If you’re trying to decide between the Nissan Titan and the Toyota Tundra, you’ve got some good options. Both full-sized trucks provide plenty of power, safety, and capacity.
There are a number of different configurations available, including variations on the engine, seating, styling, and bed size. How you configure your vehicle will determine its capacity. When looking at the two trucks side-by-side, make sure you’re comparing similar configurations.
If you haven’t shopped for a truck in a few years, the level of tech and luxury you will find will pleasantly surprise you.
The Toyota Tundra
Tale of the Tape:
Payload: up to 1,620 pounds
Towing: up to 10,100 pounds
The Toyota Tundra has two engine choices:
- i-Force 4.6 Liter V8 – 310 hp, 327 ft-lb of torque
- i-Force 5.7 Liter V8 – 381 hp, 401 ft-lb of torque
The Tundra’s base 4.6 Liter engine is powerful and can handle everyday driving and use. If you plan to use your truck for frequent towing and hauling, you may want to consider the larger 5.7 Liter engine with more hp and torque.
Nissan Titan
Tale of the Tape:
Payload: up to 1,950 pounds
Towing: up to 9,740 pounds
With a big grill and a bold exterior, the Titan makes a statement. The Nissan Titan currently offers a 5 Liter V8 engine as its standard model, which outperforms the Tundra’s base models. A diesel powerplant is an option for the Titan XD, which features a 310 hp Cummins 5.0 Liter Diesel.
The Nissan Titan has two engine choices:
- 5.6 Liter V8 – 390 hp, 394 ft-lb of torque
- 5.0 Liter Diesel V8 – 310 hp, 555 ft-lb of torque
The Titan features a seven-speed automatic transmission, while the Silverado has a 6-speed automatic.
Towing Strength
Which engine and options you choose in your configurations will determine the capacity of your full-sized truck. The Tundra has a maximum towing capacity of 10,100 pounds, compared with the Nissan Titan’s maximum towing capacity of 9,740 pounds. That’s pretty much even up, unless you happen to be towing something weighing 10,000 pounds.
Payload Capacity
The Ram 1500 payload is 1,880 pounds, while the Titan weighs in at 1,950 pounds.
Payloads vary depending on your configuration (engine, axle ratio, and transmissions). If you’re going to do lots of towing and hauling, you will want to pay close attention to the maximum payload and towing. The more you need, however, the more you will pay. Don’t overpay for capacity you will not use.
The Toyota Tundra comes in 5’5”, 6’5”, and 8’ beds. The Nissan Titan offers a similar lineup from 5’7” to 6’7” bed lengths.
Fuel Rating
The 4.6 Liter V8 standard on the Toyota Tundra gets 15 city/19 highway miles per gallon. The 5.7 Liter V8 gets an EPA estimated MPG of 13 city/18 highway.
The Nissan Titan 5.6 Liter V8 with seven speed automatic boasts 15 city/21 highway MPG, according to EPA estimates. The Pro-4X version with the same engine earns a 15 city/20 highway rating.
Seating
The Tundra has slightly more leg room in the front, but both models have plenty of room for drivers and passengers, seating up to six depending on the configuration and model. The Titan has a smoother ride.
Warranty
The 2018 Toyota Tundra comes with Toyota’s three-year or 36,000-mile warranty. The 2018 Nissan Titan has a five-year, 100,000-mile basic warranty.
Tech, Safety, and Innovation
The Titan has some unique features not offered in other full-sized trucks. For example, it has in-bed storage boxes that can be removed and used as portable coolers for ice and drinks. It also has a “dampened assist” rear tailgate that will lower into place smoothly.
When it comes to safety, both vehicles have a four out of five star crash test rating. Every test rating for the two trucks is identical, except for the Frontal Barrier crash rating for passengers, where the Titan gets five stars and the Tundra gets four.
Toyota Tundra Safety Tech
- Pre-collision system with pedestrian detection
- Vehicle stability control
- Front and rear parking assist sonar
- Tire pressure monitoring System
- Blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert
- Trailer sway control
- Anti-theft system with engine immobilizer
Nissan Titan Safety Tech
- Active Braking
- Blind spot warning (optional)
- Rear cross-traffic alert (optional)
- Tire pressure monitoring system
- Vehicle dynamic control to correct oversteering or understeering
- Traction control system
- Anti-lock braking
- Anti-theft system
- Electronic brake force distribution, to send extra force to rear brakes when you are hauling
Head to Head Pricing
The 2018 Toyota Tundra carries an MSRP of $31,120, not including destination freight, tax, title, license, and dealer fees. The 2018 Nissan Titan single cab SV MSRP starts at $33,360, excluding destination and handling, tax, title, license, and options.
When you start adding in some of the more popular trim levels and packages, the price can shoot up into the $40,000 and $50,000 range. The Platinum Tundra is Toyota’s priciest truck with a price tag of $47,000. The 2018 Nissan Titan Crew Cab Platinum Reserve starts at $56,000.
Changes for 2019
The 2019 Tundra will make few substantive changes to its base models and only some minor updates to its TRD Pro model, adding Fox off-road shocks, Rigid Industries LED fog lights, LED headlights, a hood scoop, and all-terrain options.
The second-generation Nissan Titan pickup will launch as an all-new model in 2019 with new configurations, trim, and engine options. The front grill and mirrors are bigger, and the bed size is configurable up to 8’. Interior options will include leather and climate-controlled seats.
Toyota Tundra or Nissan Titan?
If you’re choosing between the Nissan Titan and Toyota Tundra, you have good options either way. We’ve given you the highlights here, but this is not meant to be an exhaustive shopping guide. If you are still unsure which direction to go, it’s time to head to the dealership and take a test drive.
Happy shopping, and remember: if you’re in the market for truck backup cameras, we can help!
