One of the biggest additions to the truck world this year has been the new 2016 Nissan Titan XD (literally). For those not familiar with the Titan XD, it is commonly called a tweener truck… slotting somewhere in between a traditional light-duty and a three-quarter ton pickup. It is a beefed-up version of the second generation standard Titan (which has yet to debut), with a sturdier frame and an available 5.0L Cummins V8 diesel engine. Rated at 310 hp and 555 lb-ft of torque, the Cummins is mated to an 6-speed Aisin tranny with extra oomph provided by a two-stage turbocharger system.
The Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration classifies the Titan XD as a Class 2b vehicle, putting in the ranks of light heavy-duty trucks not required to have EPA fuel economy ratings. So, the existence of a light(ish)-duty truck with a turbocharged diesel and no MPG ratings begs the question that we set out to answer with our 100-mile highway MPG test loop. We ran two loops with the truck in 2WD mode at 70 mph, the first loop was unladen and the second was with a trailer loaded with 5,760 lbs. What kind of MPG numbers do you think we got? How did it compare to the recently-tested 2016 Tundra TRD Pro and 2016 Chevy Silverado?
| 2016 Toyota Tundra | 2016 Nissan Titan XD | ||
| Model | Crew Cab TRD Pro 4×4 | Crew Cab PRO-4X 4×4 | |
| Engine | 5.7-liter V8 gasoline | 5.0-liter V8 turbo diesel | |
| Transmission | 6-speed Auto | 6-speed Auto | |
| Power (hp / lb-ft) | 381 / 401 | 310/ 555 | |
| Axle Ratio | 4.30 | 3.92 | |
| EPA mpg | 13/18/15 | N/A | |
| Trailer lbs | 5,760 lbs | 5,760 lbs | |
| GCWR lbs | 12,140 lbs | 13,520 lbs | |
| Observed MPG | 8.15 | ??? |
Below are the results of TFLtruck’s recent Titan XD Highway MPG tests. Make your unladen and towing MPG predictions in the comments section below then watch the video to see how well you know your diesels!
