The first pic definitely shows F150 similarities in design but with more quirky angles & curves - it might grow on you but not my taste.

At least Nissan did Fords center seen pocket right, its a pain in the butt having to reach forward in the Ford to get stuff out. The Nissan you can sit back in the seat open and reach what ever you have in there. Good job Nissan.

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

2016 Ram Power Wagon takes on a Snowy Gold Mine Hill Review in 4K

Not much of a story. This type of truck represents a tiny part of the consumer story. Many municipalities and utility departments will buy these but not average truckers or families.

Finally an actual pickup truck, not some glittery four door with a mini bed and but coolers.

Nissan will continue to be a bit player overall. The gas XDs should sell reasonably well the diesel will need serious help with cash on the hood.

Well Jim, I for one disagree.

I still would like to see a "work ready" type of truck that comes with a bunch of features for those of us who use our trucks every day for work, it ends up being practically our office away from home, and we drive from jobsite to jobsite each day. Little things can make a lot of difference, and added up can make a very appealing work truck.

A few of the things that I would like to see offered especially as a package would be a jobsite-box-style steel toolbox bolted directly to the bed but able to be removed when needed, large heavy-duty tiedown rings in multiple locations, heavy-duty rear springs, locking storage inside the cab, and an organizer for paperwork and folders. Other things like a steel lifting tailgate, ladder/lumber rack, laptop mount, or flashing amber warning lights are more specific but would be nice as options from the factory.

I know you can just buy a regular truck and customize it but it seems like nearly all the trucks that bought by companies, contractors, independent workers and such all end up getting other features bolted on anyway so why not offer it from the beginning?

I hate to say it, but the styling of this truck is a complete failure. The front end is bulbous and disproportionate with respect to the wheel wells. The design details are of the same era as a 2003 Altima. The windshield is raked back too far, making triangular side windows. This is made even apparent in this single cab version.

There must have been a lot of people telling the emporer that she was wearing nice clothes when she turned this thing out. I feel really bad about this truck. I want to see Nissan succeed as another player vs. Ford/GM/FCA. Unfortunately, all I see is a big waste of company money and resources. A refresh of the old one would have been money better spent than this. The body lines were actually pretty good and more fitting for this segment. The windshield was raked too much on it too, but the rest could have been modernized into a kick arse contender. Throw in this new interior and there would have been a lot of bang for the buck.

The only way to salvage this truck is to take the warrior look to all trim lines asap.

It's curious that a brand with long tradition in pickup trucks wasn't able to crack into the full-size pickup market, after two generations of Titan's. Since Nissan has good dealer network, the problem here is the product, price and/or publicity.

The publicity in this segment tends to be less effective, the buyers tend to stay with the same brand. The product would have to be better, otherwise why would someone switch brands or buy Nissan in the first place, being a minor player.

The XD concept was flawed, offering the same price and consumption of 3/4-ton 6.7 diesels with the payload and towing more similar to half-ton trucks.

Toyota Tundra sells based on the reliability mystic.

Introduced at the same time, the F-150 seems much more advanced product. Sharper styling, aluminum panels, turbo engines, etc. Even compared with older trucks, RAM, Silverado/Sierra or Tundra, it's unclear what are Titan's advantages.

The previous generation was competitive at launch. It was bigger and had more powerful V8 than Tundra, it was offered in extended cab for the same price, the rear doors opened 180 degrees in the extended cab, it had innovative storage spaces in the bed, it had a very sharp design, it had the best towing, etc.

@George

I can share some of your observations, however you made one comment from left field.

"Even compared with older trucks, RAM, Silverado/Sierra or Tundra, it's unclear what are Titan's advantages."

The comments here at PUTC three years ago were full of readers begging anyone to put a real diesel in a half ton pickup. Nissan did just that with the 5.0 liter Cummins. No mickey mouse 3.0 liter engine, serious grunt.

If towing is a regular part of your routine, you should take a look at this truck from that perspective.

"A refresh of the old one would have been money better spent than this."

@Connedale--you are dead right. The original Titan had some fairly minor flaws that were addressed by Nissan early on. The original styling stayed fresh for a long time.

Ten years in this industry is a very long time, unfortunately. Although I disagree with you on a technical basis, I fully agree from a pure business/consumer perspective. A true refresh--and a more contemporary transmission-- would have been more than enough.

@BD

All of the mods you describe are better addressed by Nissan dealers using their local specialty shops. If Nissan were selling as many fleet trucks as Ford, RAM or GM your comment would be more compelling.

Definitely going to be a hit with fleet customers. Going to cut in to the domestics sales. The vans are already a hit and very popular with A/C companies.

My comment was general and not directed only at Nissan, however Nissan can still make an impact in the fleet segment and I believe added features and a competitive price would go a long way.

@BD the items you listed only make business sense on a large scale basis. Ford and GM sell enough fleet pickups to pull it off. Nissan and Toyota do not.

"The comments here at PUTC three years ago were full of readers begging anyone to put a real diesel in a half ton pickup. Nissan did just that with the 5.0 liter Cummins. No mickey mouse 3.0 liter engine, serious grunt."

But Papa Jim, the XD isn't a regular half ton. Neither is it a three-quarter-ton. It's more of a five-eighth-ton, like the GMT800 2500/1500HD, 90s Ford F250/F150 HD, Ram 1500 Tradesman HD, but none of those had a diesel. The Cummins will not be offered in the regular half-ton Titan, hence the shorter snout.

What does the amount of trucks sold have to do with being able to offer additional features? If that were true then why are trim level and additional options available with the Titan and Tundra at all?

I like the single cab Tittan, I just wanted to see it in a PRO-4X trim package with a 6.5' bed configuration. But that configuration is not offered.

@willy

It's called economies of scale

The big automakers keep their costs under control through large scale operations. There are certain economies that can be managed through scale.

Ok so now the other cab is out, but still there is way too much weight in either one! Sure they have the 5.0 Cummins Diesel engine, but it has to pull all that weight around! If they could have kept the weigh down to a reasonable amount the Titan would have filled the gap and made a difference. But the truck weighs as much as a normal HD, but has a lot less power, in the diesel engine anyway, the Endurance V-8 has plenty of power, but even so the "light" weight gas truck is still a porker. At least they still have plenty of power but not more than the all the other 1/2 t trucks out there, as I believe Fords half tone can still be equipped to haul more weight, and the Chevy comes close. But to me, if I was to buy a full size truck today, I would wait for the newer SD Ford, or at the least buy a new Chevy or even a Ram, gas or diesel makes no difference to me, if I am going to pay the price for any of them, it will be for the real deal! Chevy HD, Ram HD or Ford SD! Cause it I did buy one, it would be to haul a truck camper, and that would mean at least a 3,000lbs cap. or more, maybe even go up to a 350, 3500. But not a dually.\, that would be to ponderous, and not aloud on most beaches.

@sandmam4x4

Go drive one and give your fellows here at PUTC's comments section a report. I bet the Cummins really hauls that XD in style.

They should kill the xd model off and offer the cummins diesal in the half ton model!

The XD was a failed attempt to find a way to field something that wouldn't have to compete with anything since it was in its own new made up class.

It didn't work. It costs almost as much as a 3/4 but cant hang with them and costs more than 1/2 and is only slightly better in some ways... Someone with 1 or 2 horses to occasionally move and who has been burned by the big 3 minus 1 might fall in love with this but its not a big sales demographic.

Titan blew it putting all its eggs in the cummins 5/8ths ton truck basket and not having massive styling appeal. They built something no one was looking for and few found attractive. And vanity is huge for alotta folks.

Now its up to Nissan to refine and adjust the Titan/Titan XD into something that will sell. They started off more on target with the 04 Titian starting off mostly on target with it and gradually losing their way through neglect and lack of refinement/development. Lets see how they do with getting on target this time starting so far off.

If they would make it in a short bed that would be a truck Id buy. U cant get a hd Diesel in that configuration in any of the other brands. Also why not put the Cummins in the reg titan so the power to weight will be alot better.