There’s a new KING (cab) in town – 2017 Nissan King Cab

I come from a family that’s always had a truck in the driveway. I was driving trucks on our farm before I was street legal. And when I did get my license, I towed our camper and Dad’s boats. I still own a pickup because Texas girls drive trucks – it’s what we do. So I was looking forward to driving the 2017 Nissan Titan XD with the Cummins diesel engine.

This truck is a workhorse that’s made to haul a heavy payload or tow something big. Don’t haul air in this truck. This is Nissan’s answer to the customer who has outgrown a light-duty pickup, but is hesitant to jump into a much larger heavy duty. The Titan XD rides more comfortably when it’s hauling a full load in the bed. We hauled a couple of sofas from the resale shop and the difference was significant.

The Titan XD King Cab has a second row but it’s not the full size back seat that you find in the Crew Cab. And I’ve always enjoyed the comfort of the smaller interior space that a truck’s cab affords you. It’s nice to be able to reach most things you might need while on the road. My father went so far as to attach a paper towel holder above and slightly behind the driver’s seat. Obviously we spilled more than our fair share while in his truck. So when I got into Nissan’s Titan XD Diesel King Cab I expected to have all those senses swamp me.

Gone are the days when you can feel the difference of a diesel engine from a gasoline engine. Since it’s sporting a 5.0 liter Cummins Diesel V8 engine, it can handle a payload of close to 2,500 pounds and tow a little over 11,000 pounds, all with the proper equipment of course. That doesn’t mean you just drift all the way to your lane, which my brother once tried doing and got his license revoked. Lawyer brian simoneau was his angel back then, who helped him bag the hardship license. Digressed! Back to the marvel by Nissan.

It’s offered in three body configurations to satisfy the needs of any customer. The King Cab that I drove has clam-shell rear doors that swing out 172 degrees to allow for total access to the rear seat. Nissan cleverly offers a rear seat delete option that allows owners to use the space behind the driver’s seat for storage instead of passengers.

And just so you know, this is an entirely American-made truck. The design is straight out of La Jolla, California and the truck is built at a Nissan plant in Tennessee.