2020 Nissan Titan vs 2021 Honda Ridgeline

The 2020 Nissan Titan was described as handsomely generic, with a stocky and masculine build. Despite its solid construction, it lacked the excitement and standout features found in competitors like the Ram 1500 and Chevrolet Silverado. For 2020, Nissan introduced new exterior paints, wheels, and grille choices, along with restyled LED headlights and taillights. The Pro-4X trim added blacked-out badges and red accents for a sportier look. The interior of the lower-trim SV King Cab 4WD impressed with better materials, comfortable cloth seats, and a modern 9-inch touchscreen, though it missed out on some of the higher trims' styling tweaks.

The 2021 Honda Ridgeline underwent a redesign forward of the windshield and front doors, featuring a new rear bumper with exposed dual exhaust outlets. The tires had a more aggressive tread, and new wheel designs were available in black, dark gray, and bronze. The HPD Package added oversized fender trim, a unique grille, and bold stickers. The Ridgeline's interior, modeled after the Honda Pilot SUV, emphasized functionality with generous storage and easy-to-clean hard plastic surfaces. The Sport trim included black cloth seats, which were durable but attracted pet hair.

The 2020 Nissan Titan featured a powerful 5.6-liter V8 engine producing 400 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque, paired with a new 9-speed automatic transmission. This combination provided impressive acceleration and improved low- and mid-range performance. The Titan's towing capacity reached 9,370 pounds with the towing package, which also included adjustable trailer braking and sway control. The ride was composed, though not as smooth as some competitors, and the truck averaged 16 mpg over a 500-mile week. The Titan XD variant offered reinforced frame and suspension for higher payloads and towing capacities, though it dropped the diesel engine option for 2020.

The 2021 Honda Ridgeline came with a 280-horsepower V6 engine and a nine-speed automatic transmission, delivering power to all four wheels through Honda's Intelligent Variable Torque Management (i-VTM4) system. The Ridgeline's Intelligent Traction Management provided Snow, Sand, and Mud settings, but it wasn't designed for rock-crawling. With 7.64 inches of ground clearance, the Ridgeline excelled on flat terrain. It offered a maximum towing capacity of 5,000 pounds and a payload rating of 1,583 pounds. The Ridgeline's unibody architecture and independent rear suspension made it remarkably athletic and enjoyable to drive compared to traditional body-on-frame trucks.

The 2020 Nissan Titan's King Cab featured double-hinged rear doors that could lock at 90 degrees or fold back 180 degrees, providing a pillarless design for easy cargo access. The Crew Cab offered more legroom and a 5.5-foot bed. The Titan's interior included six cupholders, air vents, power outlets, and USB ports for rear passengers. The optional cargo organizer and Utility package added lockable bins, a flat parcel shelf, a factory spray-on liner, LED bed lights, cargo hooks, and a rail system for tie-downs. The bed also featured a fold-down tailgate step and a 400-watt AC outlet.

The 2021 Honda Ridgeline's interior was more comfortable and functional than other midsize pickups. The Sport trim included manually-adjustable front seats with inboard armrests and the roomiest rear seat in the class. Higher trims offered leather seats, heated front seats, a power sunroof, and ambient cabin lighting. The Ridgeline's composite cargo bed was dent- and scratch-resistant, with tie-down hooks rated for 350 pounds each. The bed held 33.9 cubic feet of cargo and featured a power locking dual-action tailgate and a 7.3 cubic-foot weatherproof trunk with a drain plug.

The 2020 Nissan Titan's infotainment system featured an 8- or 9-inch touchscreen, with the 9-inch display offering higher resolution and modern functionality. Both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard with the 9-inch screen. NissanConnect data services included emergency dialing, stolen vehicle alerts, and remote capabilities. The 7-inch color display in the instrument panel provided detailed information. Standard safety features included Nissan Safety Shield 360, with front and rear automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring, lane-departure warning, and auto high beams.

The 2021 Honda Ridgeline came with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. Higher trims added SiriusXM, HD Radio, navigation, voice recognition, traffic information, a premium sound system, and wireless smartphone charging. The Ridgeline's technology was more basic compared to some competitors, but it included essential features for connectivity and convenience.

The 2020 Nissan Titan had not been tested by NHTSA or IIHS for 2020, but the 2019 Crew Cab scored 4 out of 5 stars overall. Nissan improved the body structure for better crash test ratings, and the Titan now included standard driver assists, two additional airbags, and two more seatbelt pre-tensioners. Optional safety features included adaptive cruise control, a driver-attention monitor, traffic-sign recognition, and 360-degree cameras.

The 2021 Honda Ridgeline featured Honda Sensing as standard, including adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, and lane-centering assistance. The Ridgeline also had a multi-angle reversing camera, blind-spot warning with rear cross-traffic warning, and automatic high-beam headlights on higher trims. Honda's Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) crashworthiness standards contributed to high safety ratings from NHTSA and IIHS, though the 2021 model required new testing due to its redesigned front-end.