What do you think of when you hear the word “Titan?” Sports fans might think of the Tennessee Titans, and mythology buffs will immediately think of the Greek gods who ruled the world before the Olympians. But, there’s one more Titan to think about, and that’s the Nissan Titan. Named after the Greek gods, the Titan lives up to its namesake as a capable workhorse that you’ll find ready and waiting for your next adventure at your local Nissan Titan dealer. But just how capable and adventurous is the Titan?
Nissan unleashed every ounce of innovation in its wheelhouse in its design of the 2021 Titan. Facing competitors like the Ford F-150, GMC Sierra, and Chevy Silverado, the Titan raises the standards of excellence by offering the most standard power, technology, and safety features in its class. This makes the Titan remarkable value, but what does it mean for its capability and its status as a road warrior? Fortunately, Nissan doesn’t falter with trims like the Titan PRO-4X, which promises extreme capability long after the pavement ends.
Rugged, Rough, and Ready for the Trail: Design
Designed for adventurers and thrill-seekers, the PRO-4X is your everyday workhorse and your weekend warrior. Sitting on a fully boxed, full-length ladder frame, the PRO-4X is strong, stable, and durable. Its double-wishbone front suspension, rigid rear axle suspension, and hydraulic cab mounts make the truck agile and easy to maneuver whether you’re on the pavement or the trail. This agility extends even further with the truck’s Bilstein monotube off-road shocks that were developed exclusively for the PRO-4X.
Bilstein shocks are renowned in the off-road realm, but what makes them so special? Shock absorbers, more properly known as dampers, do exactly what they say – they damp the shocks or impacts of the terrain to deliver better performance and a smoother ride. The harsher the terrain, the harder the shocks have to work. Traditional shocks are not accustomed to this demand and can easily overheat, leading to poor performance. Bilstein shocks, however, are only just getting started.
Bilstein shock absorbers are some of the best in the industry. They’re high-performance absorbers because they use an external reservoir of oil. Oil is vital to keeping the Titan’s components lubricated and cooled. The additional reservoir on Bilstein shocks mitigates the risk of overheating and allows the shock absorbers to do their job effectively despite harsh conditions. This means that regardless of how rough the trail is, the PRO-4X can handle it with ease.
Put in Low and Go: Capability
What’s an off-road rig without four-wheel drive? An ordinary truck that’s stuck on the pavement. The PRO-4X is anything but ordinary and comes equipped with Nissan’s remarkable four-wheel-drive system and an electronic locking rear differential. The PRO-4X’s transfer case is designed to distribute the amount of power and torque exactly when you need it, regardless of the gear you’re in. Do you need extra traction in the sand, mud, dirt, or gravel? You’ve got it with the system sending torque to both axles.
The PRO-4X also adds an electronic locking rear differential to its wheelhouse to maximize the truck’s capability. Locking rear differentials are a must-have when you’re venturing off the beaten path or in inclement conditions because it allows both rear wheels to turn at the same speed. Why is this helpful? If one of your rear tires loses traction, the locker keeps it from spinning uselessly and instead redistributes power to the wheel that still has grip. This can mean the difference between easing out of a mud pit or spending hours knee-deep in mud with no exit in sight.
With the electronic locking rear differential working behind the scenes, Nissan gives you several other tools to maximize your power and capability on the trail in the PRO-4X. Hill Start Assist may not seem like a necessity when you’re on the trail, but that’s exactly where it shines. Think about a time when you’ve navigated a steep hill and have to come to a stop to see what’s ahead and determine the best route. The last thing you need is the truck rolling backward, which can be especially detrimental to your bumper and the truck’s underbody if it means going over large boulders and other debris. Hill Start Assist mitigates this risk by keeping the PRO-4X positioned on the hill, minimizing the risk of hitting debris or, if you’re traveling in a caravan of off-road rigs, the vehicle behind you. After all, no one wants to be that guy.
Hill Descent Control is another vital tool that gives you the freedom to focus on the road ahead. When you’re traveling down a steep grade, your focus needs to be on the trail ahead, especially if it’s lined with large rocks, tree branches, and other obstacles. While having an external spotter is helpful, Nissan gives you greater confidence behind the wheel with Hill Descent Control that automatically maintains the PRO-4X’s speed and brake pressure to control the truck’s descent. This means you can focus all your attention on what’s ahead.
Knowledge Is Power: Data At Your Fingertips
Gather around any group of off-road adventurers, and you’ll quickly hear words like ground clearance, departure angle, breakover angle, and approach angle. That’s because seasoned off-roaders know that angles and measurements can mean the difference between a good day on the trail or one that ends with a damaged bumper or underbody and a few thousand dollars spent on repairs. How does the PRO-4X perform in terms of angles? It can easily handle its own thanks to Nissan’s ingenuity.
The 2021 Titan offers 9.8 inches of ground clearance without any modifications to its suspension or tires. This gives you enough room to travel across a variety of terrain, which you can do with confidence thanks to the skid plates that protect its undercarriage from damage. In terms of angles, the PRO-4X is easy to maneuver and offers a 22.8-degree approach angle and a 26.8-degree breakover angle, which is impressive for a truck of its size.
How exactly do you know the truck can maneuver over an obstacle on the trail? Off-roaders typically rely on spotters to help navigate dicey situations, but that means putting your trust in someone giving you commands from outside the vehicle. For many, this isn’t always ideal, especially on narrow trails where there isn’t room for someone to stand and watch. Nissan remedies this by equipping the PRO-4X with an Off-Road Gauge. Using accelerometers and inclinometers, the gauge shows you the truck’s relative pitch and roll angles to give you the position of the truck in relation to the terrain.
A Versatile Trail-Runner: The Titan PRO-4X
While trucks like the Nissan Titan are a rare find on the trail, that could soon be changing thanks to models like the Titan PRO-4X. Designed with adventure in mind, the PRO-4X delivers the best of both worlds. It’s a capable workhorse that can meet the demands of your daily life and a weekend warrior that’s destined to get a little mud on the tires. It’s everything you never knew you needed in a truck until now.
The 2021 Titan offers the most standard power, tech, and safety features in the segment, which means the PRO-4X is an even greater value because of its off-road capability. Unique off-road components like its Bilstein shocks and rear electronic locking differential guarantee its performance on any terrain, while tools like the Off-Road Gauge give you the data you need to navigate the road ahead. Adding in exclusive details like the PRO-4X’s black grille, lava red accents, tow hooks, and LED lighting make the truck even more attractive, especially when you’re looking for a road warrior that can match your sense of wanderlust, trail after trail.
