If you’re a fan of manual transmissions, you may be struggling to find a vehicle that offers this option. Unfortunately, manual transmissions seem to be on the way out — according to Carfax, only around 20 percent of new vehicles are currently offered as stick shifts, compared to 47 percent in 2006. If you were hoping to find a manual option for the Nissan Titan, you’ll need to keep looking; this pickup only offers automatic options.

Powertrain options

Although it used to be customary for pickup trucks to come with a manual transmission option, the Nissan Titan has always been automatic. It began life as a 7-speed, and has since upgraded to a 9-speed in the newest model. Nissan claims that this shift has provided a significantly smoother and faster acceleration; in fact, the company states that the Titan’s 50 mph to 70 mph acceleration has improved by nearly one full second. 

The 2020 model is fairly powerful, with a 5.6 liter V8 engine, 413 lb-ft of torque, and 400 hp. If you have your heart set on a manual transmission Nissan, though, the 2018 Frontier is your best bet — this pickup comes with a 6-speed manual transmission.

The Titan’s other features

Even though the Titan doesn’t offer much flexibility in the way of transmission, it still has quite a few other offerings. In the 2020 model, Nissan has chosen to focus on improving the Titan’s off-roading abilities. This means that the pickup comes with hhill-startassistance, electronic locking rear differential, and limited-slip differential.

Where the Titan really shines is in its technological offerings. It comes with a high-res seven inch driver display — a larger option than many competitors offer. The standard screen for the center display is eight inches, and a nine-inch option is also available.

According to Nissan, the eight-inch display is the largest in its class, while the nine-inch display features a resolution that is higher than HD. Car and Driver agrees that the infotainment interface is clear, convenient, and easy to use. The Titan is compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and can connect to up to six different devices. 

Fans of the previous model Titan will be happy to know that the new version still has the 12-speaker Fender Audio System, as well as Zero Gravity seats that make long-distance driving significantly more comfortable.

How it handles

According to Car and Driver, the 2020 Titan handles decently — but it’s nothing too special. While it doesn’t have the same acceleration speeds as comparable pickup trucks, the Titan shifts gears smoothly and can drive well even when hauling a large load. However, Car and Driver notes that the Titan’s steering can be challenging and that it feels large and uncommunicative at times.

Safety features

Like other Nissans, the Titan comes with the Nissan Safety Shield 360. This suite includes blind spot warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, high beam assist, rear cross traffic alert, rear automatic braking, and lane departure warning.

Although the Titan doesn’t have especially notable crash-test ratings, it does offer a 360-degree camera, a rear door alert, and intelligent cruise control. The 2020 Titan also has more airbags than in previous years — it now includes eight airbags, while the previous model included only six.

Unfortunately for anyone who loves driving stick, it will just get more and more challenging to find a vehicle offering a manual transmission. Nissan is one of the only companies that does currently offer a manual pickup truck option — so although the Titan itself doesn’t have a manual transmission, you aren’t completely out of luck.