2020 Nissan Titan XD gets more power, standard 4WD and ditches diesel
Following the refreshed 2020 Titan half-ton pickup, the XD arrives with a basket of upgrades.
The Nissan Titan XD is a curious thing. It's not really a heavy-duty pickup, but it's certainly not a light-duty rig. Still, Nissan thinks it represents a happy medium for potential truck buyers and hauled in the refreshed 2020 Titan XD on Monday.
The looks are mighty familiar if you remember the standard 2020 Nissan Titan, but the XD has a larger overall footprint. The Titan XD is 15 inches longer than a regular Titan, for a total wheelbase measurement of 151.6 inches. All XD models are now crew cab-only, too, and each of the elongated pickups gets a 6.5-foot bed in the back for all the stuff you want to toss in it. Want a plain-Jane rear-wheel drive Titan XD? Shop the used car lot because the XD is now 4x4-only as well -- something Nissan said buyers largely preferred anyway.
Depending on the trim level, some exterior looks change to reflect the package. The Pro-4X models, for example, get the lava red-filled Nissan badges and a black tailgate finisher, while the Platinum Reserve trim gets a satin chrome finisher and more standard chrome looks.
Underneath, the XD is a stronger workhorse, says Nissan. The Titan XD is built on a unique reinforced ladder frame tjhat helps provide higher towing and payload figures than the Titan half-ton pickup. Just how much it'll tow or haul isn't known yet.
The previous 5.0-liter Cummins V8 diesel engine option is gone for the refreshed pickup, but the 5.6-liter gasoline V8 does make more power. As with the standard Titan, power climbs to 400 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque. A nine-speed automatic shifts gears and takes over duty from a previous seven-speed unit -- also the same as the regular pickup.
As goes the half-ton Titan, so goes the Titan XD in the way of technology and equipment. The larger XD models mimics the technology and equipment that's either standard or available. Each of these bigger rigs will include the Nissan Safety Shield 360, which bundles a host of active safety equipment and an 8.0-inch touchscreen. Step up to the optional 9.0-inch screen and you'll get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, a Wi-Fi hotspot and other features. Between the two analog gauges resides a 7.0-inch configurable display no matter the trim.
Whether these changes are enough to propel the Titan XD into the mix with the Ram 1500, Chevrolet Silverado and Ford F-150 remains to be seen. Customers will get to kick the tires on the new pickup when it reaches dealers in early 2020. Pricing will be announced closer to launch.
