Nissan has now showcased refreshed examples of its Nissan Titan pickup for 2020. Among the updates is a notable front-end redesign and more power from its V8 engine, but there is more to it than that. Does this updated model pose a threat to the new-for-2019 Chevrolet Silverado or GMC Sierra? Let’s break it down.
For 2020, the Titan receives an updated version of the existing 5.6L gasoline V8 engine, which is now good for 400 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque. That engine, used in both the Titan and the heavy-duty Titan XD, is now paired to a new nine-speed automatic transmission.
Curiously, Nissan has not yet announced fuel economy figures or towing capacity numbers, the latter of which has been a sore spot for the Titan, which is worst in its class. The Silverado 1500 Crew Cab with 4WD and the L82 5.3L EcoTec3 V8 can outpull a comparable 2019 Titan, 9,500 pounds to 9,240, despite having a smaller, less powerful engine. As for fuel economy, the Nissan’s V8 boasts a combined city/highway average of 18 MPG in 4WD models, while GM’s L82 EcoTec3 manages 17 MPG and the L84 5.3L V8 with Dynamic Fuel Management also reaches 18 MPG.
No new changes have been announced for the optional diesel powertrain, which is currently exclusive to the heavy-duty Titan XD. However, several reports on the web confirm that Nissan is dropping its diesel engine for 2020, leaving the 5.6L gasoline V8 as the only powertrain across the board. The Cummins diesel offering is way behind what is on offer from General Motors, with 310 horsepower and 555 pound-feet of torque.
A mild visual upgrade with new headlights, taillights, bumpers, grille, and wheel options is also part of the refresh, as is the inclusion of Nissan’s suite of safety tech, Nissan Safety Shield 360, as standard equipment. Most of the features in that package, like rear cross traffic alert, blind spot monitoring and lane keep assist, are still optional extras for Silverado and Sierra.
Sales Numbers - Full-Size Mainstream Pickup Trucks - Q2 2019 - USA
| MODEL | Q2 19 / Q2 18 | Q2 19 | Q2 18 | Q2 19 SHARE | Q2 18 SHARE | YTD 19 / YTD 18 | YTD 19 | YTD 18 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FORD F-SERIES | -1.33% | 233,787 | 236,947 | 36% | 38% | -0.61% | 448,398 | 451,138 |
| RAM RAM PICKUP | +38.49% | 179,454 | 129,575 | 28% | 21% | +28.24% | 299,480 | 233,539 |
| CHEVROLET SILVERADO | -8.40% | 142,464 | 155,529 | 22% | 25% | -11.78% | 256,777 | 291,074 |
| GMC SIERRA | -4.29% | 56,857 | 59,406 | 9% | 10% | -3.44% | 97,403 | 100,874 |
| TOYOTA TUNDRA | -0.26% | 29,397 | 29,474 | 5% | 5% | -2.32% | 54,497 | 55,792 |
| NISSAN TITAN | -21.07% | 8,343 | 10,570 | 1% | 2% | -22.62% | 18,026 | 23,294 |
| TOTAL | +4.63% | 650,302 | 621,501 | +1.63% | 1,174,581 | 1,155,711 |
This refresh should breathe some amount of life into the Titan, a model whose sales are currently worst in the segment by a substantial margin. GM Authority has previously reported on pickup truck sales for Q2 2019 and the results were absolutely dismal for the Titan, covering less than 1.5 percent of all new truck sales. For perspective, Silverado and Sierra accounted for more than 31 percent of new truck sales in the same quarter.
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Comments
I don’t think many people care.
If Nissan ditches the Diesel engine, they should maybe try to make the 5.6L V8 sound like something other than bolts in a blender. That engine sounds so cheap.
The Armada is also very disappointing.
What engine are you listening to? Every titan I’ve ever heard with a legit exhaust, not a “chop off the resonator and mufflers” job, sounds as good as any of the other big 3….I’m not a fan of how the tundra sounds though.
Only people drive these are phoney cowboys and immigrant supervisors to translate to the “no comprende” construction workers for the bille-bob company owners…
I suppose you’re an all American real Cowboy in your Silver-ado?
Take your crap elsewhere. In don’t care for the Titan myself but not because I’m a racist bigot.
No I’m not bigoted but you love sub-standard, wannabe Japanese trucks, get a Ridgeline for better economy to impress the lonely suburban moms on your way to Lowe’s….
It’s getting sour on this thread, I’m done…
BTW, Titans suck (the team and the truck ?)….
There is absolutely nothing wrong with the titan, 1st and 2nd gen. The engine is stronger than the competition(that’s been proven year after year) even with the lesser hp in the 1st gen. People complaining are just mad rednecks who shove dip in their lip and scream “Imma ford/Chevy man yeeeehaawww,” their opinions dont hold any real value.
Imagine being as much of a racist redneck as this guy right here. Cowboys are a dying breed my man. Sorry, but there really isnt such thing as a bad truck these days, just bad opinions like you have that make no sense.
Lol, ok Cletuses. Defend a horrible truck with rear-end and differential issues and shun competitive US trucks because Japan “loves” the US Soo much, lol. Now go back to “work” sleeping in your pissan so Jorge or Jose can call you to the site on what corners to cut or how many black guys to fire on the next project……
I have a 2018 Titan PRO-4x . Yes the thing get terrible gas milage on regular gas. About 17 mpg. If I run pure gas with no ethenol I get 20mpg and a noticable bump in HP. I have a farm and use this truck to haul my trailer and tractor around without issue. I haven’t had any issues with it and it is extremely quiet on the road. The 4WD system is actually very good. I’ve also had other brands of trucks our there over the years and they all have pros and cons. I really like having a the stalk mount shifter vs a console shifter. More room in the console. I wish the switches on the lower left of the driver were larger. (Fog lights etc) The Nissan Cargo control system is really the best. The lights in the back of the truck …bed are really great. It drives like a truck. My F150 I hated the aluminum bed. Thing was too light in the rear end. My Silverado I loved but it had the plow package and I was lucky to get 13mpg.
Now what most people don’t really consider is all this towing hype. For Example my F150 could tow more because of the truck being lighter. Pros to that its tow capacity is more. Cons to that was I had to out it in 4wd Everytime I went into my fields because being so light in the rear gave it no traction at all.
You don’t buy a half ton truck to primarily haul anyway. They are purchased to he a do all truck.
Now I did buy my Nissan used and for what I paid for it. I couldn’t but a Ford or Chevy unless it had a ton of miles on it.
The Titan is legit for several reasons if you have an open mind.
100,000 mile warranty on everything.
The most comfortable seats period. I couldn’t go 3 hrs in a Ford or Chevy without getting out like an old man. I can go for 6 hrs with no issue.
The only truck built 100% in the US. Not Mexico, not Canada.
But the biggest beef with Ford and Chevy, is comparably their prices are getting rediculous. I’m just not spending that on a truck anymore.
Try it out, you might like it.
I bought a new 2018 Platinum Reserve 4×4. There were many things I liked about this truck but it had so e fatal flaws. The big one was the 7 speed transmission. I have owned over 20 pickups and yes the seats were nice, the truck was tight and quiet but when the transmission is so weak that I can’t back my dump trailer up a very small slope with a load weighing 4000 pounds, there is an issue. When I accelerate onto a very busy road and the truck decides to start out in 3rd or 4th instead of 1st when full power is needed, there is a huge issue. When driving along on a level road at 65 and the RPMS keep fluctuating by 500 RPMS acting like an old truck in bad need of a tune up, there is a problem. When the nav does not show any road names and I have to use a 5 year old Garmin in my $60000 truck that is an issue. AND WHEN THE FACTORY REP SAYS ” YEP, WE HAVE A PROBLEM BUT THE ENGINEERS CANT SEEM TO FIND A FIX FOR IT…THEY ALL DRIVE THIS WAY” , I FIND THAT A BIG ISSUE. And there is a lot more…like don’t let your truck idle because the AC will quit working. Or don’t rely on the grade breaking because it only works sporadically. I have a 2015 Murano I love. No issues. So I thought the Titan would be a good truck. WRONG..POS! I also learned that Nissan cares nothing about their customers. Even my dealer said they would do nothing and that’s true. A lot of “rope a dope” . I will never buy another Nissan product. If they can’t even fix the soft ware on a seven speed Asin transmission do you really think the 2020 with their own in house built 9 speed is going to be a winner…I seriously doubt that. As big as GM and Ford. are they co-developed the 10 speed. Ram doesn’t use a proprietary transmission. But the great folks at Nissan think they can develope their own. I think I would wait a year or two to see how that all pans out before spending my hard earned money. I looked at the ALL NEW REFRESHED TITAN….yeh, real refreshed. Little different grill and headlights. The rest looked like my 2018 except a bigger nav screen. Hope they include the street names this time, it helps. Traded for a 2020 Ram. Now there’s a truck. First tank I got 16. My Titan never reached 11 mpg. Talking about quiet, smooth, fantastic 8 speed, great infotainment system and tows over 13000 pounds….and actually will back a load of gravel up a slope. AMAZING. DONT BUY A TITAN. THEY ARE JUNK. NISSAN AS A COMPANY IS WORSE THAN THE TRUCK EVEN.
Meh, after purchasing several new Ford trucks, I just got rid of my last one in favor of a Titan XD. I just hauled a very loaded 28 foot cargo trailer from Seattle to Arizona with zero issues and it towed like a dream. go like this truck a lot. All these people who think a truck makes your identity have some growing up to do. Buy what you want, don’t believe the hype, and maybe accept people for thinking different than you. I run a ford trucks channel, where I’ve customized several new f150s and super duties. They’re great trucks, but I was tired of the recalls, cheap loud interior, and high purchase price. Not to mention that I can find my truck in a parking lot, instead of guessing which lifted silver f150 was mine. I went different and it works for me. Maybe my next truck will be American again but for now I’m happy with my Titan XD 5.6 pro 4x
Wow. Can’t believe what I’m reading in some of these comments from people so racist, they think a Japanese truck is directly tied to Hispanic construction workers?!? I don’t get it. I’m a Chevy guy (2006 suburban) that replaced my 2004 frontier. These trucks are bargains and while they’re not as good as the ones from the big three, they’re way more affordable and *almost* as capable. Best value out there in the truck market right now. Not to mention that this is the last company that actually builds a purpose made REAL TRUCK. Face it, the big three are mostly making luxury pickups that have turned into near-euro luxury snob vehicles. The frontier (and Titan) are purpose built, no frills, real pickups. I wouldn’t be afraid to throw a 1000 lbs of scrap metal in the bed without throwing a bunch of tarps and blankets in there that would destroy the paint and bedliner.
That’s what I like about this world we live in, everyone has their own opponents, if we where all the same what a boring world this would be…
I agree with Scott. I owned Ford, Dodges, and never a GM product. My 2012 Dodge 3500 dually has 135000 miles on it. It has pulled 30000 lbs all over America and never an issue. It’s still a virgin meaning I haven’t deleted anything. I’m looking at Nissan Titans because for half the price you can get a damn nice truck. Who cares about fuel economy, if I was worried about that I would buy Volkswagen tdi. I own a business and I tow constantly. Dodge has been a good truck for years and I’m not spending 60000 + for another truck. To each their own. Buy what makes you happy and quit worrying about what others think. I didn’t disown my brother in law when he bought a tundra. In my book that’s a POS. God Bless and be nice out there.
I have driven them all. Fords, Chevys, GMCs, Dodges, heck, even Internationals. Compacts to two tons. I hauled hogs and tobacco to market as soon as I got my license at 16. I don’t get what all the racist b.s. about Nissan Trucks accomplishes. The last Dodge I had, a 2003 3500 Laramie with the Cummins was built in freakin Mexico. The Nissan Titan is built by Americans in Mississippi. It has just as much (actually more) power than that old 5.9 Common Rail Cummins in my ’03, makes fewer emissions, and had more creature comforts for the dollar than the newer trucks. It weighs more than the Ford F150, the Chevrolet 1500, or the Ram 1500. That means less mpg BUT more stable towing. Being that I have ACTUALLY hauled some shit other than my brother inlaw’s futon, that means something to me. Most of the d-bags commenting won’t ever tow a bulldozer, a load of tobacco, or 60 head of 250 lbs hogs in a gooseneck trailer like I did. The Nissan Titan, is meant for those people who need to pull a load stable, with a truck that has more than just a willing mind and a light behind, but doesn’t need to move the world. 35,000 lbs for the HD trucks is ridiculous for most people when 12,000 lbs is special weighted tag territory and a heck of a lot to stop for a truck that has has weight removed for fuel economy, like the Big 3’s 1/2 tons . And brand loyalty is nothing more than something that will keep dealers selling less imaginative vehicles because their customers are too stupid to know better.
Own a 2006 Frontier. Hands down best value on a pickup with four real doors. Midsize Toyotas and Chevy four doors are too expensive. Ranger four door wasn’t available back then – but have u seen the price??? Yikes.
That said, I’m buying a 2018 f150 XL crew cab STX with a 2.7 turbo. Reason? Bigger family now and gas mileage!
For me it’s price, crew cab, (extended or double cabs suck) and gas mileage. Ford is the innovator and reasonably priced if you are okay with an XL trim. Functionality.
2018 STX I’m buying has 15k on it and only costs 30,300 bucks. Boom. Yes it’s a 4×4.
Can’t wait to show up on the job site with it.
You’ll love the F150! It’s a great truck. Before buying Google the dash issues and make sure the one you are looking at doesn’t have that issue.
I purchased my 2018 Titan Pro 4x with 19000 for 28,000. That’s why I purchased it. It has a couple of scratches on it. I came close to being an Eco Boost Dodge but the reason I didn’t was I just had that bad feeling when I was taking to the owner.
I have a 2006 Titan that I still drive every single day. And I’ll tell you what- the thing’s pretty damn quick; I’ve had a lot of fun easily pulling on other trucks over the years. Especially Silverados and the crappy 5.4 that Ford used for many years- gutless pos. Good thing they smartened up with the EcoBoost. And anyone who disagrees doesn’t know what they’re talking about. I have been towing and snow plowing with my Titan since I bought it. Never had one problem. No clue what all this bitching it about. Oh, and don’t forget, when Nissan came out with the Titan in 2004 it was, without a question; not even debatable- the baddest truck around with the biggest numbers, PERIOD. Detroit didn’t even know what had hit them. You can thank Nissan for all the innovation from all the other manufacturers because it was driven by the 2004 Titan specifically. Especially Ford scrapping that stupid 5.4. Also, to this day, a lot of the technology in the Titan is STILL over a decade old and it remains a competitive truck. Is it the absolute King of the Hill today? No. But who cares. It’s a solid truck.
I think the one interesting fact is this truck was originally designed so Dodge and Nissan could share the platform.
I had a GMC Denali for seven years before purchasing the 2018 Nissan Titan platinum reserve. I tried a dodge and while it was a nice truck, it lack of refinement and Dodge quality is horrible. I have a friend who lost the diesel motor in his dodge truck three times before 80,000 km. Another friend lost the engine in his dodge gas version. I don’t like the Ford F150, it moves around a lot with the load on and it does not bold confidence when towing. GM make good trucks however, my Titan pools a trailer much better and smoother than my 2011 Denali. So far, I think the Titan is a quiet, comfortable truck with a nice ride. I’ve had it loaded to the point where I felt a little uncomfortable, however, the truck never showed any struggle what so ever cruising down the road. I think the big three should be concerned about maintaining their share of the truck market. Owner loyalty will not hold out forever and when people try the Toyota and Nissan trucks things will change. The big 3 trucks are just not better vehicles period.