The 2021 Nissan Titan XD Is Taking an In-Between Approach
The team at Autotrader recently reviewed the new 2021 Nissan Titan XD. The 2021 Titan XD is unique because it’s bigger than the half-ton Titan, but it’s smaller than its three-quarter-ton heavy-duty peers. It offers heavy-duty capabilities but at a more affordable price than the HDs. What did Autotrader have to say about the Titan XD? What are the advantages of this in-between truck?
The 2021 Nissan Titan XD
The Nissan Titan and Titan XD offer the same engine. But the XD rides three inches higher, is 14.8 inches longer, and offers a fully boxed ladder frame. It also has a wheelbase that’s 11.8 inches longer than that of the standard Titan. The engine is paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission that puts out 400 hp and 413 lb-ft of torque with premium fuel.
The XD models can tow 2,000 pounds more than regular Titan and haul 541 more pounds. You also get a gooseneck trailer hitch with the XD. The 2021 Titan XD can tow as much as 11,400 pounds and haul up to 2,240 pounds when properly equipped. It offers five trim levels: S, SV, Pro-4X, SL, and Platinum Reserve.
The Titan XD has a decent list of standard features. It comes with 17-inch wheels, air conditioning, a steering column that tilts and telescopes, power locks and windows, and a spray-in bed liner. It offers an advanced drive-assist display with an off-road indicator and menu.
The NissanConnect infotainments system has mobile apps and an 8-inch touchscreen to navigate it. You have Bluetooth phone and streaming, hands-free texting, and Android Auto and Apple CarPlay integration. There’s also the Nissan Safety Shield 360 package, satellite radio, a six-speaker audio system, and two USB ports.
Somewhere in between
The Autotrader team found the 2021 Nissan Titan XD offers an excellent driving experience. They describe its ride as smooth and quiet. It handles road imperfections and bumps confidently. According to the team, it can easily tow a 7,500-pound trailer up a hill. Nine inches of ground clearance helps the off-roading with the Pro-4X plausible.
The 2021 Titan XD offers good safety features including anti-locking brakes, electronic stability/traction control, tire pressure monitoring, a rearview camera, and a full array of airbags. The Nissan Safety Shield 360 driver-assist suite is also included with great features like a forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection, rear automatic braking (a feature unique to this truck), driver attention monitoring, and more.
The 2021 Nissan Titan XD can’t tow as much as its HD peers like the Ford F-250 or the Ram 2500. It’s also doesn’t provide the array of choices that its half-ton rivals like Ram 1500 offer. What it does offer is a frame stronger than the half-ton Titan and one of the best bumper-to-bumper warranties for a full-size truck with coverage for five years or 100,000 miles.
The XD models can haul and tow better than the regular Titan. And it’s unique in that it’s a one-size-only truck offering a 5.6-liter V8 engine, a 6-foot-5-inch bed, a crew cab, and four-wheel drive. It used to offer a Cummins diesel V8 and more than just the one configuration, but at least it kept the most popular components.
Pros and cons for the Nissan Titan XD
At the end of the day, the Autotrader team thought the 2021 Nissan XD could use a fuel tank bigger than 26 gallons. They also felt the lack of a bed, cab, and engine choices to be a con.
The team likes the stronger frame that the 2021 Titan XD offers. And while it can’t haul and tow as much as its heavy-duty peers, the team was happy with its payload and towing numbers. Its towing features like the gooseneck trailer hitch were also appreciated. They liked its versatile bed features and generous rear legroom too.
While the Titan XD is limited in engine and configuration options, they say the trim levels give consumers a way to customize. The 2021 Titan XD handles better than most of its heavy-duty peers according to Autotrade at a reasonable price.
