Clash of the Titan (Pro-4X)

2021 Nissan Titan Pro-4X shows its off-road prowess

Let’s be honest, most truck owners hardly ever take their truck off the road. But yet, off-road prowess is something most truck owners take pride in and it’s certainly something truck buyers seek. You may not need it, but you want it.

That’s why my tester, the 2021 Nissan Titan Pro 4X exists. It’s Nissan’s most capable, most rugged truck they offer. In all fairness, I did not test the actual off-road prowess of the Titan Pro 4X during my week with it. But it certainly looked the part.

Frankly, the Titan with the Pro 4X is the best-looking trim. This is what a truck should look like. It has trim-specific features like a Utili-track bed cargo system, with a Titan emblazoned on the side of it, tie-down cleats, rear bed step, special LED taillights and Pro-4X badging on the side. There is nothing inconspicuous about the styling. It’s clear and upfront that this isn’t just another a pickup truck.

Rather, the overall styling indicates that it’s rugged and ready, willing and able to get dirty.

Powering the Titan Pro-4X is an engine that seems appropriately named. The Titan features a 5.6-liter Endurance V8 engine. It makes 400 horsepower and 413 lb./ft. of torque. These numbers are impressive and will easily plow through mud and also perform quite confidently on the road and in varying road conditions.

A nine-speed automatic transmission does an outstanding job offering seamless shifts and keeps the horses revving at just the right time. Specific for the Pro-4X are off-road features like a locking rear differential, hill descent, Bilstein shocks, skid plates and rugged all-terrain tires. The Titan Pro-4X has a shift-on-the-fly four-wheel drive system and a two-speed transfer case with 4Hi and 4Lo options.

The Pro-4X has a towing capacity of around 9,200 pounds.

Inside, the Pro-4X continues to show its personality. The Titan, without the Pro-4X can be rather forgettable, especially in the world of today’s luxury pickup trucks. Instead, the Titan shows off its Pro-4X personality with features like matching stitching on the seats, 9-inch touchscreen, rain-sensing wipers and a 120V outlet to go along with two rear USB ports. Other niceties not always found on a pickup truck include a panoramic sunroof and power rear window.

The aforementioned 9-inch touchscreen drives Nissan’s infotainment system. The entire center stack is well organized and clean. It may look simple, but that’s the charm as it does all you need it to do with a simple, intuitive system that integrates easily with smart phones.

The Titan Pro-4X has a premium Fender sound system with 12 speakers to help make the overall entertainment system even better. As such, this system gets high marks from me, for not being too simple or too complicated.

The Pro-4X package comes at a cost. The Utility Package which includes parking sensors, the aforementioned Fender sound system, the tie-down cleats and a trailer brake control costs an additional$2,190. Other Pro-4X add ons include the convenience package which includes leather seats, heated front seats, remote engine start and other niceties has a price of $3,390. Lastly the Pro-4X moonroof, mudflaps, illuminated kick plates and step boards add to the bottom line.

Before all this, the base price was $50,290. But with all these 4X add ons, the final MSRP was $60,460. This puts it priced in line with other off-road special trucks that it competes against.

The EPA rating for the 4WD Titan Pro-4X is 15 mpg/city and 20 mpg/highway. I struggled to get much over 16 mpg during my week with the Titan.

I have to hand it to Nissan. They’ve got a great named pickup truck (Titan) that represents something strong. But then when they add a rugged package to it like the Pro-4X they really help it stand out from a crowded field of competitors. You may never need to take it off roading, but it’s good to know it would be quite the Titan through whatever conditions put before it.

Jimmy Dinsmore is a freelance automotive journalist. Email him at jimmydinsmore73@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @driversside

2021 Titan Pro-4X

  • Price/As tested price................................................ $50,290/$60,460
  • Mileage.......................................... 15 mpg/city; 20mpg/hwy
  • Engine............................................. 5.6-liter V8
  • Horsepower................................. 400 hp/413 lbs./ft.
  • Transmission................................. Nine-speed automatic
  • Drive wheels................Four-wheel drive
  • Final assembly point................ Canton, Mississippi

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