Compare the2023 Nissan TitanVS 2023 GMC Sierra 1500

The Nissan Titan has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Sierra 1500 doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Titan has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the Sierra 1500’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Titan has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert, helping the driver avoid collisions. GMC charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Sierra 1500.

The Titan’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Sierra 1500 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Titan and the Sierra 1500 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, daytime running lights and around view monitors.

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 Nissan Titan is safer than the GMC Sierra 1500:

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

For its top level performance in all IIHS frontal, side, rear impact and roof-crush tests, and its standard front crash prevention system, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Titan the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2017, a rating granted to only 235 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Sierra 1500 has not been fully tested, yet.

The Titan comes with a full 5-year/100,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes free 24-hour roadside assistance. The Sierra 1500’s 3-year basic warranty expires 2 years or 64000 miles sooner.

The Titan’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Sierra 1500’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

For smoother operation, better efficiency and fewer moving parts, the Titan has an overhead cam design, rather than the old pushrod design of some of the engines in the Sierra 1500.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Titan’s reliability 11 points higher than the Sierra 1500.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Nissan vehicles are more reliable than GMC vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Nissan 6 places higher in reliability than GMC.

The Titan’s 5.6 DOHC V8 produces 90 more horsepower (400 vs. 310) than the Sierra 1500’s standard 2.7 turbo 4-cylinder. The Titan’s 5.6 DOHC V8 produces 45 more horsepower (400 vs. 355) and 30 lbs.-ft. more torque (413 vs. 383) than the Sierra 1500’s optional 5.3 V8.

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

The Titan has 4 gallons more fuel capacity than the Sierra 1500 2WD Diesel’s standard fuel tank (26 vs. 22 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

For better stopping power the Titan’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Sierra 1500:

For better traction, the Titan has larger standard tires than the Sierra 1500 (265/70R18 vs. 255/70R17).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Titan has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Sierra 1500.

The Titan has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Titan flat and controlled during cornering. The Sierra 1500’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For greater off-road capability the Titan Crew Cab has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Sierra 1500 Standard Box Crew Cab (8.9 vs. 8 inches), allowing the Titan to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Titan is shorter than the Sierra 1500, making the Titan easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces:

For excellent aerodynamics, the Titan has standard flush composite headlights. The Sierra 1500 has recessed headlights that spoil its aerodynamic shape and create extra drag.

The front grille of the Titan uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Sierra 1500 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Titan Crew Cab has .3 inches more rear headroom and .1 inches more rear hip room than the Sierra 1500 Crew Cab.

The Nissan Titan has a standard tailgate assist feature, which prevents the heavy tailgate from falling with a crash and causing injury. It allows adults and children to easily open and close the tailgate with one hand to better facilitate loading and unloading. Tailgate assist costs extra on the GMC Sierra 1500.

The Titan has stake post holes, to allow the containment of tall, light loads. The Sierra 1500 doesn’t offer stake post holes.

The Titan’s minimum standard towing capacity is much higher than the Sierra 1500’s (9167 vs. 8800 pounds).

The Titan’s front power windows open or close with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Sierra 1500’s standard power windows’ front passenger window doesn’t close automatically.

The Titan’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Sierra 1500’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

On extremely cold winter days, the Titan’s optional (except S/SV) heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The Sierra 1500 doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

Motor Trend selected the Titan as their 2017 Truck of the Year. The Sierra 1500 has never been chosen.