2008 Nissan Titan

So it's not just advertising hype to say the current generation Ford F-Series and Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra -- the market leaders -- are state-of-the-art. Even the Dodge Ram, though dated and a distant third in sales, still is distinctive, with its big-rig styling.

Into this competitive buzz saw has come Toyota, whose redesigned Tundra is a distant fourth, though gaining. And, bringing up the rear -- at least in sales -- is today's subject, the Nissan Titan, with fewer than 46,000 sold through August.

A week with a Titan helps to explain why it isn't doing better. A little research completes the picture.

While the Titan obviously has been designed with great attention to detail and for the specific needs of customers who buy these bruisers, in the end it does not excel. Good as the Titan is, it fails to offer loyal Ford, GM, Dodge or even Tundra owners a compelling reason to switch.

Unlike the Tundra, it fails even to offer the promise of Japanese quality; Consumer Reports deems Nissan's big truck much worse than average in reliability, based on the magazine's annual surveys of its readers-vehicle owners. And J.D. Power and Associates, on its Web site ( www.jdpower.com), deems the Titan below average in quality.

(In fact, Nissan is proof that Japanese cars are no longer necessarily better than domestic models; the carmaker is a below-average performer in most of J.D. Power and Associates measurements of vehicle quality and dealer ability to satisfy customers.)

So what's the attraction, then, of a Titan?

Well, it is a competitively designed large truck, from the throbbing V-8 under the hood to the plastic-protected bed with its clever cargo tie-down system.

For '08 there's a new variation -- a long-wheelbase model called the 4x4 PRO-4X. It's intended for serious off-roading, and, considering that, its ride is amazingly civilized, with virtually none of the jounce one usually experiences in such models.

Some reviewers have complained about the Titan's engine and driveline noise, but, though it's ever-present, I didn't find it tiresome or even objectionable. The wind noise, though, was another matter at highway speeds.

Back on the upside, the steering system is responsive and nicely weighted.

The Pro comes in King or Crew cab style -- the former meaning a smaller cab with two rear doors that have their hinges at the rear; the latter meaning a larger cab with all four doors opening conventionally.

Nissan offers four bed lengths in long-wheelbase models: the fairly useless 5.5 feet that's easily filled with a few pieces of redwood furniture or a few bundles of brush; 6.5 feet, and, new for '08, 7 feet and 8 feet.

You'll have to opt for the shorter King cab to get the most useful, 8-foot bed. The longest bed available in Crew cab models is 7 feet, which means that 8-foot-long building material has to extend onto the tailgate.

For '08, Titan prices start at $25,135 with freight for an XE King cab with a 6.5-foot bed and with the same 5.6-liter V-8 as in all Titans, delivering 317 horsepower. All Titans come with automatic transmission. But four-wheel drive would add $3,290.

And Nissan charges extra for seat-mounted side-impact air bags, curtain bags, stability control and brake assist -- in a package listing for $1,200 -- a package I would recommend you seriously consider.

Also available in certain variants -- and highly desirable in so large a vehicle -- is a reverse obstacle detection and warning system, to alert the driver of an unseen object like a trash can behind the vehicle or something much more precious, like a child on a trike. My tester came with this $1,250 package.

The Titan gets a good-as-they-come five-star rating from the federal government for its protection of the driver in frontal crashes; the rating is four stars for the passenger. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety also deems the Titan "good" in frontal crashes. But neither the Feds nor the institute have side-impact ratings for this model.

Base prices for the various Titan equipment levels range up to $36,915 with freight for King cab models and $39,275 for Crew cab models.

All '08s have freshened styling and new wheel styles, Nissan says, plus new seats and revised instrumentation. The tester's black-on-white analog gauges, part of the PRO-4X package, were first-rate: easy to read.

In fact, the entire interior was first-rate. Controls are simple to operate, large enough and logically located. I found the seats excellent and the optional fore and aft adjustable pedals a welcome feature. The center console has a deep-lidded compartment ideal for a laptop and some files. Cupholders abound.

The tester's five-speed automatic transmission was as commendably smooth as the tester's ride. And it was easy to control through the accelerator pedal. Manual downshifting for engine braking isn't quite as easy as it could be.

Maximum towing capacity is 9,500 pounds for King-cab models and 9,400 pounds for Crews, when equipped -- as my tester was -- with a $450 towing package.

The '08 Titans went on sale in the spring. The new long-wheelbase models also include a larger 37-gallon (versus 28-gallon) fuel tank, which brings up a drawback of all large pickups (and one reason they don't sell as well as they used to): fuel economy.

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates for the Titan are a mere 12 miles per gallon in local driving and 17 on the highway, but I never saw a trip average higher than 14 mpg on the tester's driving computer, even though most of my driving was on the highway and with light loads.

The PRO-4X model includes Rancho shock absorbers, a lower final gear ratio (perhaps helping explain the poor fuel economy I observed), electronic locking rear differential, two additional skid plates (on the oil pan and transfer case), what Nissan says are the largest tires in the Titan's class, P275/70R18 all-terrain models; and some specific interior and exterior aesthetic touches.

It's a handsome truck, but if the driver or regular passenger of your Titan is shorter than 5-foot-5 or so, think twice about the PRO model -- the optional ($300) running boards are not available.

In sum, the Titan continues to be a contender worth considering for its many thoughtful features -- especially if there's a Nissan dealer with whom you like to do business. But this is a tough arena, the choice is not an easy one and the Titan is not a standout.

source: info.detnews.com