The Nissan Titan 2020 arrives with a better look and more technology

NIssan made its Titan 2020 debut at the Texas State Fair on Thursday, with a complete redesign with a re-tuned engine and more driver assistance systems than before. However, the truck market is very competitive and, although these changes are welcome, they may not be enough for the Titan to progress much higher in the ranks.

For 2020, the Titan adds more features to its Nissan Safety Shield 360 system. Now, the standard version of all versions includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind spot monitoring, and more. rear cross traffic alert, lane departure alert, assistance to high beam and automatic braking from the rear. In addition, the truck also benefits from an adaptive cruise control, a recognition of road signs, an optional driver vigilance system and an optional rear door alert.

In-dash technology also benefits from a boost. An 8-inch touch screen is now standard, while a 9-inch screen with Wi-Fi is available, both running Nissan Connect infotainment technology. Meanwhile, a customizable display of the 7-inch driver information appears in the gauge group. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are still there for the ride, as is the 12-speaker Fender sound system.

Although the 5.0 liters diesel engine was nixed for 2020, Nissan's 5.6-liter V8 gasoline engine bows out at 390 horsepower and 394 lb.-ft. of torque at 400 horsepower and 413 lb-ft of torque. It's unclear what this increase in power means for towing and payload, but the current Titan can carry up to 1,930 pounds and tow up to 9,660 pounds. I'm expecting these numbers to rise just a little bit.

Nissan is abandoning the old seven-speed automatic gearbox for the benefit of a new nine-speed unit. The final gear ratio has been reset to allow faster acceleration and more midrange punch. "The powertrain print is more linear across the gears," says Nissan's official statement. I guess it's marketing: "the transmission is not looking for the right equipment", but I will not know it before spending some time driving.

The big styling changes come to the outside of the Titan with what the company calls a Powerful Warrior design. (Incidentally, this is also my favorite yoga pose.) Three nested grids are offered, depending on the level of finish. The Pro-4X has a red Nissan badge on the nose. A new bumper is also available, with chrome or black accents.

LED lighting is available all around the truck, including new LED lighting in the bed and new LED taillights. The standard LED headlamps on the Pro-4X, SL and Platinum Reserve versions produce 120% more light in the dipped-beam mode than the previous Titan.

New paint choices complete the exterior modifications. Drivers can now choose between Red Alert, Baja Storm and Cardinal Red Metallic, in addition to older colors such as Silver Metallic Gloss, Yellow Metallic, Super Black, Pearl White, Ice White and Deep Blue.

Even with these updates, the Titan is still at a disadvantage, competing with all new versions of the Ram 1500. Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra, not to mention the bestseller Ford F-150. Judging by what I've seen here at the Texas State Fair, the Titan is getting closer to equality, but its road is still tough. The interior of Ram is incomparable and the availability 12 inch screen is ideal for nerds of truck technology. the GMC Sierra excels with an optional configuration of 15 cameras to make towing less stressful, not to mention the impressive Hatchback multi-pro. The Chevrolet Silverado's 5.3-liter V8 features a fuel management system that allows it to operate between two and eight cylinders. Ford F-150 has one Trailer Backup Assistant to help beginners to reverse the trailer more easily. The Titan receives some welcome additions for 2020, but none of them really changes the outdated and underperforming game of the truck.

Nissan has not released any official word on prices, but expect the 2020 Titan to arrive at dealerships early next year.