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2018 acura TLX vs 2018 nissan Titan

Reliability comparison based on NHTSA recall and complaint records.

Synced 2026-04-29 Source: NHTSA public records Reviewed by ASE-certified contributors
Quick verdict
2018 Acura TLX and 2018 Nissan Titan are nearly tied on reliability data

2018 acura TLX

3.9/5
Reliability score
90 complaints
0 recalls (0 critical)
$7,150 repair exposure
vs

2018 nissan Titan

3.8/5
Reliability score
88 complaints
1 recalls (0 critical)
$7,900 repair exposure

Stories from the shop

Look, these two are running close enough that you'd be fine either way. Reliability scores are within rounding distance (3.9 for the 2018 acura TLX, 3.8 for the 2018 nissan Titan), and they've each got their own laundry list of weak spots. There's no clean winner here on the data alone.

If you're leaning 2018 acura TLX, know what you're getting into on steering. Those categories have noticeably more complaints than what the 2018 nissan Titan sees, and they're not cheap items when they go.

Going with the 2018 nissan Titan? Watch the powertrain and cruise control. The 2018 acura TLX has fewer reports in those categories, so you'd be trading one set of weak spots for another.

Bottom line: pick based on use case more than the spec sheet. If you tow heavy and don't want to think about it, that's one calculation. If you're a daily driver and want the cheapest path forward, that's another. Both of these will get you down the road. We're just telling you where each one is most likely to break.

— ProblemsByVin editorial team, drawing on the NHTSA data and shop experience.

Side-by-side by problem area

Category
2018 acura TLX
2018 nissan Titan
engine
28 reports
moderate · ~$3,100
31 reports
moderate · ~$3,100
electrical
15 reports
moderate · ~$850
14 reports
severe · ~$850
powertrain
10 reports
severe · ~$2,500
15 reports
severe · ~$2,500
steering
6 reports
moderate · ~$700
3 reports
moderate · ~$700
cruise control
No reports
3 reports
moderate · ~$600
tires
No reports
3 reports
moderate · ~$150

Common questions

Which is more reliable, the 2018 Acura TLX or the 2018 Nissan Titan?

It's close to a tie. Both vehicles score within 0.2 points on our reliability index (3.9 vs 3.8). At this margin, either choice is defensible — base your decision on the specific failure modes that matter to you.

What goes wrong more often on the 2018 Acura TLX?

Compared to the 2018 Nissan Titan, the 2018 Acura TLX sees more reported issues in steering. That doesn't mean it's a bad truck — it means those are the categories worth budgeting for if you go that direction.

What goes wrong more often on the 2018 Nissan Titan?

Compared to the 2018 Acura TLX, the 2018 Nissan Titan has more complaints in powertrain and cruise control. Whether that's a deal-breaker depends on the cost and severity — see the comparison table above for repair cost ranges.

Which has more recalls?

The 2018 Nissan Titan has more active recalls (1 vs 0). Total count is less important than severity, though — a vehicle with one critical recall and zero moderate ones is generally riskier than one with five moderate recalls.

Is an extended warranty worth it on either of these?

Both vehicles are out of factory bumper-to-bumper coverage at this point. Combined repair exposure across the top problem categories runs around $7,900 on the higher-risk vehicle. A quality service contract typically costs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years, so a single major failure usually pays for the contract. The math favors warranty coverage on whichever vehicle you choose, especially if you plan to keep it past 100,000 miles.

Related comparisons

Reliability scores, complaint counts, and severity ratings derived from the NHTSA public records database. "Repair exposure" is the sum of average independent-shop repair costs across each vehicle's tracked problem categories and is intended as a relative comparison, not an exact prediction. Editorial commentary auto-generated from the data and reviewed by ASE-certified contributors. Some links on this page are affiliate links.
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