Vehicle Spotlight: The 2018 Nissan Titan is Hiding Right in Plain Sight

It’s like they always say, the 2018 Nissan Titan is like the vegetarian wedding entree of the full-size pickup world.

Alright, alright. Okay, fine. Nobody ever says that. But they should. Because most people are so concerned with whether they’re having the beef tips (Ford), or the spinach-stuffed chicken breast (Chevy) that they forget there’s another option. Even for a true carnivore, the smart money is on the vegetarian dish. Why? Because less people tend to order it, so there’s more to go around, and you’ll come away with an overflowing mound of pasta, filled with garlicky roasted vegetables and dusted with a patina of fine Italian cheese, which is more than enough nourishment to sustain you through a reception full of drunken dancing.

The 2018 Nissan Titan is like that bowl of pasta. If you remember to check for it, you could end up getting so much more bang for your buck than that 5 ounces of overcooked flank steak in a puddle of uninspired instant gravy can offer.

Running With The Big Dogs

While Ford and Chevrolet may have a stranglehold on the full size pickup market, Nissan is looking to break ahead of the middle of the pack and grab a bigger slice of the market with its versatile Titan.

The Nissan Titan received a full redesign in 2017, just one year after the automaker’s burly Titan XD was released to span the gap between the full-size Titan and the larger heavy-duty models. Not much has changed since last year’s drastic upgrade, except for a Midnight Edition package, replete with dark wheels, badges, and exterior trim pieces.

Kicking the Tires

Like its predecessors, the 2018 Nissan Titan has a lone powertrain option. The 5.6-liter V-8 paired with a 7-speed automatic has been popular with Titan owners for some time now. It produces a sturdy 390 horsepower and 394 lb-ft of torque. Whispers of a V-6 option are in the rumor mill but have yet to materialize. And if diesel is your preferred fuel, you’ll have to go up one size to the aforementioned Titan XD.

While the Titan’s maximum capability for towing may be less than its competition, 9,740 pounds is nothing to sneeze at. The minimum towing capacity is more than 9,000 pounds. That means that even the bone stock models can tow light-years ahead of their stateside rivals. The EPA fuel economy ratings are consistent with the Titan’s class, getting 15/21 mpg in city/highway tests.

A Titan to Fit Everybody

There are no shortage of options when it’s time to pick which version of the 2018 Nissan Titan best fits your needs. There are three cab styles (Single, Crew, and King), and five trim packages to fit a variety of lifestyles, incomes, and occupations. A quick rundown:

Titan S- The base trim level, includes 18″ alloy wheels, a 5″ touchscreen, cloth upholstery, and keyless entry and start.

Titan SV- Slotted just above the S, adding chrome door handles, an overhead compartment, and satellite radio.

Titan Pro 4X- The choice of the off-road crowd, it offers all-terrain tires, fog lights, additional skid plates, Bilstein shocks, and low-beam LED headlights. Also, there’s a spray in bed liner, leather upholstery, and steering wheel wrap. Plus a 7″ touchscreen with navigation, and an 8-way power driver’s seat.

Titan SL- This fancypants setup upgrades to 20″ alloy wheels and a 12-speaker Rocker Fosgate sound system. There are heated front seats, a power telescoping steering wheel, chrome mirror covers, and fixed aluminum running boards—just to name a few of the perks.

Titan Platinum Reserve- The Titan that the boss drives. The Platinum packs practically all the luxury of the SL, plus some. There are ventilated front seats and heated rear seats. And this is the only trim package that includes a rear-seat entertainment system.

A Competitive Price Tag

Is this the right full-size truck for you? And what will it cost? The 2018 Nissan Titan starts at $31,425, and a nicely equipped model’s MSRP is $35,930. Not the cheapest full size on the road, but most definitely not a bank breaker for its class. It is easy to look at sales figures and say that it’s a two horse race between the Silverado and the F-150. But that’s only if you aren’t looking closely.

When presented with a choice between option A and option B, it’s always wise to ask what option C is. Otherwise, you could miss out on a really great, big bowl of fettuccine. Or the perfect truck for you, hiding in plain sight in the middle of the pack.