The truck market has always been dominated by The Big Three, but Japanese companies began making inroads in the US market with compact pick up trucks during the gas crisis of the 1970s, even badge-engineering the first compact pickup trucks for US companies, like my old Ford Courier that was built by Mazda. But while Nissan's history with building trucks goes back over 85 years, the company didn't release a full-size truck, the Titan, until 2003. This newness to the market does mean that Nissan is always trying different things, and the latest experiment is the Titan XD, a truck that falls into its own segment of the market, positioned squarely between the light and heavy-duty models offered by every other truck manufacturer.
This in-between status means that the XD Diesel doesn't pick up a lot of towing capacity over the less expensive gasoline Titan and since it doesn't compete directly with the heavy-duty trucks that offer between 5,000-8,000 more towing capacity it seems to be designed for a very specific customer. With a 12,760 maximum towing capacity the XD does tow more than a Tundra, F150, RAM 1500, or Chevrolet 1500, it has a built-in fifth-wheel hitch and all the trappings of the heavy-duty trucks, but without the extra capacity.
The Cummins Diesel produces 310-hp and 555 lb-ft of torque, which is what gives it the added towing capacity, but it does feel a little sluggish off the line compared to the diesel offerings on the market. The XD is considered a heavy-duty vehicle under the EPA guidelines so there is no estimated fuel economy rating, but in a week of driving, I averaged 17 MPG which is competitive in the diesel truck market.
The noise levels are a little more than most other modern diesel trucks I have driven, you might consider the gas version if you want a quieter ride and it will only cost you around 1,000lbs in towing capacity. Driving the XD is less harsh than other heavy-duty trucks on the market but not as smooth and comfortable as the light-duty trucks, again finding itself in-between the two traditional classes.
Inside the Titan XD, I found comfortable heated and ventilated seats, a pretty basic and functional dash and center console. The 7-inch touch screen felt small on such a large dash and when compared to the much larger screens we are seeing in trucks these days it felt a little dated. The Apple CarPlay and Android Auto do make up for some of the shortcomings of the infotainment. The airconditioning system is one of the best in a truck I have ever tested, which when combined with the ventilated seats made these Central Texas summer days much more bearable. Power running boards would be a must as the step to get up into the 4X4 XD is a big leap for anyone under 6-foot.
When it came to doing "truck stuff" the Titan XD performed well, from hauling supplies from the local Habitat for Humanity Restore to just tossing my bike in the back to go for a ride at Cameron Park the easy to lift tailgate and fold-out step made loading and unloading easy. The in-bed storage was also nice allowing me to keep tools and other small items in the bed without having to worry about them when I parked.
Overall the Titan XD falls into its own category, it's a "Mid-Duty" truck perfect for the occasional fifth wheel tower, weekend DIY warrior, who needs room for five and wants a big diesel truck that can be at home as a daily driver.
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