2005 Nissan Titan

Overview:
Nissan’s first full-size pickup is available in 3 trim lines as a ‘King Cab’ or ‘Crew Cab’. The King Cab has a 6.5 ft bed with a 5.5 ft bed standard on the Crew Cab model. No 8 ft bed is available. So is the Titan truly ‘Full-Size’? In my mind the answer is no but for most buyers the box size will not be a big issue as pickups are increasingly used as glorified cars these days. A powerful drive train and a well-designed interior help make this truck a winner.

Under the Hood:
All Titian’s come with Nissan’s 5.6 liter DOHC 32-Valve Endurance V8. This smooth running but punchy engine produces 305 HP and 379 pound-feet of torque. Engine features include a 6 bolt main bearing crank and a ‘Super-Silent’ Timing Chain. Coupled to a smooth shifting yet efficient 5-speed automatic this engine provides lively acceleration.

Ride/ Handling/Hauling:
Throttle tip-in is a little jumpy in fact until you get used to it. I unintentionally spun the rear wheels on my first drive. I’ve heard this truck is faster than a Hemi and that would not surprise me. It’s a hot-rod. I can only imagine how fast the 2WD Titan would be. Fuel economy on the 4x4 is listed at 14 city and 18 highway. Payload is listed at 1,453 lbs with towing up to 9400 lbs possible with the ‘Big Tow Package’. The tranny has a ‘Tow Haul’ mode.

The 4-wheel-drive system is a shift on the fly part time system with high and low range including an electronic 4x4 activation switch. Our truck was ordered with the $1,450.00 optional ‘Off Road Package’ giving the Titan bigger 285/70R/17” rubber, Rancho shocks, fog lamps, skid plates, tow hooks and a lower final drive ratio. One of the Off-Road magazines recently awarded the Titan for it’s off-road prowess.

As you might expect, the resulting ride was on the stiff side. My advice: Drive a Titan without the package before you buy. Unless you are a serious off roader I would skip it. The Titan features Independent Double-Wishbone suspension up front with a solid Dana axle out back with leaf springs. 4-wheel ABS Disc brakes are standard along with front and rear ‘Active Brake Limited Slip’ or ABLS. Braking is smooth and sure. Steering feel is very good for a 4x4 truck but you will not forget you’re driving a truck. Mild corrections are part of the driving experience. Overall, handling is very good. The Titan likes to be driven and feels at home even on twisty roads.

On the Inside:
Kudos to Nissan for a well-designed and comfortable interior. Our truck, a base XE model was Spartan with manual windows, locks and a column mounted gear shifter. Unfortunately, the end of the gear shifter obscured the radio volume knob. The upscale SE and top of the line LE models all have center console mounted shifters so this won’t be an issue on most Titians. Our test truck was actually a 2004 model and according to the Nissan website (www.nissanusa.com) power windows are standard on all 2005 Titians. Crank-up windows are becoming a thing of the past even on economy cars.

I liked the well-crafted instrument cluster and it’s complete gauge cluster including oil, coolant, volt and fuel along with speedo and tach. The center console serves as an armrest and contains a 12V outlet for a laptop or whatever. Our ‘King Cab’ Titan is a 4-door featuring ‘wide open’ rear doors. You have to have the 2 front doors open before open the rear doors. Rear access is good and 2 adults can ride in comfort. Front seating is very comfortable. Our XE Titan had cloth seats with manual adjustment. Power leather seats are standard on the LE version. The standard Tilt steering helps give the Titan a good driving position.

You’ll find 6-cup holders and 2 bottle holders and a total of 3 12v outlets in the Titan. Our truck also had an excellent 6 disc in dash CD sound system with 6 speakers. The cruise control can be set and adjusted from the steering wheel mounted controls.

Safety/Warranty:
Safety features include advanced dual stage airbags with occupant classification sensors for safer deployment. The LATCH system provides anchors and tethers for child seats. Stability control, low tires pressure monitors and steel door guard beams round out the list of standard safety equipment.

Bottom Line:
The Titan is an impressive truck and it’s no surprise that it’s won so many awards including Motor Trend’s Truck of The Year. With a base price of only $25,850 our Test truck with the ‘Off Road Package’, bed extender, bedliner and floor mats came to $29,270 (2005 prices) That’s quite a value for such an impressive truck. If you can get by without an 8-foot box take a serious look at this truck.

Tom Collins
2-7-05