Is a used Nissan Titan a good buy?
Why store anywhere but the big three when it comes to pickup trucks? Some consumers are unattached and simply want to do things differently. Others, for example, turn to Toyota for reliability and resale value.
If Nissan abandoned the Titan on the Canadian market in 2021 after a 17-year career, its sales no longer justified keeping it, and the Japanese manufacturer preferred to devote its efforts to other vehicles. That said, for a buyer looking for a used full-size pickup, is it still a good choice?
For the price, no doubt. Due to faster depreciation than the competition, well-equipped examples from the end of the first generation (2004 to 2015) are selling for less than $20,000. Otherwise, second-generation Titans can be found for around $27,000 to $40,000.
There's a little something for everyone, too, with S and SV versions aimed at the average driver, robust Pro-4Xs for those who venture off-road, and luxurious SLs and Platinum offering a high level of refinement. And let's not forget to mention the single and double cabs, with 8.2 and 5.6-foot cargo boxes respectively.
On the engine side, the 5.6-liter V8 delivers 390 hp and 394 lb-ft of torque via a seven-speed automatic gearbox (400 hp, 413 lb-ft and nine-speed gearbox from 2020). There's no V6, and fuel consumption is quite high (official average 13.4 L/100 km, but more than that in reality). Worse still, premium gasoline is required for the latest nine-speed models.
The Titan's maximum towing capacity doesn't exceed 10,000 lbs, be warned. For towing heavier loads, however, there's the slightly beefier Titan XD, which Nissan added in 2016. This one offered the option of a 5-liter Cummins diesel V8 developing 310 horsepower and 555 lb-ft of torque, allowing you to tow up to 12,000 lb with the right equipment. It's not a real alternative to so-called “heavy-duty” models (Ram 2500, Ford F-250, etc.), but it's certainly worth considering.
The Titan's cabin is adequately spacious, comfortable and ergonomic, if not seductive in design. In other words, it lacks the sparkle of its competitors. What's more, the Titan's technological content doesn't match what's available elsewhere but remains very decent for buyers looking for a used truck that's not necessarily state-of-the-art.
Moreover, the twenty or so safety recalls issued for the Nissan Titan mainly concern the first generation, the new one having experienced fewer defects. By the way, the 2016 and 2018 models are not bad, except that they have suffered more problems with the exhaust system, fuel supply and transmission.
Overall, the Titan is more reliable than the average full-size pickup of the same year, and with proper maintenance, it can provide loyal service for a long time to come.
