Test Drive: 2017 Nissan Titan Platinum Reserve is one fancy work truck

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Updated Aug 20, 2016

2017_Nissan_TITAN_Crew_Cab_02The 2017 Nissan Titan is coming on strong with more power, new features, plenty of comfort and the best warranty in the business to back it all up.

Nissan’s new 100,000-mile, 5-year bumper-to-bumper warranty for its full-size pickups is sure to turn some heads. It beats the competition’s standard protection programs by two years and 64,000 miles. The new warranty covers 2017 Titan Endurance V8 gas and 2017 Titan XD with either the Cummins diesel or the V8 Endurance gas engine.

We recently had a chance to test drive the 2017 Titan Endurance V8 Platinum Reserve Crew Cab 4X4 and the 2017 Titan Endurance V8 Pro4X (look for that review in a few days).  This Platinum Reserve model, though it lacks the Cummins diesel of its big brother the Titan XD, delivers plenty of comfort and power for a suggested list price of $55,400. Its 5.6-liter Endurance V8 produces 390 horsepower through a 7-speed automatic transmission that offers quick acceleration at low speed, something that proved helpful in frenetic California traffic.

I was impressed with how quiet the truck was while driving on some rough roads to a winery near Carmel, Calif. While the transmission is designed to run quietly at high speed, Nissan also toned down the cab this year by adding a three-layer dash insulator, a 3-decibel improvement over last year’s single layer. Laminated front side glass also contributes to the comfortable hush.

Bilstein shocks in the front and rear (available on Pro4X, SL, Platinum and a new off-road package) also helped absorb the bumps of those heavily traveled farm roads. Another cab management perk comes courtesy of hydraulic cab mounts, which reduce vibration by 10db.

Roll stiffness improvement for the 2017 Titan comes through a rear stabilizer bar. Confidence came quickly while I put the truck through some serious twists and turns on Laureles Grade in Carmel.

2017 Nissan Titan Platinum Reserve 4

 

The interior of the 2017 Titan Platinum Reserve hints at luxury without betraying its work truck roots. Comfortable zero gravity seats keep you in arm’s reach of the column shifter—a design which paves the way for a large center console which can hold a computer tablet with case or a 15-inch laptop.

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Automatic dual zone climate control makes for a comfortable ride, even before you hit the road, thanks to a remote start with HVAC auto temperature control. Climate controlled front seats, heated rear seat and a heated steering wheel help take the edge off a tough day.

2017 Nissan Titan Platinum Reserve 2A Rockford Fosgate premium audio system proved impressive, along with a 5-inch drive assist display that can show an optional 360 degree view around the truck.

Nissan knows its drink crazed consumers only too well and provides 16 cup holders throughout the truck, some of which can handle those large quart size sports drinks.

Powering up devices is easy thanks to plenty of power ports available in USB, round 12-volt and 110-volt receptacles.

I like Nissan’s lockable storage area under the rear seats. Removable dividers allow for quick organization of smaller items. Take the dividers out and you’ve got plenty of room for a rifle.

Another back seat bonus is the flat floor feature. After placing the rear seats in the upright position, simply fold out the flat floor deck across the rear floor board and you’ve got a large, even space for plenty of stuff.

While driving down the road, I may not have noticed the new active grille feature, but doubtless it was at work doing its part to save fuel. Nissan’s chief product specialist for Titan and Titan XD, Rich Miller, told reporters earlier that day about the new aerodynamic feature.

“We wanted to improve the overall drag coefficient of the vehicle. We did that by 10 percent over the outgoing model,” Miller explained. “What we concentrated on was sealing off the front end of the vehicle. We added the active grille shutters to make sure the air flow could go over the truck.

“That’s the key point—we’re basically pushing a toaster oven down the road and we have to make it as aerodynamic as we can. By doing that, you close off the front, forcing the air to go over or under, which is where we have undercovers on the side and we also have bed seals on the side and also to keep the air going over, we added these roof spoilers and tailgate spoilers, and it was very interesting to see the impact they had on fuel economy when we ran it through the wind tunnel.”

Fuel efficiency for the 2017 Titan is up 28 percent from the previous model. It’s rated at 15 mpg city, 21 highway and 18 combination.

2017 Nissan Titan Platinum Reserve 3

The 390-hp V8 Endurance has 73 more horses than the previous Titan gas engine. Torque increased 9 lb.-ft. to 394 lb.-ft. The engine features a trademarked Direct Injection Gasoline system, variable valve event and lift, new piston design, new intake, new heads and new exhaust.

Cargo bed options include LED bed rail lamps which are located under the bed rail to help keep them out of harm’s way. An optional lockable Titan box is removable from the bed, and even when installed, it allows room from a bed topper or tonneau cover.

The tailgate on the 2017 Titan comes standard with lift assist function and dampened lowering. An optional bed step makes drops down easily from the rear bumper and provides a nice leg-up into the bed.

Optional utility track features include bed wall channels, bed header channel and bed floor channels. Adjustable tie-down cleats slide up and down the aluminum bed floor channels on either side of the bed. This feature comes in handy when you need to secure cargo to the base of the bed.

Towing aid features for the 2017 Titan include a backup camera, integrated trailer brake control, downhill speed control, trailer light check and trailer sway control.

Nissan keeps making strides in its full-size truck line-up. It was a pleasure driving the 2017 Titan, and given its improved power, impressive enhancements and a bold 5-year, 100,000-mile warranty, I’m sure I’ll be seeing more of these trucks on the road.