The 6.2 offers better empty mpg and slightly less mpg towing then the new Titan xd. The ecoboost will prolly deliver better towing mpg then the Titan xd. Hard to believe how bad the small diesel extremely heavy Titan xd is on fuel now that it is out there. I feel sorry for those that buy it over a 6.2 gm or a ecoboost thinking they gain efficiency. Not even 17 mpg empty in real world highway driving.
http://www.tfltruck.com/2015/12/nissan-titan-xd-highway-mpg-numbers-video/

This pickup impresses me considerably. This is a full size that I would really like to own, of course with heaps of bling and leather.

I think Nissan has hit the nail on the head with this vehicle. It's not designed to be a "Best in Class" vehicle. It has been designed to suit consumer demand.

You will find throughout automotive history the "Best" vehicles overall were never "Best in Class". Best in Class is for the marketing side of manufacturing to attempt to prove their product must be better.

A classic example is the VW Beetle. What about the appliances from Toyota, the Corolla, Camry and even the Hilux. These have never been "Best in Class".

The people who attempt to compare FE using those distorted EPA figures are again going to make fools of themselves. No GM V8, even the 6.2 will out perform the Cummins XD in real life. It seems these types of fans, the worst being the Frod Brigade tend to cherry pick data. What tossers.

In real life a diesel doesn't lose FE as poorly as any gasoline engine. Why? Because under a load a gasoline engine is poor especially those 15.6mpg EcoThirst aluminium F-150.

Tow 8 000lbs behind this or behind a 3.5 EcoThirst and you will notice the difference.

This XD Titan design is that good Nissan wasn't required to add towing features to ensure the vehicle could tow better. Imagine if they did. What would it be able to tow.

Nissan now also have a platform to produce an even heavier pickup.

Nissan has priced the vehicle quite well. I do realise we will have someone state that a Ram that can tow 20 000lbs or whatever is only $3-4 000 more. But the Ram is Spartan in features. And it's ride is more like a dump truck.

This XD has been designed for the horse float haulers and those who haul air much of their lives. It's a massive SUV.

Good work Nissan, I think it will stagnate Ford's lighter F-250 sales more than impact any other manufacturer.

I would love to see Toyota build a XD/HD pickup. Now that would really put the cat amongst the pigeons.

The article needs updated to state it will be available with the 5.0 Cummins at launch, then soon follow with a gas 5.6L 390hp 401 lb-ft Endurance V8.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2W1rhflfWs

Ecoboost gets better unloaded and towing mpg's the Nissan xtradiesel need to drive the same distance as any halfton.

Maybe in oz bafo, maybe in oz...

The people who attempt to compare FE using those distorted EPA figures are again going to make fools of themselves. No GM V8, even the 6.2 will out perform the Cummins XD in real life. It seems these types of fans, the worst being the Frod Brigade tend to cherry pick data. What tossers.

Posted by: Big Al from Oz | Dec 31, 2015 2:18:53 PM

Now that is funny right there. I don't care who you are. Nissan did a towing test with a 9K trailer vs a Ford 5.0L. The Nissan barely out towed the 5.0L Ford. The Ford 3.5L EB and the 6.2L GM is much stronger in the towing department. If the Nissan is so great why did Nissan not bring out a Ford 3.5L EB or a GM 6.2L truck in the comparo.....................................

What a tool. LMAO.

What is funny is this Cummins is said to get great MPH in motorhomes and they are wanting to target the MH crowd. My Ford V10 powered 36' Class A will get 8.5 MPG towing my SUV and 9.5 MPG not towing. This Titan was getting 11.1 with less GCVW than my 23,000lb Motorhome. I sure hope that video is wrong..............................................................

Ugly! What a weird looking front end
Cummins is a good engine but not good if the mpg isn't the greatest.
The old 5.9L Cummins in the Dodge rams seems to be the best Cummins engine out there.

These are some extraordinary responses from readers who've never driven one. Let's take a look at the XD six months or a year from now. At least we'll be dealing with real world numbers by then.

Nissan needed this to be a Linebacker/Fullback, what they have made is more like a small offensive lineman. Too weak to hold off those hulking defensive linemen (HD's), too heavy to get downfield and block effectively. Nissan sorry to say it, no one wants a weak and heavy offensive line. This Tweener is too tween to be competitive for the season.

I am willing to bet that this Cummins diesel will still be running strong long after the EcoBoosts have died and hit the scrap yard. There will be those truck buyers that will buy the Titan XD just for the Cummins alone. Cannot say that about most motors. Nissan doesn't have to be Number 1 in sales or Best truck to sell these Titans.

Interior looks dated and its not out yet!

So far the reviews have been unflattering. So far reviewers say the XD Cummins looks a bit funky, is too heavy, is sluggish, has questionable tweener capabilities (tow/haul), and poor diesel fuel economy. One reviewer got 16.7mpg at 70mph steady freeway over a 98mile freeway loop - almost 17% less than a 6.2L gas pickup over the same route. Another review had 10% fewer mpg freeway than several three quarter ton pickups. Nissan needs to go back to the drawing board.

Using the figures from tfltruck this thing is porky..... It needs a steady dose of fords light weight tech if it every desires to get better then mid teens mpg highway just hauling air around.

If one desires better fuel economy then don't drive a truck or suv. There are hybrid cars and smaller cars that get much better fuel economy than a fuel size V-8 powered truck.

Jeff S,
Bravo!

@Big Al--Thanks, I am just stating the obvious. I doubt many who spend the kind of money for this Titan XD will be considering mpgs as a top consideration. It is more likely the Cummins diesel that will be the major consideration. Those I know that bought the Dodges with the Cummins really were not necessarily Chrysler fans as much as they really wanted that Cummins diesel. Ram has a Cummins and now so does Nissan. Ford doesn't have a Cummins. Enough said.

The ecoboost probably won't beat the Nissan XD when towing. Diesel fuel packs more energy than an equivalent amount of gasoline. Boosted gasoline engines run a richer fuel mixture when in boost mode ( towing ) than an equivalently powered NA engine. The reason for this richer mixture is to cool the combustion process and prevent even a momentary lean condition from occurring during a boosted event. This is why the ecoboost gets its reputation of poor FE when asked to do anything more than haul its own weight around.

Oh, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Jeff S,
I love how some are cherry picking data to suit their arguments.

They tend to use 1/2 ton data to win or use 3/4 ton data to win the debate.

If Nissan has done anything, it has created a vehicle, a unique vehicle, that will be comfortable, big, heavy, tow well and you'd be proud to take your daughter to the gymkana or take your mates out fishing in your 25' fibreglass boat chasing pelagics.

This is what this vehicle is. I like it. Sort of reminds me of my little midsizer, full of leather, button, fantastic traction aids for off road and a diesel. You can't get better than that.

You know what? I really don't need what I drive! I drive it because I like, and want it!

A real toy that you want and can afford to service, fuel and drive.

Most who drive a diesel drive for similar reasons people drive a V8, because they can and they like the constant diesel surge that doesn't die in the arse like a gasoline engine.

I love the moderate constant acceleration up to and over 100mph. A steam train.

and we are waiting for anti anything Ford Lou to chime in!

As predicted, the 5.0 Cummins has no advantage over a 6.7 Cummins. It's not cheaper to produce and it has no fuel economy advantage. I'm sure it's a good engine, but if it has no advantage over a 6.7, then why bother? It's becoming very clear why FCA turned it down in favor of the 3.0 V6 for the 1500.

If you were the first to own one it will be an attention getter!

on a side note:

Did you read about the Rain-X windshield washer fluid lawsuit?
Rain-X destroys the washer fluid sensor inside the washer fluid tank. (low level sensor)
It costs around $130 to replace the sensor.

The 5.0 is nice that it has the serial-sequential turbocharger system that debuted 10 years ago in German cars.
The Titan would be better with the ZF 8hp75 instead of the Aisin transmission.
LED headlight have been worthless because of the marketing department's nonsense of 'closer to sunlight'.
No center differential, no 'Auto' setting for the transfer case.
Not enough lug nuts to be considered 3/4 or 4/4 ton truck.
Respect for doing its own thing, but non enough appeal to be Best Pickup Truck of 2016.

Jeff S,
Bravo!

Posted by: Big Al from Oz | Dec 31, 2015 11:25:37 PM

HMMMMMMMMMMMMMM Something I have been saying for months now where people who wants FE should not buy a truck. You buy a truck to do truck stuff and FE should not be in the equation. You on the other hand have been spouting off about trucks and FE and the F150 not having good FE and everyone want good FE and no one uses a truck for a truck. Now the truck of your choice (because it has a diesel) does not have exceptional FE, FE is no longer important to you. And never has to me. I called you out for trying to spin the FE of this Titan before you even chimed in. I sure was right. What a buffoon. Well looks like no more F150 FE comments from the Girl From Oz.

FYI feel free to go back to my previous post. From the beginning I have liked the looks of this truck. Inside and out. So you cannot try and spin that tool bag twist.

Nissan failure with this truck is the weight is so heavy for such a small engine. This thing weigh as much as some 1 tons. 300 hp doesn't cut it..... That is why the reviews so far on this truck have been negative. Lackluster acceleration, poor fuel economy, bad handling. This combination may work in other countries but Americans still care about there performance and even demand it in there trucks.

Initially you will see everyone fly of the lot..... Cause people that want the cummins will get it. But after the newness wears off and those horse trailer pulls at the equestrian club show up in much better looking and performing trucks such as ram, fords and gmc's the sales of these will fall. Unless they offer huge incentives. Nissan isn't really dependent on the the trucks so I don't think the low ssles number of this truck will hurt them.

The ecoboost probably won't beat the Nissan XD when towing. Diesel fuel packs more energy than an equivalent amount of gasoline. Boosted gasoline engines run a richer fuel mixture when in boost mode ( towing ) than an equivalently powered NA engine. The reason for this richer mixture is to cool the combustion process and prevent even a momentary lean condition from occurring during a boosted event. This is why the ecoboost gets its reputation of poor FE when asked to do anything more than haul its own weight around.

Posted by: GMSRGREAT | Jan 1, 2016 12:04:51 AM

You are correct that a gasoline boosted engine does need to run a more rich fuel mixture under boost. Usually between 11.5:1 to 12.5:1 over 14.5.1. But that us under full boost. Once you are at a steady speed less power is needed so the boost requirements becomes less. As with a diesel engine a boosted gasoline engine makes more torque down low (in truck applications) so you can run a lower engine RPM to increase over al FE during towing. A N/A gasoline engine will make peak torque around 4K. So even though it can run closer to 14.5:1 A/F it needs to run at a higher rpm to maintain speed. This increases FE consumption.

Now with a diesel there is more energy per CC compared to gasoline. And that's where the advantages of diesel used to be. Before emissions diesels it was a no brainer for power and operational cost to go diesel pickup if you did a lot of towing. Todays diesels are under so many restrictions they cannot do what they do well. Now they need to burn fuel while regurgitating their own exhaust via EGR. This decreases efficiency but boost emissions compliance. There is also a DPF. This collects soot in the exhaust. This filter in the exhaust needs cleaned often. It cleans it via dumping raw fuel in the exhaust to burn to increase exhaust heat between 1000F-1400F. So you have raw fuel not even being used for making power dumped just to keep emissions compliance. Depending on engine design when towing you may get lucky and the exhaust will get hot enough to passive regenerate but in most cases that is not often. To even make a diesel cleaner now DEF is used. This is an added expense. In the last comparo between the big 3 diesel duallies the Cummins used twice as much DEF as the other 2 while just edging out MPG like .1 or .2. Nothing really special.

I don't understand what all you people are complaining about without having driven it. If I buy a truck, I don't look for the most HP, Torque, Towing or Payload and I certainly don't care about the Fuel Mileage. Like Jeff S. said, if you're worried about FE, don't buy a freaking truck!

During the putc annual physical the 3.5 ecoboost got the exact same mpg that the Titan xd of tfltruck..... But the ecoboost was pulling a 1000lb more then the 5700ish lbs that tfl is using. Putc used 6700-6800 lbs in a similar trailer style. Unless it gets windy in Colorado when they do an ecoboost test it will get over 12 mpg pulling that load that tfl is using.

Empty mpg is so bad on the Titan xd just hauling air is cause dimensionally it bigger then the 3/4 tons. Wider and heavier so that little v8 cummins is pooring the fuel in the cylinders just to move that 7600lb xd

Woopud, everyone is disappointed because they thought it would be priced competitively with other half-tons, get better fuel economy than a 6.7 diesel, but get better towing performance and towing fuel economy than any other half-ton. Now reality is proving it to be priced at the same as a 3/4 ton diesel with the same running costs, and the same towing fuel consumption as a Chevy 6.2 gas V8! I think the biggest disappointment comes as the teasers have been coming since about June 2013!

@Big Al-- If you haven't done it yet go watch the video of the 1942 Dodge Power Wagon with a Cummins on Leno's Garage. That is a beast of a truck that even I would love to drive. I guess Ford fan boys would hate it and would find something to complain about but it is some truck. The Power Wagon was made into a 6 x 6. Many fan boys miss the point of many of these articles in that this website presents many different types of trucks even if they are not you favorite brand. Diversity is a good thing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0c68L_tieVs

I would still like to see a head on test with all the major players, long range FE, towing etc. Best would be to do the trip like before on I70 in Colorado from Silverthorne up to the Eisenhower tunnel and back. Testing the brake controllers etc.

This truck is the best at.....nothing. It really only should be compared to a 3/4 ton because it is priced and sized like a 3/4 ton. I don't see ANY advantage to this over a 3/4 ton truck from any one of the big three.

The sad thing is even though it is priced and sized like a 3/4 ton, it probably will have very few advantages of any kind even over a loaded 1/2 ton truck. Unlike the previous titan, this is a loser right out of the gate.

I think it's hilarious that BAFO likes this truck. Just hilarious. It's exactly what I would expect from him. He must live in some bizarro world where left is right and up is down. Bad is good, heavy is light.

If there is one thing the Titan XD proves it is that the big three really know what they are doing. If what the titan was trying to achieve was doable, one of the big three would have already accomplished it. as alex said:

"they thought it would be priced competitively with other half-tons, get better fuel economy than a 6.7 diesel, but get better towing performance and towing fuel economy than any other half-ton"

I think the reality is that THAT is a pipe dream. I was hoping for the same thing from the titan, but it has already shown that it probably isn't going to come close to delivering. The titan xd will probably be a lot like a 7.3 powerstroke from 1999 with a nicer interior. That was a great truck, but the big three have progressed a lot since those days. I think to anyone that has ever owned a 3/4 ton truck, the titan is going to be a major disappointment.

@Beebe Actually, I think you're dead wrong.

The F250 and its peers from RAM and GM ride like an Abrams tank. No amount of seat cushioning takes up the slack. The XD will offer a nice ride with big time diesel guts for towing and grunt.

As high torque gasoline big-blocks have disappeared from the half ton scene, a big void has developed and Nissan's XD should fill it very nicely.

Diesel fuel is cheaper today than it's been in about 10 years--I'd say Nissan's timing is perfect.

What's Ford doing about it? They're planning to sell a hybrid F150. Duh?

Having been around a lot of diesels of all shapes and sizes i will say that The MPG of a diesel should be over a much longer time say put 7500 miles on a diesel and run a lot of fuel threw it and it would improve some since diesels take a good amount of running to loosen up

Diesel fuel is cheaper today than it's been in about 10 years--I'd say Nissan's timing is perfect.

What's Ford doing about it? They're planning to sell a hybrid F150. Duh?

Posted by: papa jim | Jan 1, 2016 11:13:51 AM

wait for the election year to finish out. Gas prices seems to go down during election years. In my area fuel prices have come down and stayed down for a while. $1.70 for gas and $2.40 for diesel. Not bad at all.

@Big Al-- If you haven't done it yet go watch the video of the 1942 Dodge Power Wagon with a Cummins on Leno's Garage. That is a beast of a truck that even I would love to drive. I guess Ford fan boys would hate it and would find something to complain about but it is some truck. The Power Wagon was made into a 6 x 6. Many fan boys miss the point of many of these articles in that this website presents many different types of trucks even if they are not you favorite brand. Diversity is a good thing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0c68L_tieVs

Posted by: Jeff S | Jan 1, 2016 9:28:32 AM

I'm sorry but that statement is garbage. But I guess I consider myself as a truck guy vs a specific brand boy. AKA Johnny Welfare Doe and GMSRGREAT. That truck is pure awesome. I do not care whos name in on the front. I would challenge any guy that thinks he likes trucks to drive that thing and I would give him $1000.00 if he never even cracked a smirk from joy.

Aaron,
My 3.2 Duratorq is just running in at around 50 000km or 30 000 miles.

I just drove 2 300km on 200 litres. The drive was basically down the centre of what we call the Great Dividing Range in Australia from Brisbane to a place called Nowra.

75% of the drive was one lane each way with lots of overtaking lanes through the twisty mountain road. Great drive.

I also sat in bumper to bumper traffic for 3 hours and drove 75 miles on urban (non freeway) roads.

I averaged over 27mpg (US gallon) or 8.68 l per 100km.

This is quite good considering I set the cruise at 115kph or al little over 70mph.

No gas V6 would come close. They would of chewed over 12 litres per hundred km.

Drive a Buick car for fuel milage! 35 mpg with 3.8L v6

LAMO,
The price of oil has little to do with who is in government at the momnent.

OPEC isn't functioning very well as a cartel and OPEC appears to be a free for all with little leadership and plan.

Oil will become cheaper in the shorter term as Iran starts to sell it's crude on the market.

The world is currently awash with crude. Even ships are being used to store surplus oil as there all of the land based storage facilities are filled to the brim.

Even the US is now considering exporting crude, which is a first in decades.

LAMO,
The price of oil has little to do with who is in government at the momnent.

OPEC isn't functioning very well as a cartel and OPEC appears to be a free for all with little leadership and plan.

Oil will become cheaper in the shorter term as Iran starts to sell it's crude on the market.

The world is currently awash with crude. Even ships are being used to store surplus oil as there all of the land based storage facilities are filled to the brim.

Even the US is now considering exporting crude, which is a first in decades.

Posted by: Big Al from Oz | Jan 1, 2016 12:59:16 PM

Did not know that. I just assumed it was due to election years again. Thanks.

@LMAO regarding fuel prices, election years. You have your facts wrong.

The price of gasoline peaked in the summer of 2008, ditto diesel.

2008 was an election year. Your comment about election years vs gas prices does not stand up.

Fuel prices, both crude oil and retail gasoline, actually track the price of gold almost perfectly. It does not matter if you look at 1930, 1960 or 2015. When gold is down, so is crude.

Presently gold and crude are down in relations to the relative strength of the US dollar. Greenbacks are king today, which is one of the reasons the stock market had a crappy year in 2015.

I'll hold my judgment regarding 2016--too soon to tell.

But presently there is no economic momentum that will change oil prices or other commodities in 2016, barring something unforeseen. Until we get some pay raises, it is hard to picture economic growth. Until growth in the economy returns, it is hard to picture prices rising.

papajim,
I watched an interesting piece on what and how commodities track gold, CPI, interest rates etc.

Currently the graphs are a little messed up. Oil and gold have been diverging with oil dropping as a much faster rate than gold. Gold and oil to tend to go up and down together, but the current divergence is the greatest they have ever been.

This is due to the China slowdown, US not producing at full capacity, the EU economically in the doldrums, etc.

Governments trying to do a Madoff with the ponzy scheme we have for our economies. Everyone expects their investments to outstrip the CPI. Sooner or later all there will be is debt to maintain the growth. Growth on debt will little room for paying the debt down will cause a problem.

OPEC has become like the UN, toothless. Also, government subsidised ventures like hybrids/EVs are also impacting oil. Remember that crude is also used for heating, power generation, shipping etc. People only mainly look at crude as a fuel for motor vehicles.

Any fossil fuel will decline over the longer term. India is the main country that might increase fossil fuel use.

Australia the US and New Zealand have produced growth in the past year. But this growth isn't staggering, it isn't even enough to promote a stronger push for higher wages.

What's unusual about the current situation is unemployment is low'ish in Australia, US and New Zealand, but wages are relatively stagnant.

Companies are not investing in future growth that much.

To me it appears our economies are on thin ice at the moment. Things could go either way. It wouldn't take much to create another shock in the markets.

Look at share values, because of the printed money share values have risen with little growth within the companies. Much growth has been achieved via rationalisation.

People expect great dividends, people expect bonds to pay well, etc. This just ain't going to happen for a while.

Every year now the pool of people available for the work force is also shrinking (per capita), so I do believe governments should start to use people employed instead of unemployed people as the data they put forward.

In a few decades we could have in real terms under 60% of people out of school working. This 60% must support the remaining 40%. This is a huge burden. Currently two thirds work and one third don't. So 50% of the resources of the workers must be used to create growth for the non workers.

Back in the 80s 74% of the countries population were working, this greatly reduces the burden.

So, my advice is make the best possible choices with yur money when investing.

First have a roof over your head you own, enough money for electricity, food and basics. Then a car. If you can achieve this by retirement you are doing better than most.

Dan,
I just love these optimistic FE figures from the B&B, people want to believe they have made the best choice with the Best in Class figures.

I'm talking heavy vehicles, ie, pickups, SUVs (proper SUVs with a full chassis and hi/lo, etc).

Even the Pentastar powered Grand Cherokee will use over 14 litres per hundred to do what I've just done.

I had a V6 Kia Sorento that used over 14 litres per hundred at speeds above 65-70mph.

I do know even our Holden Commordores and Ford Falcons which are large family cars are using over 10 litres per hundred for this type of driving.

A V8 pickup would be using around 16 litres per hundred, nearly twice what I use. This is why the Colorado will do well and one of the reasons we don't have many full size pickups in Australia.

This V8 Titan will return a better or similar FE in real life than any Eco Boost or V8.

@papa jim
There is no reason at all to believe the ride on the titan xd will be better than a 3/4 ton. Why would it? Initial reviews aren't saying that. Chances are it will not ride as good as a 1/2 ton and very similar to a 3/4. I have no complaints on the ride of any of the heavy trucks. To say they ride like an abrams tank is ridiculous. Have you even driven one in the last five years? Sounds like you're really searching for a reason why the titan might have even one advantage over a 3/4

"So, my advice is make the best possible choices with yur (sic) money when investing.

First have a roof over your head you own, enough money for electricity, food and basics."

@Big Al, you have been civil lately, so I'll try to be nice.

The above statement capped a long riff of yours that had me laughing out loud.

The advice about having a roof over your head that you own...was that a joke?

Warren Buffett stays in hotel rooms that he doesn't own--is he wrong? Keith Richards lives in places all over the world and he could care less if he rents or owns. He's still rich.

Owning real estate is highly overrated, Al.

America's young people today need to be mobile, so they can take advantage of opportunities regardless of locale.

Do you think Donald Trump worries about where he spends the night?

I also highlighted a line of yours that suggests we need to be careful about investing. Investing is for anyone who wants to risk what he has today, so that he can assure himself of receiving a reward in the future.

My best advice to you is to avoid putting much faith in the crappy analysis you read in the Wall Street Journal and New York Times.

Their advice is free for a reason--because nobody pays for it.

The finance/banking guys you should be listening to charge VERY high fees for their advice and it's hard to get an appointment with them. They are booked for months ahead. Ignore the crap you see on TV when it comes to the economy--anybody with a business card can call himself an expert (me included--wink!)

beeBe, and the other names you go by, ie, ALEX
Still with the mind games, loser.

I have read differently to your commentary regarding the ride of the Titan XD. The ride is better, seating is far better. The truck still feels very large and HD like is what I've read.

Hmmm ................ looking for a bite, or is this just the usual Alex style of troullng?

The first advantage the Titan XD has over a raft of 3/4 ton pickups is pricing and value. That's about the only real comparison you can make.

Why try and compare this to a 3/4 ton or a 1/2 ton for that matter. I suppose you'll attempt to promote a aluminium Frod, right DiM.

I like these mind games, sometimes.

LMAO welfare kid on his welfare cell phone. I love trucks, they got looks and style you just don't see today. You could throw anything in the bed hit the key and go. Hint hint why I'm rebuilding old trucks and reusing them dumb a#$.