Detroit faces strong contender in Nissan pickup
We’ve had the chance to drive the all-new 2004 Nissan Titan pickup on several occasions and we’ve both reached the same conclusion: Watch your back, Detroit!
This new Japanese contender, which goes on sale this month, should have little trouble challenging the Motor City’s longtime stronghold on the full-size pickup market. Nissan Motor Co.’s goals are modest enough. The automaker wants to sell 100,000 Titans a year, about one-tenth the target Ford Motor Co. has established for its venerable F-series pickup, which has been totally redesigned for model year 2004.
Our test truck was a Titan SE 4X4 Crew Cab outfitted with a $700 off-road package and a $900 options package that included a front bench seat, power adjustable pedals and an overhead console. It was priced at $32,050, what we consider a good value in the full-size truck segment.
SHE: I see that Nissan is aiming the Titan at what it describes as “today’s truck guy”, someone who loves “serious” toys. As I look around your office, with the big-screen TV, model race cars, and foot massager, it appears that the new pickup might fit your personality.
HE: Somehow, the Titan doesn’t fit my definition of “toy,” despite the caricature-like exterior styling and the cartoonish center console inside. This truck is certainly distinctive, in the same way the big Dodge Ram is distinctive, but like the Ram, the Titan is not for everyone.
SHE: If you’re really conservative, you’ll probably want to stick with a product like the Ford F-150. Still, I was stunned by how clever the Japanese were in crafting this new truck. Besides endowing it with all the personality of the in-your-face Ram, they found all the weak points of the F-series, like a lack of power adjustable pedals, side air bags and side air curtains, and made them optional features on the Titan. In fact, safety is a priority on the new Nissan truck. Standard three-point belts are provided for all three rear occupants. Antilock brakes are standard, and so is a tire-pressure monitor. Vehicle dynamic control, which helps the truck maintain its composure in situations where it would tend to skid, is another option.
HE: Lately, Nissan has put lots of emphasis on power in its vehicles and that’s also true with Titan. It offers one of the most powerful engines in the full-size segment. Trouble is, consumers don’t get any choice. The only engine you can get is the new twin-cam 5.6-liter V-8, which delivers 305 horsepower and 379 pounds-feet of torque, better than the revised 5.4-liter V-8 on the F-series. The Nissan engine delivers outstanding acceleration and good throttle response, with no discernible lag. The truck has also been tuned to deliver a pleasantly throaty exhaust note, some might even call it raw. The Nissan engine is mated to a five-speed automatic transmission that shifted smoothly. The fuel-economy numbers are only middling, however. Our Titan test truck got 14 miles per gallon in city driving and 18 miles per gallon on the highway.
SHE: We both agreed that the greatest flaw in the Titan is the cabin. In that regard, it just can’t compete with the F-150, which gives buyers choices to suit just about any need or desire. And the interior design doesn’t match the promise of Titan’s exterior, which leads you to believe you might be stepping into something really unusual. Even though the workmanship was good on our test truck, the quality of the materials is not up to par with what Detroit has to offer. The overhead console in the Titan seems to be a generation behind the fancy new overhead rail system that’s an option on the Ford truck. There’s too much plastic. The cloth trim looks inexpensive. In short, the Titan’s interior is boring and generic-looking. It seems to say “traditional truck”, something that Nissan claimed it worked hard to avoid.
HE: The 4X4 models req ire a little more muscle to park and have a pretty wide turning radius. But the Titan handles well and feels slightly more nimble than the F-150, which may be partly a function of its lighter weight. The ride is quite comfortable over smooth pavement, but more choppy on rough pavement and offroad. And it goes toe-to-toe with the new F-150 in terms of towing capacity.
SHE: My dictionary defines “titan” as a “person of great strength or importance.” That meaning holds true when applied to the new Nissan truck. Overall, it’s a very impressive first effort.
