Compare the2022 Ram 1500 ClassicVS 2021 Nissan Titan

Both the Ram 1500 Classic and the Titan have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height-adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, rearview cameras, available four-wheel drive and front and rear parking sensors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Ram 1500 Classic is safer than the Nissan Titan:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Ram 1500 Classic is safer than the Nissan Titan:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

There are over 2 times as many Ram dealers as there are Nissan dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the 1500 Classic’s warranty.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Ram 1500 Classic has a standard 730-amp battery. The Titan’s 710-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Ram 1500 Classic second among large light duty pickups in their 2021 Initial Quality Study. The Titan was rated third.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Ram vehicles are better in initial quality than Nissan vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Ram first in initial quality, above the industry average. With 18 more problems per 100 vehicles, Nissan is ranked fifth.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Ram vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Ram 16th in reliability. With 5 more problems per 100 vehicles, Nissan is ranked 21st.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Ram vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Ram 6 places higher in reliability than Nissan.

On the EPA test cycle the Ram 1500 Classic gets better mileage than the Titan:

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Ram 1500 Classic V8’s fuel efficiency. The Titan doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Ram 1500 Classic uses regular unleaded gasoline (mid-grade octane recommended with the 5.7 V8 engine for maximum performance). The Titan requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 5 to 40 cents more per gallon.

The Ram 1500 Classic’s optional fuel tank has 6 gallons more fuel capacity than the Titan (32 vs. 26 gallons).

The Ram 1500 Classic stops shorter than the Titan:

The Ram 1500 Classic’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 70 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Titan S’ standard 75 series tires.

The front and rear suspension of the Ram 1500 Classic uses coil springs for better ride, handling and control than the Titan, which uses leaf springs in the rear. Coil springs compress more progressively and offer more suspension travel for a smoother ride with less bottoming out.

The Ram 1500 Classic’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The Titan doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Ram 1500 Classic’s wheelbase is longer than on the Titan:

The Ram 1500 Classic standard bed Quad Cab handles at .76 G’s, while the Titan SV King Cab pulls only .73 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Ram 1500 Classic standard bed Quad Cab 4x4 handles at .77 G’s, while the Titan Platinum Reserve Crew Cab 4x4 pulls only .72 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Ram 1500 Classic standard bed Regular Cab’s turning circle is 8.5 feet tighter than the Titan’s (39.5 feet vs. 48 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Ram 1500 Classic short bed Crew Cab w/Air Suspension has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Titan PRO-4X King Cab (10.8 vs. 9.9 inches), allowing the Ram 1500 Classic to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Ram 1500 Classic may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 500 to 1000 pounds less than the Nissan Titan.

The Ram 1500 Classic Quad Cab has 18.9 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Titan King Cab (116.6 vs. 97.7). The Ram 1500 Classic Crew Cab has 5.6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Titan Crew Cab (125.3 vs. 119.7).

The Ram 1500 Classic Quad Cab has .1 inches more front headroom, 2.4 inches more front hip room, 2.7 inches more front shoulder room, 1 inch more rear headroom, 9.9 inches more rear legroom, 3.5 inches more rear hip room and 1.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the Titan King Cab.

The Ram 1500 Classic Crew Cab has 2.4 inches more front hip room, 2.7 inches more front shoulder room, 1.8 inches more rear legroom, 2.9 inches more rear hip room and 2.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the Titan Crew Cab.

The Ram 1500 Classic’s cargo box is larger than the Titan’s in almost every dimension:

The Ram 1500 Classic has an all welded cargo box to eliminate possible corrosion spots and to provide better chassis stiffness. The cargo box in the Titan is bolted through the bed to the frame with large bolts. These bolts are a prime area for corrosion to start as the normal flexing of the truck’s chassis causes them to eat through the finish; they can also snag cargo as it slides in and out.

Maximum trailer towing in the Nissan Titan is limited to 9310 pounds. The Ram 1500 Classic Regular Cab offers up to a 10610 lbs. towing capacity.

The Ram 1500 Classic 4WD can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Ram 1500 Classic can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Titan can’t be towed flat on the ground.

The Ram 1500 Classic has a higher standard payload capacity than the Titan:

The Ram 1500 Classic short bed Crew Cab has a much higher optional payload capacity than the Titan Crew Cab (1870 vs. 1590 lbs.).

The Ram 1500 Classic offers an optional under hood light to help in making nighttime maintenance checks, adding fluids, etc. The Titan doesn’t offer an under hood light.

The Ram 1500 Classic has a maintenance free battery for long life without checking the battery’s water level. The Titan doesn’t have a maintenance free battery, so the water level in the battery’s cells must be checked often to prevent damage.

The power windows available on both the Ram 1500 Classic and the Titan have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Ram 1500 Classic is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Titan prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

For greater rear passenger comfort, the Ram 1500 Classic Quad/Crew Cab has standard rear a/c vents to keep rear occupants more comfortable. The Titan S doesn’t offer rear vents.

The Ram 1500 Classic comes in regular cab, extended cab and crew cab bodystyles; the Nissan Titan isn’t available as a regular cab.

Insurance will cost less for the Ram 1500 Classic owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Ram 1500 Classic will cost $940 less than the Titan over a five-year period.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Ram 1500 Classic will be $11260 to $16063 less than for the Nissan Titan.

The Ram 1500 was chosen as one of Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 3 of the last 3 years. The Titan has never been a Car and Driver “Top Ten” pick.

The Ram 1500 was chosen as one of Car and Driver’s “Top Five/10Best Trucks” in 2019. The Titan has never been a Car and Driver “Top Five/10Best Truck” pick.

Motor Trend selected the 1500 as their 2019 Truck of the Year. The Titan was Truck of the Year in 2017.

The 1500 was chosen as one of Automobile Magazine’s “All Stars” for 4 of the last 13 years. The Titan has never been an “All Star.”

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the 1500 as the 2013 North American Truck of the Year. The Titan has never been chosen.

The Ram Pickup outsold the Nissan Titan by almost 20 to one during the 2021 model year.