Compare the2024 Ram 1500 ClassicVS 2024 Nissan Titan XD

Both the Ram 1500 Classic and the Titan XD 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.

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 XD’s 710-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

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 Ram 1500 Classic’s reliability 14 points higher than the Titan XD.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 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 second in initial quality, above the industry average. With 39 more problems per 100 vehicles, Nissan is ranked 13th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Ram vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Ram 2 places higher in reliability than Nissan.

As tested in Motor Trend the Ram 1500 Classic V8 is faster than the Nissan Titan XD:

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 XD 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 XD requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 31.4 cents more per gallon.

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

The Ram 1500 Classic stops much shorter than the Titan XD:

For better traction, the Ram 1500 Classic has larger standard tires than the Titan XD (265/70R17 vs. 245/75R17).

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 XD’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 XD, 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.

For much better steering response and tighter handling the Ram 1500 Classic has rack and pinion steering, like Formula racecars, instead of the recirculating-ball type steering of the Titan XD.

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 XD doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

The Ram 1500 Classic standard bed Quad Cab handles at .76 G’s, while the Titan XD Platinum pulls only .70 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 XD Platinum pulls only .69 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Ram 1500 Classic short bed Crew Cab 4x4 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Titan XD PRO-4X (29 seconds @ .56 average G’s vs. 29.8 seconds @ .55 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Ram 1500 Classic standard bed Regular Cab’s turning circle is 14.3 feet tighter than the Titan XD’s (39.5 feet vs. 53.8 feet). The Ram 1500 Classic standard bed Crew Cab 4x4’s turning circle is 5.8 feet tighter than the Titan XD’s (48 feet vs. 53.8 feet).

The Ram 1500 Classic may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 1450 to 1850 pounds less than the Nissan Titan XD.

The Ram 1500 Classic standard bed Crew Cab is 5.5 inches shorter than the Titan XD, making the Ram 1500 Classic easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

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

The Ram 1500 Classic Crew Cab has 5.6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Titan XD (125.3 vs. 119.7).

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 XD 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.

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 XD can’t be towed flat on the ground.

The Ram 1500 Classic offers an optional under hood light to help in making nighttime maintenance checks, adding fluids, etc. The Titan XD 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 XD 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 XD 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 XD prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

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

The Ram 1500 Classic is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Titan XD doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Ram 1500 Classic, based on reliability, safety and performance.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Ram 1500 Classic second among large light duty pickups in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Titan XD isn’t in the top three.

The Ram 1500 was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2024 and 5 more times in the last 6 years. The Titan XD has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.

Motor Trend selected the 1500 as their 2019 Truck of the Year. The Titan XD has never been chosen.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the 1500 as the 2019 North American Truck of the Year. The Titan XD has never been chosen.

The Ram Pickup outsold the Nissan Titan by over 23 to one during 2023.