2021 Nissan Titan vs 2022 GMC Sierra 1500

The 2021 Nissan Titan retained the aesthetics from its 2020 refresh, ensuring continuity in its visual appeal. The Titan was available in three King Cab grades and five Crew Cab trim levels, each with distinct interior and exterior identities. The base models, Titan S and Titan SV, featured dark grilles, while the SL sported a bright chrome grille. The Platinum Reserve trim had a satin chrome one, and the Pro-4X opted for a black grille with lava-red script. Unique to the Pro-4X were lava-red tow hooks, enhancing its rugged character. The new headlights delivered 120% more light output compared to the 2019 model, complemented by optional LED fog lights for increased visibility. Additional features included four LED light sources for the truck bed and LED taillights with unique tailgate finishers. Depending on the trim, the trucks offered varying tailgate designs, with Pro-4X sporting a black finisher and Platinum Reserve a satin chrome. The Crew Cab models had a 5.5-foot bed, while the King Cab featured a 6.5-foot bed with the Utili-track Bed Channel System, making it easy to secure cargo. Nissan offered eight exterior colors, with the Baja Storm color being a particularly attractive choice. Inside, the Titan saw significant upgrades, including a modernized center stack with a large infotainment screen and piano-black plastic trim. The interior was aesthetically pleasing, with user-friendly controls. Although the steering wheel was less glove-friendly and somewhat dated, the upholstery and seat design were comparable to, if not better than, some GMC and Chevrolet products. However, the Titan XD, with different powertrain options and equipment, was not part of this review. The 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 introduced the Denali Ultimate and AT4X variants, further enhancing the already premium Denali and AT4 trims. With eight trim levels, the Sierra appeared larger and more aggressive compared to its Silverado counterpart. The updated grille, front fascia, and integrated split-C headlights made the truck appear wider and more formidable. The Denali's grille had evolved to a tri-linear chrome theme, giving it a chunky, blingy appearance, while the Denali Ultimate featured dark "Vader bars" inserts. The SLT, AT4, and AT4X trims had less showy but equally intimidating grilles with chrome, black, and dark nickel accents. Denali and Denali Ultimate also flaunted new 22-inch wheel designs, with bright-polished chrome for Denali and low-gloss black for Denali Ultimate. The interior of the Sierra saw the most notable changes. The redesigned dash, with long, straight lines, made the cabin feel wider and more spacious. Premium materials such as full-grain leather, open-pore wood, and microsuede trim elevated the luxury in the AT4X and Denali Ultimate trims. The AT4X, designed for off-road driving, maintained a luxury focus with premium leather, contrast piping, stitching, Vanta ash wood trim, and a microsuede headliner. The Denali Ultimate's interior featured topographical maps of Mount Denali embossed and laser-etched within the woods and leather.

The 2021 Nissan Titan came with a single powertrain—a 5.6-liter V8 engine producing 400 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque, making it the best-in-class standard powertrain. However, premium fuel was required to achieve these numbers. Paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission, the Titan provided smooth shifts, though it struggled mid-range. Its acceleration was robust, and without engine start/stop functionality, the truck avoided the associated powertrain noises at red lights. The Titan offered RWD and 4WD options, both achieving an EPA-estimated 18 mpg combined. The 4WD version performed slightly worse in city conditions, but both delivered 21 mpg on the highway. This made the Titan more fuel-efficient than the Toyota Tundra but less so than certain models of the Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Ram 1500, GMC Sierra 1500, and Ford F-150. In terms of handling, the Titan had a traditional truck steering feel, with some play in the wheel, making it apparent that it was a full-size truck. Its ride quality was average for the class, better than older trucks but not as smooth as the Ram 1500, especially when equipped with air suspension. The Titan had a towing capacity of up to 9,310 pounds for RWD models and 9,260 pounds for 4WD, with a payload capacity of up to 1,680 pounds for 4WD models. The Titan Pro-4X, with hill-descent control and an electronic locking rear differential, was particularly capable off-road. The 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 offered four engine options and two transmissions, allowing for a variety of configurations with RWD and 4WD. The standard 2.7-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine produced 310 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque, with improved gear ratios in its eight-speed automatic transmission for smoother shifts. This engine had a tow rating of up to 9,600 pounds for 2WD and 9,300 pounds for 4WD models. The 3.0-liter Duramax turbo-diesel engine produced 277 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque, with a class-leading tow rating of up to 13,200 pounds for 2WD models, increasing to 13,000 pounds for 4WD models. The Sierra also offered a 5.3-liter V8 engine with 355 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque, and a 6.2-liter V8 producing 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. A 10-speed automatic transmission was standard for the six-cylinder diesel and V8 engines. The higher-output V8 was standard on the AT4X and Denali Ultimate trims, with the 3.0-liter Duramax optional for the Denali Ultimate. Driving the Sierra Denali Ultimate was exceptionally smooth, with a quiet and comfortable ride despite its considerable size and weight. The AT4X, designed for off-road adventures, offered a similarly luxurious ride, albeit with more road noise due to its Mud-Terrain tires. The AT4X featured Multimatic DSSV dampers and unique springs, along with front and rear e-locking differentials, making it highly capable off-road.

The 2021 Nissan Titan featured a standard front bench seat, with optional bucket seats, allowing it to seat five or six passengers. The Zero Gravity design in the outboard seats provided long-distance comfort, and heated and cooled front seats were available. However, shorter drivers might struggle to find an optimal driving position. The Titan offered ample seating space for adults in both the front and rear, though some pickups provided more legroom. The center console had sufficient storage, with a dedicated space for smartphones and a large covered storage area. The available panoramic moonroof and power-sliding rear window added to its appeal, and easy-to-reach grab handles and under-seat storage helped with ingress, egress, and organization. The 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 offered best-in-class cargo capacity, even with its short bed. The truck's interior was spacious and well-designed, with about 43 inches of front headroom and 44.5 inches of front legroom. Rear-seat legroom varied between 35.2 inches in the double cab and 43.4 inches in the crew cab. The Sierra provided numerous storage compartments, although the gloveboxes were on the smaller side. Despite its well-appointed cabin, the placement of controls could be confusing, with low-positioned knobs and buttons requiring more time to shift focus from the road. The AT4X's off-road controls were located in different areas, adding to the complexity. A highlight was the massaging seats, although their operation was not very intuitive. In terms of cargo capacity, the Titan offered a 5.5-foot bed for Crew Cab models and a 6.5-foot bed for King Cab models, with a Utili-track Bed Channel System to secure cargo and a payload capacity of up to 1,680 pounds. The Sierra, on the other hand, offered higher towing capacities and more bed options, including a carbon fiber composite bed and a six-function MultiPro tailgate, making it more versatile for different hauling needs.

The 2021 Nissan Titan featured a standard 9.0-inch WXGA resolution infotainment touchscreen, the largest in its class. Standard connectivity options included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, two USB ports, and satellite radio. Additional available features included navigation, HD Radio, extra USB ports, dual-zone automatic climate control, and a household-style power outlet. The Titan also offered a WiFi hotspot for up to seven devices, though a subscription was required. While the screen's graphics were not as modern as those in competitors, it was responsive to touch. The driver had a 7-inch programmable information display, and the optional NissanConnect system provided navigation, security, and entertainment, along with a 24-hour concierge service. The audio system could be upgraded to a Fender Premium Audio System with 12 speakers in Crew Cab models and 10 in King Cab models. The 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 came with larger display screens, including a 12.3-inch digital driver information display and a 13.4-inch touchscreen with Google built-in. The infotainment system was compatible with Android and Apple devices, and three years of complimentary service were provided for AT4 and Denali trims. Denali models featured an interactive start-up screen with topographical maps. The infotainment system was user-friendly, though it could be confusing to differentiate between the in-car Google-based navigation and smartphone-projected maps. The larger screen allowed for dual modes, displaying both navigation and trailering details. Wireless device charging, a 15-inch head-up display, and a 12-speaker Bose premium surround-sound system were also available.

The 2021 Nissan Titan came equipped with Nissan Safety Shield 360, including automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, high beam assist, and rear automatic braking. Additional safety features included forward-collision warning, parking sensors, an Around View Monitor camera system, adaptive cruise control, driver-alertness monitoring, traffic-sign recognition, and rear door alert. Nissan provided a five-year/100,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty, the best in America, covering both basic and powertrain elements. The 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 introduced GM’s Super Cruise, a Level 2 semi-autonomous driving system available on the Sierra Denali Ultimate. Super Cruise offered a hands-free driving experience, lane changes, and trailering capability, with 14 camera views for assistance. The GCW Alert feature notified drivers if the truck was overloaded. GMC Pro Safety included forward collision alert, automatic emergency braking, front pedestrian braking, lane-keep assist, a following distance indicator, and IntelliBeam automatic headlights. The Sierra received "Good" crash safety ratings from the IIHS, except for a "Marginal" grade in the front-passenger small overlap test and a "Poor" grade for headlights. The NHTSA gave the Sierra 2WD models a four-star crashworthiness rating, with 4WD models yet to be rated.