It is hard to find anything wrong with the Titan. Even with a 5.6 L V8 engine that delivers 317 hp and 385 lb-ft of torque, the tenacious Titan still gets 12 city mpg and 17 highway mpg. The 5-speed automatic transmission with tow/haul mode and shift-on-the-fly makes freeway cruising and mountain climbing with a trailer in tow easy, without missing a beat.
Speaking of beat, this big Titan baby is just the vehicle to tow a boat, and carry fishing and skiing gear in the 5-foot-7 cargo bed.
This Titan has more comfort and convenience than you can imagine. Leather, leather everywhere. Leather-appointed interior with items like seats, console, steering wheel, and gear shift knob.
And when there is leather in abundance there is generally an abundance of power items, such as 8-way heated power driver seat with memory, power drop rear cab window, and power windows and door locks.
There is plenty of technology inside the cavernous Titan. NissanConnect with Navigation is one such. A 5.8-inch touch-screen display houses audio and navigation with voice recognition. Naturally there were SiriusXM satellite radio and Bluetooth hands-free phone capability, but it goes further to include SiriusXM Traffic and Travel Link, and 10-speaker Rockford Fosgate premium audio system with AM/FM/CD/AUX input. Higher trims are also equipped with a Multi-Functional Driver’s Information Center display.
I tried all the technology except hands-free phone capability and SiriusXM Traffic. It all worked splendidly, but the touch screen display was much too small. Street addresses were not easily viewed from the driver’s position, and the map itself was not sufficiently large enough to see terrain features or read numbers.
I am hoping that the new 2016 Titan that is being introduced at the Texas State Fair and the LA Auto Show will have a larger screen.
The new Titan will have a new Cummings 5.0 L V8 Turbo Diesel engine. It should be in showrooms just after the first of the year.
Titan’s cabin is wonderfully large. Dual front captain’s chairs with 8-way heated power seats that were mentioned earlier were precisely located to command control for items like fog lights, cabin-mounted cargo bed lamp, chrome power-folding outside heated mirrors with LED turn indicator, and puddle lights. From the captain’s chair, you can conveniently command every single feature smoothly without giving up comfort, mobility or sliding into a stressful position.
Titan is as sharp outside as it is roomy and comfortable inside.
Chrome grille door handles, chrome step rails, chrome front and rear bumpers, and a lockable bedside storage bring out that handsome look. The tow-hitch receiver with 7-pin wiring harness makes towing prep easy. The factory applied spray-on bedliner and the Utili-track Channel System with 4-adjustable tie-down cleats allow for quick loading and unloading items of any size. Even heavy, sharp-edged cargo will not damage the pickup bed. Front tow hooks help to pull you out of mischief or someone located in a possible perilous situation.
Front airbags, side-impact curtains airbags, and front seat active head rests all work together to keep everyone safe in the cabin. There is the Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) system to protect the little ones when they want to ride with dad or granddad.
Vehicle Dynamic Control with Traction Control System, Zone Body Construction, Tire Pressure Monitoring System, and Rearview Monitor are all Nissan features that help make the driver and passengers as safe as possible.
Titan was rugged, felt strong in the curve, and offered numerous amenities to make the ride comfortable and enjoyable both on and off road.
This is a big truck and may not be particularly practical in large cities with congested streets and narrow alleys.
Nissan engineers figure that it will take about 7 gallons to go 100 miles in a Titan, and based on the average amount of vehicle driving and today’s gas prices, suggest the cost for one year of fuel is $3,750.
All features mentioned are standard on the top-of-line SL with a starting MSRP is $41,160.
Durhl Caussey writes a car column read around the world. He may be reached at this newspaper or [email protected]
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