Sometimes, the best disguise is to pretend to be someone else.
The Nissan Titan, which is often overlooked in the full-size pickup truck market, is as strong as its half-ton counterparts. For the 2016 model year, the big pickup unveiled its second-generation. It appears that a minor facelift has been planned to keep it current. We suspect that the strategically placed openings in the front camo wrap for the grille and headlights are not just a coincidence. The truck’s down-kink for side mirrors on the doors is similar to the Ford F-150. A casual look at the test vehicle could lead people to believe they are looking at a Blue Oval pickup.
However, we aren’t fooled and believe the changes under the swirling wrap to be minor. A new grille could be designed to incorporate design cues from older Nissan vehicles such as the Altima. It may also include redesigned headlights. The prototype shows that the new eyes will not alter the Titan’s dimensions. However, details are clearly visible. Similar changes are expected at the rear with new taillights which retain the same amount of space as the existing units.
Although we haven’t been told anything about interior changes, given the lack of camouflage throughout the truck, we believe that changes will be minimal if any. Although the odd piece on the driver’s door handle that has camo wrap is curious, it seems like a technological update may be in the works. There are no powertrain updates, except for rumors that a V6 engine will be available for the base Titans. Rumours suggest that the Cummins diesel option may disappear within the next few years, leaving only the 390-horsepower (291 watt) 5.6-liter v8 as the sole powerplant.
Based on the lack of camouflage, and Nissan’s recent tendency for public prototype sightings only a few months before a reveal, we believe that this facelift will be available in 2020. The new truck will likely shed its camouflage later in the year if that is the case.