2016 Nissan Titan XD Gasoline V-8
That Nissan’s Titan pickup has always been a bit of an outlier in the fiercely competitive truck segment is not lost on its maker. So when it came time to introduce its new almost-heavy-duty 2016 Titan XD truck at the 2015 Detroit auto show, it didn’t feel compelled to follow the norms set by the three main players in the HD truck segment. Aimed at the so-called white space between traditional half-ton trucks and three-quarter-ton trucks, the XD is built on a new, specific chassis that shares next to zero parts with the forthcoming half-ton Titan. It was initially available with the potentially game-changing 5.0-liter Cummins turbo-diesel V-8 as the sole powertrain (we referred to it as a five-eighth-ton truck in our recent instrumented test of the diesel XD). Now, the first 2016 Titan XD crew-cab trucks equipped with Nissan’s heavily revised 5.6-liter gasoline V-8 are just beginning to slip onto dealership lots.
The 5.6 Gets Its Kicks
In production for more than a decade, Nissan’s naturally aspirated 5.6-liter V-8 was never dominant in terms of raw power. Producing 317 horsepower (305 horsepower initially) and 385 lb-ft of torque, it has been a welterweight in a segment defined by heavyweight muscle. To beef it up for duty in the Titan XD, Nissan called the 5.6 back home for a comprehensive makeover. Featuring more than 150 new parts and updates, including direct fuel injection, variable valve timing, and a higher compression ratio of 11.2:1 (versus the former 9.8:1), the new “Endurance” V-8 produces 390 horsepower and 401 lb-ft of twist, increases of 73 and 16, respectively. A new multi-control valve in the cooling system ensures the proper flow of coolant for towing and other sustained high-load situations.
What the numbers don’t communicate is the markedly improved noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) character of the revised engine. Whereas the previous V-8 always felt a bit coarse and graceless, the new Endurance engine is a polished performer. The sturdier XD chassis with its hydraulic cab mounts, plus the copious use of sound-deadening materials, surely help the cause, but it’s clear Nissan engineers focused on refining the engine while they were harvesting more power. (The front engine mount, one of four, is an electronically controlled liquid-filled piece that surely works to stymie unwanted engine noise and vibration from being transmitted to the passenger compartment.) Nissan tells us this Tennessee-built V-8 also will power the forthcoming half-ton Titan, the Infiniti QX80, and the upcoming Armada SUV, as well as the global Nissan Patrol.
Shifting duties are handled by a seven-speed automatic transmission built by JATCO, a Nissan subsidiary. (The diesel Titan XD runs a six-speed Aisin unit.) Light- to mid-throttle applications yield soft, nearly transparent gear swaps, while hammer-down situations prompt immediate downshifts that let the tachometer flirt with 6000 rpm before snagging the next gear. Those looking for an old-school exhaust note to supplement their accelerative exploits will need to hit the local muffler shop, since the tone of the factory setup is polite, accompanied by the remote sounds of precision mechanicals at work under the hood. You can choose gears manually via a rocker switch on the column-mounted shifter, but second-guessing the computer’s optimally programmed shift maps is unnecessary.
Despite its tweener status, the Titan XD qualifies as a heavy-duty vehicle by current EPA standards, and Nissan is not required at this time to state official fuel-economy numbers. (Proposed changes may alter that situation.) That said, we averaged an indicated 14 and 15 mpg in two rounds of mixed driving, as reported by the Titan’s onboard computer.
Titan in the Middle
The XD lands firmly between half- and three-quarter-ton trucks, not by employing any cutting-edge technology, but rather by a subtle refinement of the same sturdy formula that truckmakers have used for decades: a fully boxed ladder frame, rear leaf springs, front control arms and coil springs, and heavily boosted power steering. As expected, it drives like a truck, albeit a quiet one. The steering is slow, but there’s a nice on-center valley that teams with the stable chassis to make long, straight interstate stretches disappear as if the truck is on autopilot.
Pitting the gasoline Titan XD against its diesel brother in a head-to-head demonstration of strength reveals a surprising parity. Heavy haulers will appreciate the 2594-pound payload rating of the gasoline-powered two-wheel-drive Titan XD (4x4 versions are limited to 2523 pounds), which tops the diesel-powered Titan XD’s 2091-pound rating (2003 pounds for the diesel 4x4). Those who tow will want to sign up for diesel duty, since the oil-burning Titan XD is rated to tug up to 12,314 pounds of tools or toys, while this gasoline-powered rig calls it quits at 11,270 pounds (11,120 for the 4x4). Neither version can claim a landslide victory, but with 555 lb-ft of torque, the diesel likely will make a better companion for those who tow on a frequent basis.
Nissan says the Titan XD’s compliant ride is partly the result of optimizing spring rates for towing ride comfort. While we didn’t get the opportunity to hook up a Titan XD to a trailer of any sort, we did manage to find a truck with about 850 pounds of bagged concrete mix in its bed. The added payload actually improved the ride and also dramatically reduced rear axle hop over bumpy surfaces and railroad crossings. Braking performance suffered, of course, but control was never compromised, even when stabbing the pedal hard from 60 mph.
Change Is Skin Deep
Thanks to Nissan’s protracted rollout plan, most consumers have had ample time to decide whether the Titan XD’s styling is to their taste. As with most crew-cab trucks, there’s plenty of room inside for people of all sizes, and the order sheet accommodates tastes from utilitarian to luxurious, from sporty to spartan. We dig the legible analog instrumentation and the cohesively designed button and switchgear groupings. Special mention goes to Nissan’s excellent Zero Gravity seats. Supportive without being overly firm, they helped us emerge fresh after a pair of back-to-back four-hour driving stints.
For all the hoopla Nissan has created about how the XD is blazing its own trail and redefining traditional truck segments, the company certainly followed standard protocol when it came to establishing the number of available trim levels and options. With the S, SV, SL, Pro-4X, and Platinum Reserve trims serving as jumping-off points for diving into the lengthy order sheets, buyers moving over to Nissan from a Ford, General Motors, or Ram vehicle will at least feel right at home with the ordering process. Nissan offers fewer customization options than do the domestic brands, which simplifies the procedure a little and doesn’t seem to be hurting XD sales against its nominal competitors. Nissan says 53 percent of diesel XD sales have been conquests, meaning buyers have traded in trucks from competing makes. The 64-dollar question is whether stalwart truck buyers—who have for generations been indoctrinated with the industry’s half-, three-quarter-, and one-ton caste system—will continue to see Nissan’s “more than a half, almost a three-quarter-ton” white-space strategy as valid once the initial demand for such a truck has been fulfilled.
So far, Nissan has released only crew-cab versions of the XD. The half-ton 2017 Titan is scheduled to arrive this summer; standard-cab and King Cab versions of both the Titan and the Titan XD will follow at a later, as-yet-unspecified date.
Specifications >
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, rear- or rear-/4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door pickup
BASE PRICE: S, $36,485;
SV, $40,255;
Pro 4X, $47,165;
SL, $48,225;
Platinum Reserve, $53,665
ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injection
Displacement: 339 cu in, 5552 cc
Power: 390 hp @ 5800 rpm
Torque: 401 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm
TRANSMISSION: 7-speed automatic with manual shifting mode
DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 151.6 in
Length: 242.7–243.6 in
Width: 79.5–80.7 in Height: 78.0–78.8 in
Curb weight (C/D est): 6050–6800 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST):
Zero to 60 mph: 6.4–7.0 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 29.5–30.6 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 15.0–15.6 sec
Top speed: 105 mph
