Nissan Titan XD 2021 Review

Bridging the gap between light- and heavy-duty trucks, the 2021 Nissan Titan XD is an alternative for those who need more capability than a standard full-size truck, yet not all the fortified burliness of a workhorse commercial truck. The Titan XD's most obvious appeal is for drivers who plan to tow heavy toys, a role in which it excels. And its expansive cabin space gives passengers room to spread out along the way.

Nissan refreshed the Titan XD last year with a new grille, more driver safety tech, upgraded infotainment and slightly enhanced power, so the XD carries into 2021 with no changes. While there's nothing fundamentally wrong with the XD, its rivals haven't stopped improving in the five years since it was introduced, and they now offer features and capabilities that make the big Nissan a questionable value.

The heavy-duty trucks from Chevrolet, Ford and Ram all now tow more than the Titan XD yet the XD is priced like a heavy-duty. Even light-duty trucks like the standard Ford F-150 or Chevrolet Silverado are more capable today, and all of them except for the Toyota Tundra and the regular Titan can tow more than the Titan XD.

Which Titan XD does MatoCar recommend?

The 2021 Nissan Titan XD is a full-size pickup with five available trim levels: S, SV, Pro-4X, SL and Platinum Reserve. All come in a single crew-cab configuration with a 6.5-foot bed. A 5.6-liter V8 gasoline engine (400 horsepower, 413 lb-ft of torque) pairs with a nine-speed automatic transmission and four-wheel drive. Feature highlights include:

S The S comes with a respectable set of basic features:

• Spray-in bedliner
• Receiver hitch with a combo four-pin/seven-pin wiring harness connector
• Lockable tailgate
• Sliding rear window
• Power windows and locks
• Push-button ignition
• 8-inch touchscreen
• Six-speaker audio system
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration

Every Titan XD also comes with a suite of standard safety features that includes:

• Forward collision mitigation with pedestrian detection (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios)
• Blind-spot monitor (alerts you if a vehicle in the next lane over is in your blind spot)
• Rear automatic braking (brakes if sensors detect an imminent collision with an object behind the vehicle)
• Rear cross-traffic alert (warns you if a vehicle behind you is about to cross your vehicle's path while you're in reverse)
• Lane departure warning (alerts you if the vehicle begins to drift out of its lane)
• Trailer sway control (helps stabilize a towed trailer while driving)

SV The SV looks and feels less like a work truck by adding:

• Front tow hooks
• Gooseneck hitch
• Heated, power-adjustable towing mirrors
• Trailer brake controller
• Wi-Fi hotspot
• Adaptive cruise control (maintains a driver-set distance between the Titan XD and the car in front)

There are two primary packages for the SV:

SV Convenience package

• Remote engine start
• Side steps
• Power-sliding rear window
• Keyless entry
• Auto-dimming rearview mirror
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• Rear air vents
• Heated front bucket seats with power driver's seat
• Navigation system
• 9-inch touchscreen
• 110-volt household-style power outlet

SV Utility package

• Automatic wipers
• Bed steps
• Cargo-management rail system
• LED bed lighting
• 110-volt outlet in bed

Pro-4X The off-road-oriented Pro-4X adds the following unique features on top of the SV content:

• 18-inch wheels with all-terrain tires
• LED headlights and foglights
• Bilstein shocks
• Skid plates
• Electronic locking rear differential
• Hill descent control

The Pro-4X also comes with the features from the above packages, except for remote engine start, side steps and heated front seats.

There are two option packages for the Pro-4X:

Pro-4X Convenience package

• Remote engine start
• Auto-dimming outside mirrors
• Power-adjustable, heated steering wheel
• Driver's seat memory settings
• Heated front and rear seats
• Power-adjustable front passenger seat
• Leather upholstery
• Visual trailer check function

Premium package

• Ventilated front seats
• Panoramic sunroof
• In-bed Titan Box storage system
• Surround-view camera system (gives you a top-down view of the Titan XD and its surroundings for tight parking situations)

SL The luxurious SL lacks the Pro-4X's mechanical upgrades but does come with many of its other features. The SL also includes:

• 20-inch wheels
• Remote engine start
• Power-adjustable, heated steering wheel
• Driver's seat memory settings
• Heated front seats
• Power-adjustable front passenger seat
• Surround-view camera

The panoramic sunroof is the only optional extra for the SL.

Platinum Reserve The range-topping Platinum Reserve is the most luxe Titan XD. Features include:

• Dark chrome exterior styling
• Illuminated side steps
• Ventilated front seats
• Heated rear seats
• Upgraded leather upholstery
• Wood trim

The Platinum Reserve offers a Moonroof package and:

Platinum Utility package

• In-bed Titan Box storage system
• Remote-locking tailgate
• Bed steps