2020 Ford F-250 vs Nissan Titan XD
If you’re in the market for a heavy duty truck, and aren’t sure what you need, check out our comparison guide between the 2020 Ford F-250 and the Nissan Titan XD. While the Ford F-250 is a full-blown workhorse, the Titan XD struggles to find its niche. The Titan XD slots somewhere between a half-ton pickup and a heavy duty truck. That might be really appealing to some, but we’re scratching our heads about a couple of things that don’t quite make sense. Let’s dig in and check out some differences.
Price: 2020 Ford F-250
First of all, the 2020 Ford F-250 has a lower starting price than the 2020 Titan XD. Yes, you heard that right. That larger, stronger heavy-duty truck is more affordable than the smaller truck. The 2020 Ford F-250 starts at just $33,705 while the Nissan Titan XD is expected to start at $43,000 this year.
Obviously, at that price, the base Ford F-250 is a barebones workhorse. Standard features include air conditioning, vinyl upholstery, manual windows, rearview camera, and four-speaker audio system. Just the essentials. Meanwhile, the Titan XD has additional features, such as 8-inch touchscreen and gooseneck trailer. But grab those options on the Ford F-250 and you’re still probably paying less because the most expensive trim level on the F-250 is still less than the top-tier Titan XD.
Diesel Engine: 2020 Ford F-250
When the Nissan Titan first debuted, it offered a diesel engine in the form of a 5-liter Cummins diesel V-8. But that option is gone this year, since Nissan ceased production. That’s no great loss, since the Titan’s diesel engine failed to live up to expectations, but that leaves the F-250 uncontested.
On the other hand, the Ford F-250 diesel engine returns. Now this diesel is mated with a new-for-2020 10-speed automatic transmission. The V8 diesel also received an upgrade with 475 horsepower and an impressive 1,050 pound-feet of torque. If a diesel engine is on your wishlist, the 2020 Ford F-250 wins by default in this competition, but would be tough to beat compared to any heavy duty diesel engine.
Towing: 2020 Ford F-250
Perhaps coming as no surprise, since the 2020 Ford F-250 is a heavy duty truck and the Nissan Titan XD slots just below it, but the F-250 wins this one handily. The maximum towing capacity for the 2020 F-250 is 20,000 pounds. Meanwhile, Nissan estimates the Titan XD’s towing capacity to be around 11,400 pounds. So, if you want to pull some stumps and haul that horse trailer, you’ll be much better served by the 2020 F-250 over the Titan XD. I mean, it’s even more affordable, so there’s really no contest here.