Nissan Titan XD ~ Cummins

[Alak]

I had a chance to sample the Nissan Titan XD with the new 5.0L V8 Cummins engine. I have to say that first of all, the truck was awful. Secondly, the transmission needs to be programmed better. Thirdly, the engine is actually pretty good!

It was smooth, power was good, torque was good down low. Turbo lag very minimal. Cant even hear the turbocharger at all.

Downside was the transmission is awful. The throttle response was like when a car is running out of gas. It cruises happily in 6th gear at most speeds over 50kmph but when you apply throttle it grabs two gears so there is a definate pause. There wasnt really any notible engine braking either, in tow mode it shifts down but it more or less coasts. Even in manual mode there was a delay between when you put your foot down and the engine starts to take any action.

And the cost? For a Loaded Titan XD you can roll out of a Dodge dealer with a King Longhorn Platinum Dually decked with accessories.

Focusing on just the engine alone, I would liken it to a 6.4L Ford engine with less of a top end power band (and less power). The powerband was similar, but the throttle response was awful, which I think is mainly attributed to the transmission programming.

[corsvette]

It'll be a flop in the marketplace. I've yet to read/hear a really positive review on one, plus it's huge price tag and massive curb weight bring it down even more.

[btimbit]

As far as I've read, any positives come to a grinding halt upon mention of the price tag.

Don't see this going well for Nissan

[r3ccOs]

Originally posted by corsvette
It'll be a flop in the marketplace. I've yet to read/hear a really positive review on one, plus it's huge price tag and massive curb weight bring it down even more.

hearing that a HD F150 can come with a decent level trim with pretty much the same towing capacity and 2300 payload, pretty much means... WTF do you need a detuned NV2500 framed diesel truck?

[rx7_turbo2]

Nissan managed to fuck up what on paper should have been a pretty good idea. The MSRP on these things is ludicrous.

[01RedDX]

.

[Darkane]

Yeah these trucks although I like the look in person, they're way to expensive.

Brasso has a showroom model for 74,500. It's 80k OTD.

Pick ANY other truck half to one ton for that budget.

[Alak]

When he told me the price I just laughed. I thought he was kidding. He was not.

[vengie]

The price absolutely kills these things. You're in 1 ton territory for the money. 1500 eco diesel wins this segment hands down.

[r3ccOs]

Originally posted by vengie
The price absolutely kills these things. You're in 1 ton territory for the money. 1500 eco diesel wins this segment hands down.

it really doesn't because that ecodiesel is far from class leading in towing & payload... only fuel economy.

its really GM 6.2 and Ecoboost 3.5 that can compete with the 3/4 ton segment...

in fact, I'd give the advantage to both to their gas equivillent 3/4 tons... I've heard that the Sierra 6.2 would roast the 6.0 2500 in getting anything up to speed.

[dirtsniffer]

More to towing than going amirite?

[SOAB]

to me, a larger diesel engine doesn't make sense in a half-ton truck.

Nissan should've took this opportunity to try and get into the 1-ton market with the diesel. now they have an overpriced heavy pig of a 1/2 ton that won't sell. worse than the original Titan.

[btimbit]

Lets stick a big diesel engine in a truck that can't do big diesel things.

Makes total sense

[AE92_TreunoSC]

There's a reason they stopped making "heavy half tons".

In North America full size pick up truck markets, numbers are everything. Dollars to dollars you need features and payload/towing capacity to survive.

The original Titan was a hot rod, they should have stuck to that formula.

[Maxx Mazda]

Was by Sunridge today. They had billboards advertising "the new Titan XD is here!" And then I saw one... What an ugly ass truck.

[FraserB]

So who exactly is their target buyer? Are there seriously enough people who like Nissans enough to forego common sense when they buy vehicles and support sales?

[BerserkerCatSplat]

Originally posted by r3ccOs


hearing that a HD F150 can come with a decent level trim with pretty much the same towing capacity and 2300 payload, pretty much means... WTF do you need a detuned NV2500 framed diesel truck?

Not to mention that Ford is currently road-testing a diesel F150 as well.

[ShermanEF9]

Originally posted by BerserkerCatSplat


Not to mention that Ford is currently road-testing a diesel F150 as well.

i honestly don't see this going far. ford is running with the ecoboost platform, and it will probably stay that way.


as for the titan. it doesn't make sense. its all the cost of owning a diesel, with none of the benefit. they did it completely wrong.

[SKR]

Originally posted by FraserB
So who exactly is their target buyer? Are there seriously enough people who like Nissans enough to forego common sense when they buy vehicles and support sales?

I always thought they were trying to attract people to the Cummins motor, like Dodge did. But part of the appeal is that those are inline motors, so I don't see them dropping that for one that swings both ways.

[Darkane]

The worst part of this truck is the 12000+ towing can only be achieved with regular cab configuration. Crew loaded will do like 10,600.

I think this truck will appeal to more people when the price drops 15,000 and the 390hp 5.6L gets put in. Then maybe it'll be nicely competing with the other trucks.