The Nissan Titan might not be a key player in the world of trucks because it doesn’t have a Ford or Dodge badge on it, but the newer model years seem to be doing better. Many consumers look to Nissan for its reliability and low price for what you get, and the Nissan Titan is no different. It does care an unfortunately high price tag, making it one of the more expensive Nissan vehicles on the market, but one way around any new car price is to check out the used car market. There are some years of Titan worth buying used, but there are some you might want to avoid at all costs.

The 2017 Nissan Titan

Buying a truck that is only a few years old can have a lot of benefits. A 2017 model year, for example, is new enough to share modern updates and facelifts with the newest generation, and it has all of the safety features and tech you would be looking for. Buying the truck used means paying just a fraction of the original dealership price, even if there isn’t much of a difference between the model years in one generation. Buying a used Nissan Titan is a great way to get a reliable truck for a bargain, as long as you’re not looking at a 2017 model.

The 2017 model year just isn’t all that it is cracked up to be for some unfortunate reasons. Current owners have a lot to say about their Nissan Titans, and they aren’t all good. In fact, most of the comments have been pretty poor, so we aren’t surprised to see that Consumer Reports gave this truck a surprisingly low customer satisfaction rating. The Titan also gets pretty abysmal gas mileage, even by pickup truck standards, with an average of 16mpg.

There have also been several recalls on the 2017 Nissan Titan that leave us slightly concerned. The recalls can be serviced by Nissan without any cost to the owner, but it is important to check and see if your car is affected because the recalls could compromise your safety.

Looking on the bright side

If you can get past the recalls and problems with the truck’s reliability and poor gas mileage, owners did have a lot of positive things to say about the Titan as well. Its overall styling has improved since previous years, and the front of the Titan looks better than ever. The interior is clean and modest, with comfortable front and back seats.

It’s also worth noting that there aren’t many complaints in regards to the Titan’s overall driving experience. The suspension isn’t overly stiff so while there is some body roll when taking corners, it is comfortable and smooth on just about any road — paved or dirt. The Titan reportedly handles well and offers decent acceleration, not quite as sporty as some other trucks but well enough for what you’d expect a truck to do.

As long as recalls are serviced and you’re fine with getting as little as 11mpg on the highway, the 2017 Nissan Titan is still an overall good truck. For over half of the price less than the new 2020 model, buying a used Nissan Titan is a great way to get the pickup truck you’re looking for without biting down on a huge price tag.