Nissan Releases the Sounds of Silence

Noise, Vibration, and Harshness, or “NVH,” has become a bigger selling point for pickups in recent years, as customers used to the quality ride experience and quiet levels of passenger cars now demand a similar performance from their trucks.

The 8th episode of the “TITAN Truckumentary” covers the NVH and sound quality testing that takes place at Nissan’s Arizona Test Center in Stanfield, Ariz. and Nissan Technical Center North America in Farmington Hills, Mich.

Part of the challenge in engineering the Nissan TITAN XD is balancing this customer desire for quietness with a still-pleasing exhaust note from the vehicle’s Cummins 5.0-liter Turbo Diesel engine, says the company.

John DeYoung, senior manager of Nissan’s Noise and Vibration Test Group, says: “People use the truck to go camping on the weekend, to go to dinner with their families, and they use it as their work vehicle. So it’s important for the truck to be functional, but just as important to be able to take phone calls and be able to work and live in the truck. Quietness is a key selling point for a lot of people for full-sized trucks now.”