Titan is good, could be better

(This review has been updated to cover model years 2004 through 2007)

New for ’07: Chrome Package for LE and SE models; utility bed option on the SE; “Texas Titan” package for LE Crew Cab.

Let’s face it. When it comes to full-size pickup trucks, the domestic brands have owned the market. That’s because Ford, Chevy, GMC and Dodge were the only ones building them. Sure, in the past Toyota made a half-hearted attempt with Tundra, which, until this model year, wasn’t quite full size and felt more comfortable running errands to Home Depot than working on a construction site.

Nissan set out with the modest goal of selling 100,000 Titans a year, but they haven’t met that expectation. Sales in 2005 reached only about 88,000 units and even fewer, 72,000 or so, sold in 2006. A great idea has been plagued by quality problems at the Canton, Miss., manufacturing plant.

Everything about the Titan is big. Nissan took the best Detroit iron had to offer and made it bigger and better. Titan boasts numerous best-in-class accolades, including interior size, ground clearance, tires and innovation. Innovations such as factory-applied spray-in bedliner, rear doors that open 168 degrees, a utility box integrated into the driver’s side rear fender and an adjustable C-channel tie-down system in the cargo bed.

Titan is available in two body styles: King Cab with a 6’5” cargo bed and a Crew Cab with a larger cabin and conventional doors, and a smaller 5’5” cargo bed. Both models are available in two- and four-wheel-drive versions. The two body styles are offered in a choice of three trim levels: XE, SE and LE. A huge 5.6-liter V-8 engine — built in Tennessee — that produces 317 horsepower and a whopping 385 pound-feet of torque is the lone engine choice. For 2007 the engine has been tuned so that it can burn E85 ethanol Flex-Fuel.

Torque is what powers a vehicle off the stoplight and that’s what young truck buyers are looking for today. Nissan claims a zero to 60 time of just under seven seconds. That’s mighty quick for this behemoth. All Titans come with a five-speed automatic transmission.

But real truck owners look at towing ability and, again, Titan pulls through with 9500 pounds of capacity (9400 for the Crew Cab). Payload capacity, however, is only 1799 pounds.

Our test Titan was the 4X4 LE Crew Cab with the optional $1000 Off-Road Package that includes 17-inch alloy wheels, Rancho shocks, fog lamps, tow hooks, and skid plates to protect the under carriage and engine.

Inside, Titan offers an incredible amount of leg, head and overall interior room. Front seats are comfortable and firm with more side support. The huge backseat can easily accommodate three adults comfortably.

The dash is well laid out, but the center stack is reminiscent of a Wal-Mart boom box with large knobs and acres of plastic. Otherwise, everything is intuitive and easy to use. The interior is rather boring and the dash gives new meaning to overdone plastic.

Titan has impressive driving characteristics for a 4X4 truck with heavy-duty suspension. Cornering is flat, gone is the bouncy, jarring ride associated with some big trucks. Steering, brakes, handling and ride quality are all first rate.

Safety features include front airbags, LATCH system for child seats, electronic brake force distribution and brake assist. Front seat side-impact airbags are optional and Titan is the first full-size pickup to offer curtain airbags, which improve head protection against injuries in a side collision or rollover crash. Titan earned a “Good” rating (the highest possible) in Insurance Institute for Highway Safety frontal-offset crash testing and a perfect five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for front impact protection, and four stars for passenger protection.

With its massive size and bright chrome two-bar grille, Titan’s rugged good looks express its presence. Nissan knows it will be difficult to pull Ford drivers from F-150s, Chevy drivers from Silverados, and Dodge loyalists from Ram trucks. But Nissan has done its research well and is aiming at the legions of import drivers who have never owned a full-size pickup and thus have no loyalty to the domestics. Nissan calls them “Modern Truck Guys and Gals” whose use of the truck will be personal versus work related.

Crew Cab models have a standard power up/down rear window with defroster and all Titan models get a tailgate with dampened assist. Other changes include new active head restraints for the driver and front passenger, new badging on the front doors and a unique patina finish for alloy wheels on the SE model.

The LE receives brushed aluminum interior trim accents and a leather-appointed bench seat is available in place of the standard bucket seats. For the XE, the spray-in bedliner is now available as a stand-alone option for an additional $450.

Big truck buyers would be making a mistake if they don’t give Titan a try. It’s big, comfortable and easier to drive than one might think. But Titan is facing even stiffer competition this year from the redesigned Chevrolet Silverado, an all new GMC pickup and a newly redesigned full-sized Toyota Tundra.