Nissan Titan may live up to its name

The critics thought Nissan had it all wrong with the introduction of the full-size 2004 Titan pickup.

Unlike domestic trucks, which offer so many options packages the buyer needs a spreadsheet to keep track, the Nissan came available with only a single engine choice and but one transmission.

Early in the year, the naysayers seemed to have it right: Titan sales were slow coming out of the gate and, with weaker-than-expected sales for the revised Quest minivan and all-new Armada SUV, things looked bleak for truck and van sales at Nissan, despite a 25 percent year-to-year increase in overall sales.

But he who laughs last laughs best, and Nissan appears to be warming up for the final chuckle.

Sales have moved steadily upward through the year as buyers come to realize the Titan is not some narrow-chested pretender, but a true, full-size pickup with a powertrain to match.

With a name like that, it has to be.

If you’re only going to offer a truck with a single engine choice, it better be a good one and Nissan’s 5.6-liter four-valve V-8 qualifies. It turns out 305 horsepower and 379 pound-feet of torque, as much horsepower and slightly more torque than Dodge’s heavily advertised “hemi” V-8.

Ninety percent of that torque is available at 2,500 rpm and the power curve is brilliantly matched with a five-speed automatic transmission.

The results? The Titan scorches the 0-60 run in a flat-amazing 7.5 seconds. That’s sport-sedan territory right there, folks.

With a maximum towing capacity of 9,500 pounds, the Titan shines in the lug-it-over-the-mountains category, too, although rival Ford takes top honors at 9,900 pounds.

Still, in head-to-head tests, the Titan bested the F-150 when carting three passengers and a 6,000-pound trailer.

The transmission deserves a big share of the credit — the domestics still use four-speed boxes — but it also helps that the Titan weighs substantially less than the other big horses, at between 5,100 and 5,500 pounds, depending on powertrain options.

Anyone can achieve raw acceleration, though. The Titan surprises with its versatility. It’s one of the most comfortable full-size trucks I’ve driven and is equally adept off-road, where its 10.3-inch ground clearance and angles of approach and departure are best in class. Throw in three heavy-duty skid plates and a two-speed transfer case, and you have the makings of a serious off-roader.

Serious enough that Four Wheel magazine named the Titan Truck of the Year.

“The power also translated well into the real world as the big Nissan could power through dunes and up mountain grades without any problem,” opined the mag.

But truck-buyers are the most loyal of all buyers and Nissan knew it wouldn’t easily dent the sales lead held by Ford, GM and Dodge. So they aimed their truck at what they call the “modern truck guy,” which they defined as a professional — male or female — with no clearly defined loyalty.

Because sales of regular-cab trucks continue to fall, Nissan offers the Titan in only two cabin configurations — King and Crew. The former gets two half-doors that open only when the front doors are open; the latter has two full doors and a spacious rear seat.

In a neat twist, Nissan configured the King Cab’s half doors to open 168 degrees, so they fold flat against the bed, which simplifies ingress and egress in crowded parking lots, where the front door can’t be fully opened.

Nissan says the Crew Cab has the largest interior volume in its class (126 cubic feet); the best rear legroom (40.4 inches) and the best front and rear headroom (41/40.4 inches, respectively).

Inside and out, styling is of a piece. The look is bold, unadorned and functional. Knobs are large, gauges and bold and easy to read and there’s a lovely absence of froufrou plastic trim and gadgetry.

The shift lever is located in a center console and four-wheel-drive models get a dashboard-mounted selector dial that engages the transfer case without the disconcerting “clunk!” of other trucks.

There is ample — and well-considered — interior storage space, the seats are large and comfortable and adjustable pedals are available for those short — or long — of leg.

In a world of trade-offs, Nissan has opted for a quality ride over payload capacity. So, while another rig may allow you to pack the bed with an extra 200 pounds of cordwood, few can boast the road manners of the Titan. On the highway, it’s quiet, smooth and strong; around town and on broken pavement or gravel, the bed stays planted, unlike trucks whose rear axles skitter across the bad stretches.

The Titan is available in three trim levels, XE, SE and LE, with prices ranging from $25,580 to $34,950.

XE trim gets air conditioning, cruise control, 40/20/40 bench seat and CD audio. SE adds power windows, mirrors and door locks; remote keyless entry; captain’s chairs; flow-through center console and overhead console. LE gets power-adjustable seats; adjustable pedals; auto-dimming rearview mirror with integrated compass and garage-door opener; tubular side steps; utility package for the bed; and an excellent Rockford Fosgate audio system.

Anti-lock brakes with brake-force distribution and emergency assist are standard and side-impact and curtain airbags are optional.

Out back, Nissan applies its own spray-in bed liner and offers a couple of nifty options, including a tie-down system with cleats that can be moved fore and aft to provide optimal anchor points, and a locking storage box located on the outside of the bed behind the left rear wheel well.

Nissan hit the ground running in the full-size truck category, the last domain owned outright by the domestics. It may be only a matter of time before they own a bigger share of the market than the Big Three would like.