Overview & Reviews

The Nissan Titan, introduced for 2004, was the first Japanese pickup to truly possess the attributes that buyers typically expect from a full-size truck. Manufactured at Nissan's Canton, Mississippi, plant, it boasts dimensions and capabilities that are very similar to those of domestic full-size pickups. Though it hasn't sold as well as its rivals and is now growing quite long in the tooth, a new or used Nissan Titan can still meet the basic needs of many truck shoppers.

Current Nissan Titan
The Nissan Titan is a full-size pickup truck. In terms of size, it's very similar to the trucks offered by domestic automakers, which means it provides competitive amounts of cargo and interior room. There's a fully boxed frame underneath for maximum rigidity and strength, as well as a traditional solid rear axle with leaf-spring support.

Nissan currently offers the Titan in extended-cab (King Cab) and crew-cab styles, with two bed lengths each. Buyers may also choose between standard- and long-wheelbase versions, with the latter adding 20 inches in length. The King Cab is offered with either a 6.5- or 8-foot bed, while those on the crew cab are each 1 foot shorter. The King Cab's rear-hinged doors open extra wide to aid cargo loading or a passenger's entry to the rear seats. The crew cab has four traditional doors and a larger rear seating area with more available rear legroom than the extended cab.

Each Nissan Titan body style is available in four trim levels. Similar to other Nissan products, there's the entry-level S, the midgrade SV, off-road-focused PRO-4X and the luxury-oriented SL. The S has a front bench seat, while captain's chairs with a flow-through console are standard on the other trims. Standard safety features now include stability control, front-seat side airbags and side curtain airbags. Notable options, depending on trim, include upgraded audio systems, a navigation system, a rear-seat DVD entertainment system and utility-enhancing cargo bed features. For those who anticipate pulling trailers, the SV Value Truck or SL Max Utility tow packages are also available.

The PRO-4X trim level adds equipment for serious off-roaders that include Rancho shocks, a lower final-drive ratio, skid plates, an electronic locking differential and 18-inch off-road wheels with aggressive off-road tires. Unique exterior and interior styling cues to differentiate the PRO-4X from the other Titan models are also included.

For power, Nissan offers only one combination: a 5.6-liter V8 connected to a five-speed automatic transmission. The V8 is rated at 317 horsepower and 385 pound-feet of torque. The transmission features a tow/haul mode for when the truck is used for pulling or carrying heavy loads. For every body style and trim combination, two- or four-wheel drive is available.

In Nissan Titan reviews, our editors have found it to be powerful and capable both on- and off-road. Downsides include a lack of additional powertrain choices and the absence of a heavy-duty model. The Titan has also been outclassed by newer competitors in terms of comfort and overall design. Still, we think Nissan's Titan is worth a look.

Used Nissan Titan Models
The current, first-generation Titan debuted for 2004, and these earlier trucks could be a good choice for a shopper searching for a used late-model pickup. The first couple of production years, in particular, outclassed domestic pickups in many ways. The most notable changes for the Nissan Titan came for the 2008 model year and included the addition of a long-wheelbase model, exterior and interior styling refreshes and new features. Models built for 2007 and earlier were available in one wheelbase length only, lacked the two different bed lengths for each body style and also had a reduced maximum payload.

It should be noted that stability control, side airbags and side curtain airbags were not standard on all Titans until 2010. Used shoppers should investigate whether the truck in question is equipped with them. Also, the current trim levels were introduced for the 2011 model year; previously, the Titan's three main trims were XE, SE and LE, though feature content was broadly comparable.

User Reviews:

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  Needs some work - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By avalsim - January 27 - 10:00 am

  Impresive engine and torque feeling., but needs some refinement on the chasis. Ive been driving this vehicle for 5 months and already feel like an old pick up.I just put on 22000 miles of unpaved and hard roads and let me tell you this.. my Moms Suburban feels like new and its a 2001 model and it have 60000 miles!!!!! And I dont even mentioned the OEM tires they are awful!! imagine.. 2 flats in 2 weeks that kind of tires are made for Moms going from a Scottdale neighborhood to a Walmart and thats it.

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  King Titan rules! (well Crew Cab) - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By phlydude - January 6 - 10:00 pm

  I recently purchased the truck and have put 500 miles on it in the past 5 days. Compared to the Accord is replaces, the interior isnt as glamorous but what do you expect? ITS A TRUCK!! Acceleration is peppy and spirited and braking is top notch. Standard 6-disc stereo is OK but the AUX port is a very nice feature and adds to its worthiness. Rear sliding window is awesome and cabin noise is minimal. Engine and tranny doesnt skip a beat and you often have to check to see if it is still running because of it being so quiet. Got the Big-tow pckg because for $400, why not for the "just in case" moment. Insurance only went up $13 every 6 months, not bad there either. This Titan Rules!!!

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  Overpriced - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By rich1234r - December 31 - 2:00 am

  I like my truck.. but being tall... it isnt made for tall people.... I also think that its way overpriced compared to similar options and packages that the F-150 offers.

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  Good truck but some problems - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By mikev83 - December 21 - 6:06 am

  My Nissan Titan is a good looking truck with lots of power and plenty of room in the cab for 5 large adults. I have been generally pleased with the performance but have had some reliability issues. The first problem was with a shuddering caused by the front brakes. The dealership replaced the front brakes. The next thing that happened was the paint on the steering column started flecking away by the radio controls. Just a couple of months ago the AM portion of the radio failed and Nissan wouldnt replace it (the cost to replace the radio is over $1,000 since the radio is part of the CD).

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  2004 Nissan Titan is a VALUE! - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By Bob - November 1 - 8:30 pm

  After 2 months of ownership of my 2004 Titan, Im very pleased with the vehicle. Plenty of room, power, looks, and handling capabilities! Quality is solid so far. Lots of little things that I like about this truck too. Like the 6 disc changer, built in alarm system, sprayed in bed liner, most power in its class. Ford is the only vehicle thats refined enough to even get close to this vehicle...and I dont even like Fords. Ive been a Chevy fan my whole life, but Chevy has a lot of catching up to do to match the Ford and Nissan. Dodge looks nice, but lacks the quality of any of the others. Towing capacity on the Nissan is great!

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  Great First Truck - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By Vince Wojo - October 22 - 11:13 pm

  The Nissan Titan LE with tow package gives me the truck I need to easily pull a 25 ft. travel trailer and still use it as a personal vehicle (Crew Cab). My trucks 18 inch tires are super quiet and smooth, its engine is fairly quiet and the transmission is silky smooth. It is easy to enter and exit from all four doors. It has some rattles, but it is generally a tight fit. The gas mileage is not great, but did not buy it for fuel economy. I would recommend it to any potential pickup truck buyer.

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  Disappointing - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By DDiehl - October 10 - 12:06 pm

  This is my first and, unfortunately, last Titan. I was immediately drawn to it due to its looks, power, and roomy back seat (no one comes close to 2nd row seat). The front bucket seats are extremely comfortable, especially for long trips, and the initial fit and finish of the interior is great. I tow a lot during the summer and it pulls effortlessly and handles well. But I have had nothing but problems. First, they had a shimmer/shake brake issue that was recalled, but just a "quick fix" performed (ground down rotors, which eventually warped). There are so many squeaks and rattles in and behind the dash its almost maddening. Very cheap lock mechanism on outside storage compartment.

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  MIXED Feelings?? - 2006 Nissan Titan
  By guyhazard - September 16 - 11:13 pm

  There are things about this Truck I love and things I hate. The performance as far as road handeling and power are Great, this truck moves when you put your foot in it! stability steering all good even at high speed. Off Road is very poor, Handeling is rough, I have had to replace sway bar mounts 5 times the last time with a beefed up aftermarket kit and instead of the joints breaking the whole sway bar broke off. multiple broken u joints, you might think im beating this truck to death, this is simple offroad washbed driving not trail running, jumping crazieness like I used to do in my Silverado. Paint is completely faded in roof, hood and wheel wells and ive hand waxed it 4 times a year .

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  Great city truck! - 2011 Nissan Titan
  By wgrow - September 10 - 11:33 pm

  This is what I would call a great city truck. The interior features are comfortable and amazing and it has good capacity for doing small hauls. Plenty of acceleration but unfortunately eats gas like it was starving. I havent had a single problem with the truck in 11 months since purchase, but I do not do a lot of heavy duty work with it. Most of the time I am hauling a trailer with Lawn equipment or similar light items over short distances.

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  2004 Titan - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By SoulFish - August 9 - 10:00 am

  Great truck for the buck