Nissan Is Getting Rid of the Titan XD's Cummins Diesel Engine for 2020
Nissan will slim the Titan pickup-truck lineup for 2020, according to a report from The Drive.
A Nissan spokesperson has confirmed to C/D that the Titan XD with the Cummins diesel will end production in December 2019.
Regular-cab models of both the Titan and Titan XD will also be dropped.
Nissan will stop production of the Titan XD with the 5.0-liter Cummins diesel V-8 in December 2019. The regular-cab versions of both the Titan and the Titan XD are also casualties of a 2020 refresh that will be revealed later this year, Nissan spokesperson Wendy Orthman confirmed to C/D. Nissan claims this is a move to "focus on the heart of the truck market."
The XD diesel model attempted to bridge an apparent gap between half-ton and three-quarter-ton pickup trucks. However, its lackluster performance numbers, tow ratings comparable to half-ton pickups, and hefty price premium over the gas motor (the XD with this 5.6-liter V-8 will continue for 2020) made the diesel XD an answer to a question that we assume few pickup-truck owners were asking. The company sold 52,924 Titans in 2017, 50,459 in 2018, and 20,268 through July 2019, but Nissan does not report sales figures for the diesel motor specifically.
We had a poor experience with a Cummins-equipped Titan XD during our long-term evaluation. Our long-term 2016 Titan XD left us stranded twice within 40,000 miles. When it was running, we did not appreciate the diesel clatter, thirst for diesel exhaust fluid, and the powertrain's general lack of refinement. Nissan states, though, that reliability issues were not a factor in the decision to drop the diesel.
Nissan still has its work cut out to keep the Titan competitive in the truck wars. GM has new metal this year with the Silverado and Sierra, Ford's F-150 is as strong as ever, and our favorite, the Ram 1500, is the sweetheart to beat. Even Toyota has a new Tundra on the way. We will learn more about what the Titan's 2020 refresh has in store sometime later this year.
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