or a front view of the truck while off-roading at slow speeds.

The Titan XD isn’t the only Titan Nissan will introduce in the coming year, but the XD is its own platform with a chassis to accommodate the 800-pound Cummins engine. Nissan elected to launch the XD in advance of the new half-ton Titan truck, which we will likely see in 2016. Although the Titan XD is launching with the Cummins diesel, it’s noteworthy that a 5.6-liter V8 gasoline engine will also be offered for the Titan XD and for the new Titan (and it won’t be the same engine as the first-gen). Details on that engine will probably come at the same time as news of the new Titan.

Driving Impression
Getting behind the wheel of a Pro-4X Titan XD, we were pleased with the overall layout of the cabin and the angle of the driver’s seat in relation to the steering wheel and dash. The push-button start fired the 5.0-liter Cummins to life, and we were happy to hear the gentle rumble didn’t overpower the cabin—no doubt the laminated front side glass helped in this regard. Nissan also told us it really works to improve body sealing with holes and gaps in the body to reduce road noise, and we can honestly say we noticed a difference compared to the prior Titan. Pulling away from a stop, we were happy the engine stayed relatively quiet and didn’t transmit much shake inside the cab; the hydraulic body mount helps keep the ride smooth, even when we found some weathered, bumpy Arizona roads.

But, just as we anticipated, the Cummins engine is a real bright spot for the truck. Its 555 lb.-ft. of torque gives it a muscular feel right off idle—in fact, when we leaned into the throttle while accelerating away from a stop sign we were surprised at just how much punch it had. The two-stage turbo system definitely reduces any lag off the bottom and maintains strong acceleration throughout the powerband. Compared to other diesel engines, the XD’s 5.0-liter Cummins has more get-up-and-go than Ram’s VM Motori EcoDiesel turbo V6 (240 hp, 420 lb.-ft.) but not quite the same brute strength as the Ram 2500’s 6.7-liter Cummins diesel six-cylinder (350 hp, 600 lb.-ft.). We’d say its engine performance is right in-between them, and its Aisin six-speed automatic transmission shifts smoothly and effortlessly, nicely complementing the great overall drive-ability of the engine.

We had the chance to tow a 9,000-lb. trailer during our trip as well. We drove down a steep grade during the test, which was just long enough to appreciate the Downhill Speed Control and its ability to maintain a steady downhill speed while towing. The 14-inch disc brakes on all four corners helped bring us to a stop, and the integrated trailer brake controls on the dash are a nice addition to help dial in the trailer brake as well. Although we didn’t need it, it’s nice to know the truck’s Trailer Sway Control system will apply the brakes if needed to maintain control of the trailer. The trailer was already hitched to our intro test unit, but the Titan XD is equipped with a backup camera integrated with the AroundView monitor to make lining up and hooking onto a trailer with the tow-ball hitch a one-person job.

Driving uphill on the 6% grade, we were impressed with the pulling power of the Cummins. The engine doesn’t quite have the same limitless power feel of the 6.7-liter Cummins on the top end, but it feels very comfortable pulling the 9,000-pound trailer. It should be noted that Nissan offers a gooseneck hitch option as well, as each truck is fitted with this tow mount option on the frame.

When it comes to handling, our initial feelings of the Titan XD are mixed. Overall, the truck drives comfortably and smoothly on the highway despite being a bit brawnier than a half-ton, but its slow-speed speed turning is one area we aren’t in love with. The Titan XD imparts a heavy and bulky feel in turns, and it simply wasn’t as effortless to turn as the Ford F-250 that Nissan brought out for the sake of comparison. When we asked about the steering, Nissan officials told us the recirculating-ball steering is a design in which certain compromises must be made to handling. Nissan clearly erred on the side of smoother steering at cruising speed, so slow-speed turning is where the Titan XD is not at its finest; it’s the proper tradeoff as the truck is great for highway driving, but slow-speed turning is not a strength.

Final Thoughts
Nissan’s move to offer a truck that does not fit into an established market segment is bold, and whether or not there are enough customers out there for the Titan XD remains to be seen. If I’m being honest, I do like the idea of the truck on a personal level because it does speak to me. I’ve toyed with the idea of purchasing a diesel truck, because I do want something with more capability for towing than a half-ton, especially when you consider how much legal “towing weight” you lose with a fully loaded truck of family, friends and gear. But for me, a 250/2500 is borderline overkill since I most likely will not be towing 15,000 pounds on a commercial trailer, and I find a four-door version of that size truck to be a bit cumbersome for errands around town. As much as I’d love a big diesel, it’s more truck than I need right now. If there are more people like me out there, Nissan may be on to something.

The important consideration for some will be price. With a Cummins equipped, the XD S Crew Cab in 4x2 will start at $40,000, the Pro-4x Crew Cab 4x4 will sit at roughly $50,000 and the loaded Platinum Reserve Crew Cab will run about $60,000. Although the truck may not hit top marks in every category, the Cummins V8, quiet ride and overall capability make the Titan XD a legitimate consideration in the full-size truck market - or heavy-half-ton, or whatever you want to call it.