2019 Ram 1500 vs 2019 Nissan Titan
Posted on August 4, 2020
Japanese manufacturers keep trying to muscle in on the North American full-size pickup truck market, and why wouldn't they? At the moment though, domestic models are still very much top of the pile. Japanese automakers are very adept at compact and midsize pickups that sell in big numbers globally, but their full-size models have never quite broken through. One of the best attempts to date by Japanese manufacturers is the 2019 Nissan Titan, but how does it compare to a sensational rival like the all-new 2019 Ram 1500? Let's take a look and to see the comparison.
Exterior styling
It's easy to see that the Nissan Titan isn't a North American full-size pickup, even though it has been designed and built here in North America. The styling is a fair attempt by Nissan at making the Titan look different to its midsize Frontier, but Ram trucks like the 1500 are in a different class. The all-new 2019 1500 has had its styling toned down a little compared to the previous incarnation, but this version of the Ram 1500 still looks how we like our full-size pickups to look and it's considerably more attractive than the slightly awkward-looking Nissan.
Engines
Ram trucks have gone all revolutionary with the engines in its full-size light-duty pickup range this time around with two powerplants featuring an eTorque 48-volt mild hybrid system. The smallest of the pair is a 3.6-litre V-6 with the eTorque mild-hybrid system that puts out 305 horsepower and 269 lb.-ft. of torque. A bigger 5.7-litre V-8 is also available, and that one gets you 295 horsepower and 410 lb.-ft. of torque in its standard format, or you can enjoy an additional 130 lb.-ft. if you choose it with the optional eTorque mild hybrid system.
There isn't a V-6 in the Titan lineup. The 5.6-litre V-8 found in the Titan does deliver 390 horsepower and 394 lb.-ft. of torque, but less available torque, no mild hybrid, and no fuel-efficient V-6 alternative hands another win to the Ram.
Capability
How much you can tow and haul with your pickup truck is obviously of huge importance to a lot of buyers, and they won't be disappointed in any way by what the 2019 Ram 1500 can manage. The maximum payload of 1,043 kg (2,300 pounds) and a maximum towing capacity of 5,783 kg (12,750 pounds), makes the Ram an exceptionally capable light-duty pickup.
The Nissan Titan is still a capable pickup, but with a maximum payload of 880 kg (1,940 pounds) and a maximum towing capacity of 4,427 kg (9,760 pounds), it's not really in the same class as its rival here.
Trim levels
Both manufacturers have gone with a similar number of trim levels with their light-duty pickups, but if you like a little more choice the Ram 1500 is the winner here. The Nissan Titan comes in five different grades of S, SV, Midnight Edition, Pro-4X and Platinum Reserve. The Ram 1500 goes one better with six, which are currently the Tradesman, Big Horn, Rebel, Laramie, Laramie Longhorn and the range-topping Limited.
Price
The starting MSRP for the Nissan Titan S with rear-wheel-drive is $36,498, but the most affordable version of the all-new 2019 Ram 1500 you can buy now starts from just $32,845, and the gap is even bigger in favour of the Ram at the other end of the trim level spectrum.
Verdict
Nissan as a manufacturer has a deserved reputation for reliability and durability, and that's a good starting point for any hard-working pickup truck. Unfortunately for the Nissan, the 2019 Ram 1500 is a better-looking truck, it's more affordable, uses less gas, it's generally better equipped at lower trim levels, and it's hugely more capable than the Titan.
To find out more and to schedule a test drive in the all-new 2019 Ram 1500, get in touch with us right now here at Caledon Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram, the premier choice Ram dealer in Bolton, ON and surrounding areas.