2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 vs 2021 Nissan Titan

The 2021 Nissan Titan retained its refreshed look from 2020, offering three Crew Cab trim levels in Canada: SV, Pro-4X, and Platinum Reserve, each with distinct design elements. The Titan SV featured a dark grille, the Platinum Reserve a satin chrome one, and the Pro-4X a black grille with lava-red script. The Pro-4X also boasted lava-red tow hooks, adding character. The Titan's new headlights provided 120% more light output than the 2019 model, with available LED fog lights enhancing visibility by 15%. The truck bed featured four LED light sources, a significant improvement over older models. The rear had LED taillights and unique tailgate finishers, with the Pro-4X and Platinum Reserve sporting black and satin chrome finishers, respectively. The Titan Crew Cab models came with a 5.5-foot bed, equipped with a Utili-track Bed Channel System, spray-in bedliner, 100-volt power outlet, and damped tailgate. The Titan was available in eight exterior colours, with the Baja Storm colour on the Pro-4X being particularly striking. Inside, the Titan received a modern upgrade with a large infotainment screen and piano-black plastic trim, though the steering wheel design felt dated.

The 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 offered three cab styles, three bed lengths, and eight trim levels, each with a unique appearance. Our test truck, a crew cab with a short bed and LTZ trim, featured a 3.0-litre inline-six turbodiesel engine, 4WD, and several premium packages, bringing its price to $75,838 CAD. The Silverado's styling was boxy and commanding, with Northsky Blue paint, chrome trim, and 20-inch polished aluminum wheels. However, the interior felt outdated, with glossy plastic, large panel joints, and small infotainment screens lacking finesse. While the truck's interior didn't need to be sophisticated, it failed to impart a sense of quality, falling short compared to competitors.

The 2021 Nissan Titan was equipped with a single powertrain option: a 5.6-litre V8 engine producing 400 horsepower and 413 lb-ft of torque, making it the best-in-class standard powertrain. Paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission, the Titan offered smooth shifts and strong acceleration, though it struggled in mid-range gears. The absence of engine start/stop functionality meant it wasn't as fuel-efficient as some competitors, but it avoided the hassle of restarting at red lights. The Titan's 4WD drivetrain averaged 15.2 L/100 km in the city, 11.1 on the highway, and 13.4 combined, with slightly higher figures for the Pro-4X grade. The Titan's steering was traditional, with plenty of play, and its ride quality was average for the class. It offered a payload capacity of up to 739 kg and a towing capacity of 4,178 kg, with standard trailer sway control and a trailer brake controller. The Pro-4X model featured off-road equipment like hill-descent control and an electronic locking rear differential, making it capable off-road.

The 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 offered a range of engines, with the 6.2-litre Ecotec3 V8 providing maximum towing capability and a satisfying rumble. However, the Duramax turbodiesel was a standout option, offering fuel efficiency of 9.6 L/100 km in combined driving and 460 lb-ft of torque at 1,500 rpm. The turbodiesel's 277 horsepower was lower than the V8's 420 hp, but it delivered smooth acceleration after a brief turbocharger spool-up. The Duramax's towing capacity was 4,309 kg, with a payload capacity of 848 kg, though these figures were lower than the Silverado's maximum capabilities. The 10-speed automatic transmission paired with the turbodiesel was flawless, and the electronic Autotrac 4WD system was effective. The Z71 Off-Road Package improved the Silverado's suspension, offering better control at higher speeds. The standard suspension provided a firm and athletic feel in town but allowed for unsettling body movement on the highway and rough terrain.

The 2021 Nissan Titan offered a front bench seat as standard, with bucket seats available, accommodating five or six passengers. The Zero Gravity design of the front and rear outboard seats ensured comfort over long distances, with heated and cooled front seats available. However, petite adults might struggle to find a comfortable driving position. The Titan provided ample seating space for adults and generous storage in the centre console, with a dedicated smartphone hold. An available panoramic moonroof and power-sliding rear window added to the cabin's appeal. The Titan's interior featured easy-to-reach grab handles, folding rear seatbacks, and bag hooks under the rear seat cushions.

The 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 crew cab offered a spacious interior with wide, supportive front seats featuring 10-way power adjustment, heating, and ventilation. The LTZ trim included a heated steering wheel, but without optional power running boards, entry and exit were challenging. The Silverado had ample storage space, including dual dashboard glove compartments, but lacked innovation and had smaller storage areas compared to competitors. The rear seat comfortably accommodated three adults, with heated outboard seat cushions and a power sliding centre rear window section. Built-in storage areas within the rear seatbacks were not lockable, but a locking storage compartment was available under the rear seat. The Silverado's bed was the deepest and roomiest among competitors, with useful features like the CornerStep rear bumper and up to 12 tie-down hooks. The new Multi-Flex tailgate design was optional, but our test truck featured a remote power-down tailgate.

The 2021 Nissan Titan featured a standard 9.0-inch WXGA resolution infotainment touchscreen, the largest in its class. It included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, two USB ports, and satellite radio. Available features included navigation, HD Radio, additional USB ports, dual-zone automatic climate control, a power-sliding rear window, remote start, and a household-style power outlet. The screen was responsive, though its graphics were less modern than competitors. A 7-inch programmable information display was standard, and buyers could upgrade to a 12-speaker Fender Premium Audio System with a 485-watt amplifier.

The 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500's infotainment system, though smaller than competitors, was impressive. The 8-inch HD display offered quick loading and response times, with modern graphics. Standard features included Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto, with a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot available. The LTZ trim featured a fully-equipped infotainment system with wireless smartphone connectivity, SiriusXM, navigation, enhanced voice recognition, and a 7-speaker Bose sound system. The system was user-friendly, with stereo volume and tuning knobs and shortcut buttons. The available head-up display was useful, but the rear camera mirror was less so, given the Silverado's 15 high-definition cameras. Trailering technologies were available but fell short compared to competitors.

The 2021 Nissan Titan came equipped with Nissan Safety Shield 360, which included automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, high beam assist, and rear automatic braking. Additional features included forward-collision warning, parking sensors, an Around View Monitor camera system, adaptive cruise control, driver-alertness monitor, traffic-sign recognition, and rear door alert. Nissan offered a five-year/160,000-kilometre bumper-to-bumper warranty, the best in Canada.

The 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 received a "Marginal" rating from the IIHS for front passenger protection in a small-overlap, frontal-impact collision, and a "Poor" rating for headlights. The NHTSA awarded it a four-star overall rating, with four-star frontal-impact results. Safety features included forward collision alert, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, a rearview camera, parking sensors, automatic collision notification, and a rear-seat reminder system. Upgrades included adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, and a Safety Alert Seat. However, the Silverado lacked stop-and-go capability for adaptive cruise control and lane-centering assistance.