Compare the2023 Nissan TitanVS 2023 Ram 1500 Classic

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Payload and Towing
Ergonomics

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Nissan Titan have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Ram 1500 Classic doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Titan are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Ram 1500 Classic doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

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 Ram 1500 Classic doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Titan has standard Automatic Emergency Braking, which use forward mounted sensors to warn the driver of a possible collision ahead. If the driver doesn’t react and the system determines a collision is imminent, it automatically applies the brakes at full-force in order to reduce the force of the crash or avoid it altogether. The Ram 1500 Classic doesn't offer collision warning or crash mitigation brakes.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Titan has standard Rear Automatic Braking that use rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. The Ram 1500 Classic doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Titan PRO-4X’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Ram 1500 Classic doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

The Nissan Titan PRO-4X/Platinum has Daytime Running Lights to help keep it more visible under all conditions. Canadian government studies show that driving with lights during the day reduces accidents by 11% by making vehicles more conspicuous. The Ram 1500 Classic doesn’t offer Daytime Running Lights.

The Titan’s lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane. The Ram 1500 Classic doesn’t offer a lane departure warning system.

The Titan (except S/SV) offers an optional Around View® Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Ram 1500 Classic only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

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 Ram 1500 Classic’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Titan’s standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Ram 1500 Classic doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

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 Ram 1500 Classic doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Titan and the Ram 1500 Classic 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, rearview cameras and available all wheel drive.

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

	Titan	Ram 1500 Classic
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Leg Forces (l/r)	123/436 lbs.	751/404 lbs.

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

A significantly tougher test than their original offset frontal crash test, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH small overlap frontal offset crash tests. In this test, where only 25% of the total width of the vehicle is struck, results indicate that the Nissan Titan Crew Cab is safer than the Ram 1500 Classic Crew Cab:

	Titan	1500 Classic
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	MARGINAL
Restraints	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Head Neck Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Head injury index		139
Chest Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Hip & Thigh Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Lower Leg Evaluation	ACCEPTABLE	POOR

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 Ram 1500 Classic:

	Titan	Ram 1500 Classic
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Movement	.7 inches	1 inches
Abdominal Force	125 lbs.	147 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	17 inches	24 inches
HIC	134	483
Spine Acceleration	34 G’s	48 G’s

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

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) performs roof strength tests. In that test the Titan earned the top rating of “Good” because its roof supported over four times the Titan’s weight before being crushed five inches. The Ram 1500 Classic was rated two rankings lower at “Marginal.”

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 Ram 1500 Classic was not even a “Top Safety Pick” for 2016.

Warranty

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 1500 Classic’s 3-year basic warranty expires 2 years or 64000 miles sooner.

Reliability

For smoother operation, better efficiency and fewer moving parts, the Titan has an overhead cam design, rather than the old pushrod design of the 5.7 V8 in the Ram 1500 Classic.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Titan has a standard 200-amp alternator. The Ram 1500 Classic’s 160-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are better in initial quality than Ram vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan above average in initial quality. With 19 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ram is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are more reliable than Ram With 61 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Nissan higher than Ram.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Nissan vehicles are more reliable than Ram vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Nissan 1 place higher in reliability than Ram.

Engine

The Titan’s 5.6 DOHC V8 produces 95 more horsepower (400 vs. 305) and 144 lbs.-ft. more torque (413 vs. 269) than the Ram 1500 Classic’s standard 3.6 DOHC V6. The Titan’s 5.6 DOHC V8 produces 5 more horsepower (400 vs. 395) and 3 lbs.-ft. more torque (413 vs. 410) than the Ram 1500 Classic’s optional 5.7 V8.

As tested in Motor Trend the Nissan Titan is faster than the Ram 1500 Classic:

	Titan	1500 Classic V6	1500 Classic V8
Zero to 60 MPH	6.3 sec	7.6 sec	6.9 sec
Zero to 80 MPH	10.5 sec	13.3 sec	12.1 sec
Passing 45 to 65 MPH	3.1 sec	4.2 sec	3.8 sec
Quarter Mile	14.9 sec	15.8 sec	15.4 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	94.5 MPH	86.7 MPH	88.6 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
Titan
	RWD	5.6 DOHC V8	16 city/21 hwy
	AWD	5.6 DOHC V8	15 city/21 hwy
Ram 1500 Classic
	RWD	5.7 OHV V8	15 city/21 hwy
	AWD	5.7 OHV V8	15 city/20 hwy

Transmission

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Nissan Titan, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the Ram 1500 Classic.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Titan	1500 Classic
Front Rotors	13.8 inches	13.2 inches

The Titan stops much shorter than the Ram 1500 Classic:

	Titan	Ram 1500 Classic
60 to 0 MPH	123 feet	138 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

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

The Nissan Titan’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Ram 1500 Classic only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

The Titan has a standard full size spare so a flat doesn’t interrupt your work or a trip. A full size spare costs extra on the Ram 1500 Classic. Without the option you must depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

Suspension and Handling

The Titan Crew Cab 4x4 handles at .74 G’s, while the Ram 1500 Classic short bed Crew Cab 4x4 pulls only .69 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Titan Platinum Crew Cab 4x4 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Ram 1500 Classic short bed Crew Cab 4x4 (28.3 seconds @ .59 average G’s vs. 29.1 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Titan Crew Cab has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Ram 1500 Classic standard bed Regular Cab (8.9 vs. 8.6 inches), allowing the Titan to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

To almost totally eliminate engine vibration in the passenger area, the Titan has an electronically controlled liquid-filled front engine mount. A computer-controlled electric current in the liquid changes its viscosity, allowing the mount to dampen the engine completely at all RPMs. The Ram 1500 Classic uses conventional solid rubber engine mounts.

Passenger Space

The Titan Crew Cab has .8 inches more front legroom and .5 inches more rear headroom than the Ram 1500 Classic Crew Cab.

Cargo Capacity

The Titan King Cab has a much larger cargo box than the Ram 1500 Classic Quad Cab shortbed (59.6 vs. 57.5 cubic feet).

The Titan Crew Cab has a larger cargo box than the Ram 1500 Classic Crew Cab shortbed (50.7 vs. 50.3 cubic feet).

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Titan. The Ram 1500 Classic doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Payload and Towing

The Titan’s minimum standard towing capacity is much higher than the Ram 1500 Classic’s (9167 vs. 4350 pounds).

The Titan Crew Cab 4x4 has a higher standard payload capacity than the Ram 1500 Classic standard bed Crew Cab 4x4 (1609 vs. 1430 lbs.).

The Titan Crew Cab 4x4 has a higher optional payload capacity than the Ram 1500 Classic short bed Crew Cab 4x4 (1658 vs. 1560 lbs.).

Ergonomics

To help each driver find a more comfortable driving position, the Titan offers a telescoping steering wheel. Much better than just a tilt steering wheel or adjustable seat, this allows a short driver to sit further from the steering wheel while maintaining contact with the pedals. The Ram 1500 Classic doesn’t offer a telescoping steering wheel.

When two different drivers share the Titan (except S/SV), the optional memory system makes it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position, steering wheel position and outside mirror angle. The Ram 1500 Classic doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Titan (except S/SV)’s optional easy entry system raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Ram 1500 Classic doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Titan’s standard power windows allow the driver or passenger to lower and raise the windows without leaning over or being distracted. Power windows cost extra on the Ram 1500 Classic.

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 Ram 1500 Classic’s basic optional power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully.

If the front windows are left open on the Titan the driver can close them at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Ram 1500 Classic can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Titan’s standard power locks allow the driver or passenger to lock or unlock all the doors at a touch without leaning over. Power locks cost extra on the Ram 1500 Classic.

The Titan’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Ram 1500 Classic’s power mirror switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

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 Ram 1500 Classic’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted. The Titan’s optional wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield.

The Titan PRO-4X/Platinum/Midnight’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the Ram 1500 Classic’s halogen headlights. LED lights also light instantly and last over twenty times longer than halogen.

While driving with high beams on, sensitive light sensors standard on the Titan detect other vehicles which could be blinded and automatically switch to low beams. The Ram 1500 Classic doesn’t offer automatic dimming high beams.

When the Titan with available tilt-down mirrors is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Ram 1500 Classic’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

Both the Titan and the Ram 1500 Classic offer available heated front seats. The Titan also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Ram 1500 Classic.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the Titan (except S/SV) keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Ram 1500 Classic doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

To keep a safe, consistent following distance, the Titan (except S/King Cab) has a standard Intelligent Cruise Control, which alters the speed of the vehicle without driver intervention. This allows the driver to use cruise control more safely without constantly having to disengage it when approaching slower traffic. The Ram 1500 Classic doesn’t offer an adaptive cruise control.

Bluetooth wireless connectivity is standard on the Titan, connecting the driver and passenger’s cell phones to the vehicle systems. This allows them to use the vehicle’s stereo and hand controls to place calls safely and easily. Bluetooth costs extra on the Ram 1500 Classic.

The Titan (except S) offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet in the cargo area, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Ram 1500 Classic doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.