2004 Nissan Titan

And the Titan has several unique features that will intrigue the "Modern Truck Guy." The King Cab's "Wide Open" rear doors open and pivot almost flat, at 168 degrees, so they lay against the truck's side, dramatically improving access and pass-by in close parking quarters. Nissan offers the first factory-applied permanent spray-in bedliner. The company actually set up its own facility to do this, so you can get your Titan with a factory-warranted, high quality "Durabed" bedliner without waiting for a dealer or private contractor to apply it. There's a lockable bedside storage box in the left rear quarter panel and the bed itself has a 5-channel "Utili-track" system with a range of variable tie-down attachments available. The King Cab (60 percent of the mix) has a 6-foot-7-inch bed that's 20 inches deep, about 25 percent bigger than Toyota's Tundra. The Crew Cab (40 percent of the mix) bed is a foot shorter at 5 feet 7 inches.


Safety is a hallmark in this truck. Besides dual-stage front supplemental airbags, there are seatbelt sensors and a sensor that identifies the front occupant. Side-impact, seat-mounted airbags are standard; and a side impact curtain for both rows of seats is optional. There are rear proximity sensors, kid seat LATCH fasteners and VDC (Vehicle Dynamic Control).

The new 5.6-liter, 305-bhp Endurance V-8 develops 90 percent of its 379 lb.-ft. of torque below 2,500 rpm.

The new 5.6-liter, 305-bhp Endurance V-8 develops 90 percent of its 379 lb.-ft. of torque below 2,500 rpm. The block is aluminum, with cast-iron cylinder liners, molybdenum-coated pistons and a silent, single-stage timing chain. It feels torque-rich; it's relatively quiet and it's very controllable with the console-mounted, gated shifter. Four-wheel ventilated disc brakes with ABS are standard, as is power rack-and-pinion steering and cruise control.


Inside, the quality, fit and finish are of a very high standard. The seats are well bolstered; vision forward and to the sides is excellent. The passenger-side front seat folds flat to maximize cargo stowage and create an in-truck workstation. The accelerator and brake pedals ("only" a 5-speed automatic is available) are power-adjustable. A gated shifter facilitates transmission control during towing and heavy hauling.


Nissan carefully patterned its three truck "grades," XE (Practical), SE (Sport) and LE (Premium) after its competitors, so the Ford comparison would be XL/STX, XLT/FX4 and Lariat, respectively. There are three functional groups: towing, hauling and off-road with feature packages arranged to facilitate ordering and best-match buyer needs. It's relatively easy to navigate through the choices. Basically XE's are no-frills work trucks. SE's, especially when fitted with the off-road package, offer better exterior appeal and include alloy wheels, chrome trim, bucket seats, power windows, locks and mirrors, etc. LE's include the SE specs and add such niceties as heated buckets, power seats with memory, a Rockford premium audio/CD player and even an optional navigation system.