If you have been out of the full-size truck market for a few years, the hottest race in half-ton pickups is taking place offroad. Everyone seems to be adding rugged suspension and mud tires to otherwise stock trucks for aggressive looks and confident prowess in 4WD situations. Chevy unleashed the Colorado ZR2 to answer the latest Ford Raptor, and Dodge let us spend a week with their Ram Rebel. Not to be outdone by American offerings, Nissan has added a Pro-4X trim level to the Titan.
You might find it interesting that every Nissan Titan has been built in Canton, Mississippi. It might be more American than our domestic brands, so they sent us a new one for a week of review. Titan has never seen a V6, and every model is powered by a 5.6 liter V8. It makes 390 hp and 394 lb-ft of torque. Single cab models start at $29,500 which makes Titan one of the most powerful vehicles under 30 grand. The Pro-4X package is a mid-level offering aimed at those who need to get dirty once in awhile. Starting at $45,020, it adds Bilstein shocks and 18″x8″ wheels wearing 275/70 all terrain tires. Skid plates are added to the radiator and transfer case, and the latter is 2 speed with electronic shift on the fly. Projector fog lights integrated into the new lower bumper will illuminate the trail ahead, and a class IV receiver hitch will keep your cargo under control.
Driving the latest Titan is easy. With a nice bump in ride height, traffic is easy to see. Riding on 70 series tires is a throwback to a simpler age. Having so much sidewall between the wheels and the road, cornering feels like something from the Disco era. But they soak up speed bumps and potholes like nothing else, so take your 24″s somewhere else. Nothing remarkable about a seven-speed automatic transmission, and the tall tires made for a deep overdrive. Power is adequate, invoking the locking differential for a proper smoke show. Sure it could use more power, but not at the expense of fuel economy. City mileage is rated at 15 mpg, but we couldn’t achieve it on a lap of St Petersburg. At almost three tons, Titan is a victim of too many amenities. Like a plague on all full-size trucks, they seem to think we need dual zone climate control, 120v inverters, and climate controlled seats. Please stop the optional overload! The Pro-4X should have a 5-speed manual, crank windows and no carpet. But the Nissan Titan Pro-4X is a great truck in every circumstance, so stay with us for more Titanic news & reviews.
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