2020 Nissan Titan

Titan focuses more on having an appealing interior than being a tow truck. It has a powerful engine but has limited towing and payload capacities. It's not something that appeals to most people. The Nissan Titan starts at $32,285 and it competes against the likes of Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Ford F-150, and RAM 1500 Classic.

The 2020 Nissan Titan Single Cab is obviously only for three people. There is only one engine option available and the Single Cab comes only in two trims – S and SV. The S trim starts at $32,285 for the RWD, and the 4WD S trim starts at $35,685. The SV RWD starts at $35,915 and the 4WD is priced at $39,065. These two are the lowest-end trims. There are three other trims, but they don’t come with the Single Cab configuration.

The S trim comes with the S utility package for $845 that adds a receiver hitch, a front overhead console, map lamp and sunglass store, spray-on bed liner, etc. The SV offers more packages. There is the SV utility package, Midnight Edition for black exterior cosmetics, SV tow package. The SV Convenience package for $2,015 adds automatic headlights, leather-wrapped steering wheel, front and rear parking sensors, Nissan Navigation System, SiriusXM Traffic, 8-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, heated front captain’s chairs, and loads of other upgrades. 

Which trim should you buy?

We definitely think that you should go for the SV trim and add the SV Convenience Package. That way, you can enjoy some of the high-end features that the higher trims have to offer, without having to purchase a higher-end trim. The SV adds more flair and has more optional packages to choose from. The SV will feel more modern and up-to-date with your needs.

In this segment, most trucks have a variety of engines to choose from. On the other hand, the Nissan Titan only offers one engine option. A 5.6L naturally aspirated V8 powers the Japanese truck to life. It is capable of pumping out a very healthy 390 horsepower and 394 lb-ft of torque. The transmission duties are handled by a seven-speed automatic gearbox. You can either own the truck in the RWD configuration or opt for the 4WD. A dual-range transfer case is used.

While the V8 is certainly powerful and is enough to thrust the hefty truck around town and highway, the lack of options hurts The Nissan Titan’s appeal. The engine is still not powerful enough to compete with American rivals. The powertrain propels the Japanese truck to 60 MPH in 7.3 seconds. It is decent, and you certainly won’t find a lot of problems while riding on the highway. The towing capacity is maximum with the RWD, and it can tow a maximum of 9,660 lbs. The payload capacity is maximum with the 4WD at 1,930 lbs. This is perhaps the most disappointing part about the truck, and it can’t compete with the other American trucks.

The Nissan Titan is the most expensive and also comes with the most powerful engine output. However, that does not mean that it is exceptionally better in terms of performance, it is only faster than the RAM 1500. It also does not come with the best towing and payload capacities. The top speed of the Chevy and RAM pickup trucks are available, both of them share the same figures. 

How does the 2020 Nissan Titan Single Cab handle?

The 2020 Nissan Titan Single Cab certainly does not make you feel like you are driving an athletic and sporty SUV. The handling can best be described as fine, but nothing too outstanding. The steering is okay, but it won’t allow you to go into bends and twisty roads without any fear. The heft is there and it is felt.

The ride quality is also not as comfortable as we would have loved. However, over normal road surfaces and minor bumps, it won’t pose a problem at all. When the truck is not loaded, it is pretty easy to drive and can be used for maneuvering on the highway. However, with the truck loaded, the heft can be felt and it does not handle perfectly fine.

2020 Nissan Titan Single Cab Braking Performance

The Nissan Titan comes with 4-wheel disc brakes with 4-wheel ABS. The front rotors are 13.8 inches in diameter. The rear brake rotors are 13.6 inches in diameter. The truck is not light and it weighs in at around 5,247 lbs. While the 60-0 MPH data is not available, we do know that the truck consumes 205 ft of distance to come to a halt from 70 MPH. Not the best brakes in business, but they should do fine for regular tasks.

The Nissan Titan is the heaviest truck among the four and it also does not come with the most impressive braking system. However, the Ford and Chevy are still quite good, and the Ford is the lightest of them all. Chevy has the best stopping distance so far in this comparison, followed by the Ford, the remaining Nissan and RAM would perform the same with their given braking systems and weights. 

Having a V8 that eats a lot of fuel is not sustainable for this truck. Fuel economy is the same whether you drive in RWD or 4WD. The EPA estimates for the truck sit at 15 MPG for the city, 21 MPG for the highway, and 18 MPG for combined driving. The figures are as expected. A big V8 cannot exactly escape the gas-guzzling territory. The fuel tank is 26 gallons. This enables the Japanese truck to have a total range of 390/546/468 miles for city/highway/combined driving, which should be enough for most people.

The Chevy offers similar fuel economy as The Nissan Titan, but the other American trucks are not as hungry as the other two. The RAM has the highest range, while the F-150 comes in at second. The Chevy hosts the biggest fuel tank, but it cannot offer the best range due to its poor fuel economy.

The interior of the Nissan Titan will remind you of an SUV and much less of a truck. It is a rather posh and polished interior with good quality materials to complement the feel. The edges are rounded and curved to make the design feel a little modern. But the overall design is still pretty dated compared to its rivals. The S trim gets standard cloth upholstery. The seats get cloth upholstery with vinyl seat bolsters. The SV gets the same upholstery but gains an overhead storage console. Sometimes, the small buttons can feel a little finicky and they are scattered throughout the cabin. Otherwise, the cabin is pretty friendly and comfortable to be in.

The excellent “Zero Gravity” seats make the interior way more comfortable. These seats are regarded by many as one of the most comfortable seats in the car industry. The 40/20/40 front seats allow for three people to be seated. The driver’s seat is 4-way manually adjustable. The cabin is roomy and pretty spacious. The 2020 Nissan Titan Single Cab’s cargo bed length is 97.7”. The cargo bed width is 63.8”. The width between the wheel housings is 50”. The cargo bed height is 20.8”. The cargo capacity is not on par with rivals, but The Nissan Titan offers pretty good amenities for cargo control. The tailgate is spring-assisted. There is also a unique bed-channel system. On top of that, you also get access to in-bed cargo boxes for storing smaller items and other stuff.

The Silverado offers the highest legroom space than any other truck on the list. Bear in mind that the cargo capacity of the Silverado is so high because it comes with the long box as default, while the other trucks come with the short box as default (except The Nissan Titan, which also comes with the long box only). Some key interior features include:

• 4-way manually adjustable driver’s seat
• 40/20/40-split front bench
• Cloth seat upholstery with vinyl bolsters
• Manual air conditioning
• Full vinyl/rubber floor covering
• Overhead storage console
• Remote keyless entry

What’s there to keep you entertained?

A 7” touchscreen at the center of the dashboard powered by NissanConnect handles all the infotainment duties. The system is very intuitive and makes everything pretty clear and easy. However, it is not the most responsive. It lags to your inputs and can get sluggish. Also, it doesn’t feature the crispiest of graphics.

The standard features include Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, USB ports, iPod interface, Bluetooth, AM/FM radio, etc. As an option, you can also upgrade to SiriusXM radio, SiriusXM Traffic, etc. Also optional is a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot. The Fender audio system is also optional and we reckon that you should get it. Highlights of the infotainment system:

• 7” NissanConnect infotainment system
• SiriusXM radio (optional)
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot (optional)
• Fender audio system (optional)
• Bluetooth
• iPod interface

We are not sure a lot of people would be blown away by the design of The Nissan Titan. We mean, there are certainly better-looking trucks out there. The Nissan Titan still looks like it's ready to work and ready to hit the road. The front fascia houses two huge headlights and they flank the body-colored grille. The halogen headlights and the grille almost completely cover the front fascia. The bumper is also not too stylish. The Single Cab obviously only features two doors and a longer cargo bed. There are running boards on the side and the base model offers a dampened tailgate.

The rear end of the truck sees two regular-looking taillights and a spring-assisted tailgate. The tailgate looks pretty slick when it is up. The “TITAN V8” in large letterings can be found behind the front wheel arch. The truck rides on 18” silver metallic-styled steel wheels on the S trim, and the SV trim rides on 18” silver painted alloy wheels. Probably not the most stylish and aggressive-looking truck like its American counterparts. So, we would not bet anything that people would be ‘attracted’ by it. However, it does not look like a truck from a decade ago.

The Nissan Titan and Silverado are longer in length and have a longer wheelbase because they come with the long bed as standard. However, the RAM and the Ford come with the regular short box as standard, and hence, they are shorter in length. Some exterior features include:

• Single stainless-steel exhaust
• Double wishbone front suspension w/ coil springs
• Leaf rear suspension w/ lead springs
• 18” silver painted alloy wheels
• Power heated side mirrors
• Aero-composite halogen headlamps
• Cargo lamp

The Nissan Titan is a pretty safe truck, even though it does not happen to stay at the top. NHTSA tested it and gave it a 4-star safety rating overall. The front protection was given a 4-star; and the rollover also got a 4-star, which is pretty normal. Next comes IIHS, which also praised it and rated it “GOOD” for all the six crashworthiness tests that it performed. The headlights received a rating of “Marginal”. This means that it narrowly escaped being the “Top Safety Pick”. Still, this shows that the truck is very safe, if not the safest.

The 2020 Nissan Titan Single Cab only comes with the bare minimum in terms of standard safety equipment. However, the modern driver-assistance features are only available on the higher trims, leaving none for the Single Cab configuration lower trims. Some of the key safety features on board include:

• ABS and driveline traction control
• Electronic stability control
• RearView monitor backup camera
• Low tire pressure warning
• Dual-stage airbags
• Airbag occupancy sensor

2020 Nissan Titan Single Cab vs 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Regular Cab

The Chevrolet Silverado dominates The Nissan Titan when it comes to total payload and towing capacity. The Silverado is inherently a better ‘truck’ than The Nissan Titan. The Nissan Titan has a posh interior and comfortable seats for sure, but would you rather prefer a nicer interior or a better hauler of goods? Performance-wise too, the Silverado is slightly better, albeit both offer the worst fuel economies.

2020 Nissan Titan Single Cab vs 2020 Ford F-150 Regular Cab

The Ford F-150 is the king of pickup trucks in the US as it is the most popular and most old vehicle in the country. There is no denying its capabilities and its power. It may not have the poshest and polished interior and comfortable seats like the Nissan, but it still has better hauling capabilities and also offers a ton of customization. We also think it looks a lot better than the bland Titan. Plus, it has a much better fuel economy.

2020 Nissan Titan Single Cab vs 2020 RAM 1500 Classic Regular Cab

The RAM 1500 Classic is meant for those who want a previous generation without too much hassle and without spending too much cash. The RAM 1500 is also a better hauler and carrier of goods than The Nissan Titan. Our argument remains the same as before. You either have to choose between a comfortable interior or a truck-like truck. 

We would advise against buying the new Nissan Titan Single Cab. It should only be considered as an alternative to the other American trucks. With the lowest towing and payload capacity, it does not really put any bonus points on its resume. It could be considered if you don’t have the need to haul large goods, but want a comfortable interior to spend your time in. Its V8 has plenty of power if made use of. However, we would suggest looking for other trucks and look at this only as an alternative.