The Nissan Titan is an aging design without the refinement and gas mileage of
newer pickups, but it has lots of rebates that can make it a good bargain.
When Nissan rolled out the then-new Titan as a 2004 model, it was supposed to be the next big thing in the pickup world: an imported full-size pickup truck that’s as capable as the best-sellers from Detroit.
Before 2004, the only large Japanese pickup was Toyota’s Tundra, which at the time was smaller and lighter-duty than the Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado, and Dodge Ram.
Nissan hoped to swipe 100,000 buyers per year from those four trucks, and Edmunds.com called in the most significant new vehicle of 2004: “a shot fired by Nissan across the bow of the American truck makers.”
But it never happened. Nissan sold nearly 87,000 Titans in 2005, but it steadily slid downhill from there. With under 32,000 sold in the first eleven months of 2008 and barely 1,000 Titans sold in November, Nissan doesn’t seem to be on pace to even see a third of its sales goal this year.
It’s not because no one is buying trucks. Everyone’s sales are down, but Dodge, Chevrolet, and Ford sold 15,000, 29,000 and 37,000 full-size pickups in November, respectively. Even Toyota sold over 6,000 Tundras.
Rather, the Titan isn’t selling well because it’s by far the oldest design among today’s full-size half-ton pickups, and it feels it. But anyone willing to accept a relatively cheap feel still gets a well-engineered vehicle at a bargain price.
When the Titan came out more than five years ago, its powertrain and towing specifications were class act. Nissan was trying to prove that a Japanese automaker could make a truck as capable as anyone else’s, distancing itself from that sissy little Toyota Tundra. The general character of the truck was brash, rather than refined.
That’s still the case. The Titan isn’t quiet. It doesn’t ride smoothly. Its interior is relatively basic for a vehicle with a sticker price of well over $30,000, like the moderately-equipped truck driven for this review.
But it’s all bluster now. The Titan has been largely unchanged since 2004, and each of its competitors has been fully redesigned since then. Those competitors now have more capability, with big engines and high towing capacities of their own. Most also toss in a healthy dose of extra refinement to go with it.
Climb into the Titan, and you find yourself on a rather hard and shapeless seat that doesn’t offer the same daily-use comfort of some other trucks. Maneuver the bulky and clunky gearshift into Drive and start off, and you’ll soon notice one of the Titan’s stronger points: its engine performance. The standard 5.6-liter V8 and the Titan’s relatively low weight make the truck very quick. Other reviewers have noted it does well with a trailer, too.
The engine gets noisy fast though, and there’s too much exhaust rumble and road noise. The Titan feels more ponderous to drive than more-modern competitors, yet its ride is stiff and bouncy over bumps.
A bigger problem is the Titan’s gas mileage; it guzzles fuel even by the low standards of big trucks with big engines. While the other two-wheel-drive full-size trucks with comparable engines are each rated for 16 miles per gallon in mixed driving, the Titan as tested here gets just 14. Even with gas prices back down, that’s a difference of more than $200 per year in annual fuel costs. If gas prices return to $4/gallon, the EPA estimates you’d save $536 per year in fuel costs by buying another full-size pickup instead of the Titan.But you do get a lower purchase price than other pickups, which can offset this fuel cost. The Titan crew cab driven for this review had a sticker price of $32,675, which is several thousand less than comparably-equipped Chevrolet, Dodge, and Ford pickups, though a comparable Toyota Tundra is under $30,000. But at Fitzgerald Auto Malls, Titans sell for some $10,000 under the sticker price, which includes $6,500 of factory rebates. Chevrolet, Dodge, and Toyota trucks are closer to $6,000 under the sticker price.
Also, even as the Titan’s once-mighty towing capacity of 9,400 pounds has been outgunned by newer competitors, that’s still more than sufficient for most customers. And compared to older trucks, the Titan has perfectly fine on-road manners, a spacious, comfortable interior, and lots of available features.
If you don’t mind giving up refinement and extra capability, crunch the purchase price and fuel cost numbers to see whether the Titan is a good buy for you. As a discount truck, it’s worth considering, but you may find it worth paying extra for the more pleasant ride, handling, and interior appointments in newer competitors.
Vehicle tested: 2009 Nissan Titan SE crew cab 4x2
Vehicle base price: $26,150
Vehicle price as tested: $32,670
Test vehicle provided by: Sheehy Nissan of Waldorf, Md.
For more info: http://www.nissanusa.com/titan/
Photos by Brady Holt.
Comments
As much as I hate to say it (Because I am a Nissan fan.) Their Titan is way behind the competition. It would be great to see Nissan update their Titan and show they still have what it takes to take on the Detroit trucks.
Hey pal, .... you need to find another place to vent your inexperience of knowledge on trucks or cars for that matter!! your statistics, numbers and your guessing at specifications/road tests of this specific vehicle are totally out of context. find something else to do for a living!!!
i am intrested in buying a nissan titan
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