2022 Nissan Titan vs 2023 Honda Ridgeline

The 2022 Nissan Titan, a relative newcomer among full-size trucks, maintained its rugged yet elegant exterior design with strong lines and an expressive face. Despite its late entry into the market, the Titan's assertive stance and first-rate fit and finish made it as attractive as its competitors. Inside, the Titan continued this theme with clean lines, excellent material selection, and a clutter-free cabin. The optional moonroof package further enhanced the feeling of roominess, making the interior airy and spacious.

In contrast, the 2023 Honda Ridgeline, updated a couple of years prior, featured a more rugged appearance with a new front end, larger dual exhaust outlets, and appealing wheels with aggressive tread tires. The Ridgeline shared many components with the Honda Passport SUV, resulting in a refined and sophisticated interior. The Black Edition trim, in particular, offered a leather-lined interior with quality materials, ample storage, and excellent outward visibility. Despite its older design, the Ridgeline's interior remained modern and upscale compared to its rivals.

The 2022 Nissan Titan came equipped with a 5.6-liter gasoline V8 engine producing 400 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. Rear-wheel drive was standard on most trims, while four-wheel drive was available or standard on others. Fuel economy for the Titan ranged from 15-16 mpg city and 20-21 mpg highway, depending on the drivetrain. The Titan's fully boxed, full-length ladder frame, independent double-wishbone front suspension, and leaf springs in the rear contributed to its solid performance. The Pro-4X model, with its off-road features, provided a comfortable ride on pavement and decent off-road capability. The Titan's towing capacity was 9,310 pounds, with a maximum payload of 1,710 pounds.

The 2023 Honda Ridgeline, powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine with 280 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque, also featured a nine-speed automatic transmission and a torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive system. The Ridgeline's unibody construction limited its towing capacity to 5,000 pounds, but it offered a competitive 1,583-pound payload capacity. The Ridgeline excelled in on-road driving dynamics, providing a comfortable and refined ride. Fuel economy was impressive, with an average of 22.6 mpg on a road trip and 21.4 mpg on a test-driving route. However, its off-road capabilities were limited due to its lower ground clearance and lack of traditional four-wheel-drive features.

The 2022 Nissan Titan offered two body styles: King Cab and Crew Cab, both with two rows of seating. The King Cab's second row had limited legroom but was useful for occasional seating and cargo hauling. The Crew Cab provided more legroom and a flat-floor function for added utility. The King Cab had a longer bed (78.7 inches) compared to the Crew Cab (67 inches). The Titan's bed featured fixed tie-down hooks, an optional Utili-track Channel system, and accessory Titan Boxes for additional storage. The tailgate was well-balanced and easy to operate.

The 2023 Honda Ridgeline focused on practicality with features like shelves in the front door panels, a giant storage console, and a dual-action tailgate. The interior, shared with the Honda Passport, was comfortable and easy to access. The rear seat offered decent space and could be flipped up for additional cargo room. The Ridgeline's 64-inch cargo bed was flat and wide, with tie-down cleats and numerous accessories available. A standout feature was the in-bed trunk, providing 7.3 cubic feet of lockable, weatherproof storage with a drain plug, perfect for various uses.

The 2022 Nissan Titan featured an 8-inch center display screen as standard, with a 9-inch touchscreen available. Standard tech included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a WiFi hotspot, NissanConnect, Bluetooth, and two USB ports. The audio system ranged from a standard six-speaker setup to a 12-speaker Fender-branded system. Navigation was available on higher trims, along with SiriusXM services and Nissan voice recognition.

The 2023 Honda Ridgeline, with its older infotainment system, offered wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, basic HondaLink services, and satellite radio on most trims. Higher trims included navigation, a premium sound system, cargo bed speakers, and wireless smartphone charging. The 8-inch touchscreen was smaller and slower compared to modern standards, and the voice recognition system was less responsive. Despite these drawbacks, the user interface was simple, with touch-sensing buttons and a volume knob.

The 2022 Nissan Titan came with Nissan Safety Shield 360 as standard, including automatic emergency braking, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, high-beam assist, and rear automatic braking. It also featured intelligent forward collision warning and eight airbags. The Titan received top ratings from the IIHS in most crash tests and "Superior" ratings for front crash prevention. However, its standard halogen headlights received a "Poor" rating. The NHTSA had not published crash-test ratings for the 2022 model.

The 2023 Honda Ridgeline included Honda Sensing as standard, with adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and automatic high-beam headlights. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were available on higher trims. The Ridgeline received favorable crash-test ratings from the IIHS and top marks from the NHTSA, except for a four-star rollover resistance rating.