When you buy a vehicle from Japan, you can usually count on it being reliable. They may not always be the most powerful or capable, but Japanese trucks have earned a reputation for being nearly indestructible. However, the Japanese truck with the highest reliability rating in 2024 might surprise you.

The Nissan Titan will soon be discontinued as the automaker doesn’t see any real profit from the full-size pickup truck. However, we think it’s one of the most underrated full-size pickups on the market. Not only does it hold its own in the crucial areas, but it also comes standard with one of the most robust V-8 engines ever made.

We take a look at the current version of the Nissan Titan and find out what makes the truck’s final model year stand out. We examine its reliability ratings and how much you might have to spend on repairs. Finally, we take a look at an alternative truck from Japan for those who aren’t sold on the Titan’s charms.

The Nissan Titan 2024 scores 88 out of 100 for reliability

The Nissan Titan is one of two heavy-duty pickup trucks from Japan on the market. Although American models heavily dominate the segment, the Titan has a lot to offer. Not least of which is that it is incredibly robust and is unlikely to give you too many problems over its lifetime.

reliability

JD Power sources reviews and data from certified owners, as well as its own tests, to rate cars. One of the most important factors in their rating is quality and reliability, which measures the number of defects, malfunctions, or design flaws the vehicle has. The Nissan Titan is one of the highest-scoring pickup trucks currently on the market, scoring 88 out of 100 in this category. With this score, it beats every other full-size pickup truck on the market, except for the Ram 1500, which also scores 88 out of 100. This score also means it is one of the most reliable vehicles from Japan in 2024.

Cars.com also offers owners the opportunity to share their experiences with a vehicle. The site consists largely of user reviews. The 2023 Titan received an overall score of 4.8 out of five, including 4.8 out of five for reliability. The only review that noted issues with the quality of the vehicle was related to the somewhat jerky downshifting.

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Maintenance and repairs

Reliability is only one side of the coin, however. It’s a balancing act that requires you to consider how much it costs to own and maintain a vehicle and whether that cost is worth a lower frequency of problems. Unfortunately, the Nissan Titan is an expensive beast to keep in good condition.

CarEdge reports that the Nissan Titan costs an average of $9,116 to maintain and repair over the course of ten years. According to their data, that’s $5,450 more than the average pickup truck. CarEdge also reports that the Titan has a 25.58 percent chance of needing a $500 or more repair in the first ten years, which is significantly higher than the average for large pickup trucks.

Under the hood sits a robust V-8 with 400 hp

One of the most important factors in a vehicle’s reliability is its powertrain. Nissan has equipped the Titan with a single V-8 engine in all trim levels, which makes plenty of power and gives it all the capabilities it needs. More importantly, though, this fantastic eight-cylinder is extremely robust and will likely run for many years to come.

Performance

A standard V8 engine is quickly becoming a rarity, even in full-size trucks. The 5.6-liter engine under the hood of the Nissan pickup offers plenty of power and torque. The V8 is paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission, and the truck is available with either rear-wheel or four-wheel drive.

While the Titan isn’t a leader in towing capacity, it can still handle more than the average person needs. It can also accelerate from 0-60 mph in just 5.7 seconds. The Titan’s handling isn’t the absolute best in its class, but that’s because the rugged truck is more comfortable on unpaved roads.

Fuel consumption

As for fuel economy, the Titan performs as well as you’d expect from a big truck with a V-8 under the hood. The good news is that you’re not really penalized for opting for the four-wheel-drive truck, because EPA testing shows it performs just as well as the rear-wheel-drive models. The only Titan that suffers a disadvantage is the PRO4X, the off-road model. That model performs slightly worse, consuming just one mile per gallon less in every test category.

The Titan comes standard with the most sought-after features

We’ve established that much of the Titan’s value lies in its strong and stoic V-8 engine, but Nissan has positioned the Titan to offer plenty of value in other ways, too. It may not have the lowest starting price in its segment, but the full-size Titan comes standard with all the bells and whistles.

Facilities and prices

The Titan is only available in three trim levels, with the previous entry-level S trim gone. The SV is now the most affordable Titan in 2024 and is available with either rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. It is the only Titan in the lineup that can be equipped with the new Bronze Appearance Package or the Midnight Appearance Package. If you want the smaller King Cab, which gives you a little more room in the bed, the SV is the only trim that offers that option.

If you’re an off-road enthusiast, the PRO4X trim is for you. It adds heavy-duty Bilstein shocks, an electronically controlled rear differential, and hill descent control. The Platinum trim is for those who want a truck that’s as luxurious as it is powerful, with a much better interior.

Interior

One of the Titan’s biggest selling points is its seating comfort. The Nissan’s Zero Gravity seats are some of the best seats in a full-size truck. Unfortunately, if you’re looking for nice interior materials, you’ll have to opt for the Platinum Reserve trim, with lower trim levels featuring a lot of plastic.

Even the most basic version of the Titan comes with an 8-inch infotainment screen, but a larger 9-inch system is also available. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are of course standard. Wireless charging pads, mobile hotspot functionality, additional charging ports and a fantastic Fender audio system are available as options.

Toyota’s Tacoma is the second most reliable Japanese truck

If the Titan isn’t quite your thing, either because it’s too big or too expensive, there are some other options for reliable Japanese pickup trucks. The more average-minded Toyota Tacoma scores 83 out of 100 points for quality and reliability and is generally unbreakable.

The reservation

While the 2024 model year Tacoma technically scores 83 out of 100 for quality and reliability, Toyota recently redesigned its truck from the ground up. It now has a ton of new equipment, including a new 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with more powerful motors. Some Tacomas even use a new hybrid system. However, Toyota engineers assure us that the four-cylinder is extremely reliable.

Only time will tell if the latest generation of the Tacoma lives up to its solid reputation, but for now, if you’re looking for an affordable, smaller truck from Japan, you might want to look for a 2023 model year.