Review
Introduction
The Nissan Titan, Nissan’s first foray into the full-size-pickup segment, hit showrooms in 2004. Although there are a few minor changes for 2008, including a revised front end and several interior upgrades, the Titan has been largely unchanged since its launch. Powering all versions of the Titan is an excellent 317-hp, 5.6-liter V-8 that comes standard with a five-speed automatic. Available as a King Cab with small rear-hinged doors or as a crew cab with four full doors and a real back seat, the Titan shares its beefy body-on-frame F-Alpha platform with the Nissan Armada and Infiniti QX56 sport-utility vehicles. Compared with the competition, the Titan feels like a sports car, with responsive and direct steering, strong brakes, and a torque-laden engine giving the Nissan dynamics that are lacking in other pickups. We might even go so far as to say that the Titan is fun to drive.
King Cab and crew-cab versions of the Titan are available in four trim levels (XE, SE, PRO-4X, and LE). Although the King Cab should provide enough room for the occasional rear-seat passenger, crew-cab models have a huge amount of rear-seat space. Buyers will also have to choose among four different bed lengths that vary from 5.5 feet to 8.0 feet. Maximum towing capacity is 9400 pounds.
In a recent comparison test, the Titan went up against the Chevrolet Silverado, Ford F-150, Dodge Ram, and Toyota Tundra. Despite being one of the oldest pickup trucks in the segment, the Titan’s superb road manners, solid structure, and powerful V-8 landed it in second place behind the Chevy.
Verdict
The Titan boasts a solid structure, tight and accurate steering, and class-competitive acceleration. Interior changes for 2008 include new gauges and a more attractive center console. In all, the Titan is a fun-to-drive pickup truck in a segment where fun is rare.
Click here to read our full review of the Nissan Titan.
Click here to read our latest comparison test involving the Nissan Titan.
What’s New for 2008
For 2008, the Titan offers new seat styling, a heated leather front bench seat, a revised center stack that incorporates the radio and climate-control units, and refined instruments. Other changes include a larger navigation screen, XM satellite radio, and Bluetooth hands-free mobile-phone integration. The off-road-centric PRO-4X trim level and a long-wheelbase (LWB) edition are new, too.
