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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  Great - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By Damien - January 11 - 3:23 pm

  I bought my 2005 Titan in january and love driving it. No other truck can match up to it superior capablities and options. For and 18 y/o a $35,000 truck was a little high. My dealership gave me the worst buying experience but i really wanted the truck. The truck has a few minor discrpences but oveall the best bang for your buck. No other trucks are even made with navigation. Ford or Chevy trucks do not even make them even in their Denalis or escalades. Any chevy or ford truck you put up next to the titan will be more expensive and only be the base model but Nissan listened to the consumers and made the luxury truck affordable. If anyone has figured out how the make the nav play DVDs email-

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  Owned for 3 years - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By mountainlifer - January 3 - 3:12 pm

  Im not someone who bought this truck a month ago and is about to gush about its reliability (whats with those reviewers anyway?) Purchased this truck 3.5 years ago, have put 50k KM mountain town driving on it. Only issue Ive run in to is warping brake rotors, easily solved with HD brakes. The paint is nothing to phone home about, but definitely not sub par. Hauls a sled like its not even there and shreds the highway between Whis and Van as fast as youd ever want to. Expected a lot, and it has exceeded my expectations. Design/Layout are my favorite as well. 66" box is awesome, but cab is still very spacious and overall truck is very nimble. America still makes a great truck.

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  Titan - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By Jake - January 2 - 8:10 am

  Ive owned several other 1/2 ton pickups in the past and nothing can compare to the power. I tow a 25 camper trailer with ease and the automatic shifting is awesome to use while towing. I have almost 36,000 miles on it and have had issues with the front end, cv joints, brakes, front bearings which the dealership has not been able to find the problem yet. When turning it grinds metal on metal, theyve replaced the hubs, but the problem is still there. They had a recall on the brakes too when I first got it, They ended up putting bigger rotors and pads on the front end. The old were to small and they would worp every 3,000 to 4,000 miles. Havent had issues with the brakes since.

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  Awesome Titan - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By Chuck Marchbanks - January 1 - 3:26 pm

  The Titan is awesome in every way! It is so quick when you need it to be and smooth when you want to relax and drive! The power and performance of this Nissan will surprise you every time you put the peddle down! It is an eye catcher! People are constantly saying how much they love it and how they would love to have it. I absolutely love this awesome machine!

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  Power & Handling!!! - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By Paul B - December 29 - 5:46 am

  Huge power, great handling with the rack and pinion steering, great comfort and plenty of space!!! What more could one want in a full size truck? I have owned Chevys, Fords and a Dodge and they are not even close when all factors are considered. Build quality is first rate and reliability should be far better than the domestics. Anyone that puts down this truck has not driven it. And Nissan ALSO gives their customers a high tech 5 speed auto instead of the ancient 4 sp.ODs on the domestics. The TITAN just flattened Detroit!!!!! The domestics are playing catch-up in EVERY market segment as of now. Great truck, NISSAN!!!!!!!!!!!

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  Used Dissapoinment - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By Natedawg - December 25 - 9:30 pm

  All the hype about Nissans maintaining their value must be a joke. I bought an 04 Titan used with 9000 miles and within the first month have had it in the shop for four different problems. Windshield wiper fluid reservoir leaked, power windows stopped working, cupholders broke, passenger side rear door wouldnt open, a total mess within the first month of ownership. And it also doesnt help when the dealer doesnt care and will get to it when they can. Other than that, I like the truck, it looks good and rides great. Just a few things going wrong ruins the experience, especially stuff that shouldnt break on a truck with 9,000 miles

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  Very Pleased - 2004 Nissan Titan
  By TarheelTitan - December 25 - 9:46 am

  I have 2 main wishes about this truck. I do not like the black plastic at the tailgate release lever. I also wish it had the power vertical rear window a-la the Tundra Double Cab. That being said, I love my Titan SE Crew 4x4 with Rockford Package, Utility bed and Big Tow package. Living near the North Carolina mountains, it pulls the hills in this area with much power to spare and decent gas mileage while doing so. I had been waiting a while for such a tough looking, well-equipped truck, and at last I have one. I would recommend this truck to anyone looking for great quality, power, tough looks and Im counting on the long-term reliability Nissan has been known for!

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  Nice Design, Lots of Power - 2007 Nissan Titan
  By Neal - December 23 - 1:16 am

  After looking at both Toyota and Nissan, I felt the Nissan had better features, especially the bed channel system---of which has proven to come in handy for securing cargo with the short bed. After 1500 miles, Im very pleased with the quality and reliability to date and would definitely recommend this vehicle.

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  Titan is a beast - 2005 Nissan Titan
  By ERNIE - December 20 - 2:23 am

  I love that I purchased this truck. Has good power good looks and is a very comfortable riding vehicle. Shimmies a little when going over very rough roads or roads with a lot of potholes. Thats the only complaint from me. It had only 40,000 miles on it when I bought it and it still looks new in and outside. Love it!

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  Good truck, but not all expected - 2006 Nissan Titan
  By storm2rain4 - December 16 - 4:26 pm

  As most people, I do spend some time on the highway, but as a forester, this truck sees substantial 4-wheel drive time. This ranges from 6-18" of "old- growth" dust on most of our haul roads in August to driving on 12-24" of fresh snow in December. After driving about 7,000 miles, this truck is getting between 12-16 mpg, but I consider that pretty fair after 3/4-ton GMC & Ford 4x4s getting between 10-13 mpg. Truck has plenty of power, but a transmission that shifts down two gears at the slightest nod to want to pass someone on the highway ...trying to get used to this! Annoying factors include windshield wiper proximity to wheel, powertrain hum at 55+, poor A/C controls and poor 4x4 tires.