[1]
Nissan has really stepped up their truck game with the second generation Titan. It features the longest truck warranty in America, and the XD model is equipped with the 5.0-liter Cummins diesel.
But most of that isn’t what we really care about. We care about the Pro-4X model, and if it actually deserves that name. We’re going to look at some of the key factors like ground clearance, suspension, and traction aids. Let’s dive right in and get started.
Ground Clearance
Ground clearance is relatively important when it comes to off-roading. The lowest point of the Pro-4X is the rear differential which measures about 9 inches from the ground. In the front of the truck is about 12 inches from the ground.
This is pretty standard for a pickup truck in the “off-road” market. The people who are really serious about off-roading will add a lift and larger tires to increase clearance so factory ground clearance is less important than you might think.
[2]
Skid plates
Much like it’s competitors the Titan Pro-4X features skid plates to protect the undercarriage. One skid plate up front the protect the radiator area, and one skid plate to protect the transfer case.
Interestingly enough almost every Nissan truck I’ve worked on in the past already had a front skid plate of some kind. So, really the only extra skip plate the Pro-4X has is the transfer case skid plate.
Rear Locker
Nissan included an electronic locking differential in the Titan Pro-4X. Obviously, this helps a lot when you’re off-road. But, the Pro-4X also includes a traction control system which presumably helps the open differential in the front.
We know that some of you may still think that traction control systems are still a joke, but that’s not the case. Traction control systems are nearly as good as being fully locked, so the Pro-4X is almost locked front and rear.
[3]
Tires & Suspension
The suspension is probably the most important thing for an off-road truck. Traditionally trucks ride pretty rough and don’t have a whole lot of articulation. Modern pickups are much better at fixing these issues but they still exist.
Nissan worked with Bilstein [4], a major suspension parts manufacturer, to combat these issues on the Pro-4X. The Bilstein shocks help improve ride quality over rough terrain, and slightly improve articulation.
[5]
Nissan chose to run 275/70 R18 tires on this Pro-4X to improve off-road handling without sacrificing too much on-road handling. Personally, if we were to get a Pro-4X we would probably upgrade to a mud-terrain tire for maximum off-road performance. Most customers won’t take their truck off-road more than a few times in their ownership so the all-terrains that Nissan equips on the Pro-4X will be just fine.
Summary
All in the Titan Pro-4X is a pretty decent competitor in the off-road pickup category. It has decent Bilstein suspension, a rear locker, a little bit of undercarriage protection, and a bad ass 390 horsepower V8.
If you’re looking for a truck that can off-road really hard and still go get groceries the Raptor is still king. But, if you don’t plan on doing any really hardcore off-roading the Pro-4X is a great option to look at.