IL Track Tested: 2009 Nissan Titan Pro-4X

I think it is a shame Nissan had a few notable quality glitches out of the box with this truck (most notably brake vibration due to then undersized brakes!). This is a nice truck! I have an '08 Armada and love it. Sad to hear that Nissan will be giving up on the big truck market after only one try at it.

P.S. With the deals they are wheeling on these, this is the best value out there right now for a full sized 1/2 ton truck!

Hey guys, this is a truck. Why are there no specs (or discussion) for payload, GVW and towing?

I seriously doubt anyone shopping a truck would care about skid pad lateral acceleration, etc.

Good points, Bob ... although it is intriguing to see the numbers that were provided. Thanks for featuring this ride, IL.

I own this exact truck (different color) and I agree with zoomzoom - this is a heck of a truck especially when you consider it was Nissan's first attempt at a full size. Contrast it against Toyota's progression to their now fully competitive Tundra (I still would prefer the other make/models to this Tundra). I'm sorry that the early issues and now the extremely soft market are forcing Nissan to give up. My '08 is a nice improvement on the original '04, one can only wonder what the the first full re-do or second generation would have yielded.

Also agree with zoomzoom on the value point especially with the pricing in the current market conditions. I picked mine up for just under 22K.

"one can only wonder what the the first full re-do or second generation would have yielded."

Rick, just wonder over to your local Dodge dealer and check out the new '09 Ram 1500. Now picture it with a Nissan nose on it, because that's what the next Titan will be.

I've always been strangely attracted to the Titan, even though I have absolutely no desire to own a large truck of any sort. I agree that a Nissan-design second generation would have been interesting. Even though the Asian companies aren't the traditional truck manufacturers, its nice to see what each individual company can bring to the table.

Agreed, Bob .... and I'm not happy about it at all. If I am still really smitten with the Titan in a year or so (had mine since Nov.), I may look to get one of the last ones while it's still a Nissan.

Same here Rick. I'm really sorry to seen the next Titan to become a badge-engineered vehicle.

Augh! "see," not "seen."

I mean nothing against the Ram, I think it's a very good truck. I just think that right now the Titan and Ram are distinctly different vehicles and I'd like for it to stay that way.

The Nissan Dodge deal is on hold right now... doesn't suprise me since this frame serves the basis for 5 products. They really need to keep it around. Nissan would be better off re-working the existing truck again... it's still a competitve truck and awesome chassis... expect to see them just revise exterior and interior again to pay off the development costs for this. they could easily increase sales by broadening the line-up (reg cab v6 for the southern states!) they just need to shorten up the frame and drop in the frontier/v6 and it could probably steal sales from the chevy/ford/dodge reg short bed v6 trucks that they sell a ton of.

Trucks get discounted like mad.
With abundant F-150, Silverados, Dodge Rams out there going for pennies, trucks don't make the seller any money. Trucks are handed out virtually free like candy.
Why develop another truck?
Trucks are for work. And workers can get trucks for pennies. Good for the customer.

There's no fashion market left for trucks. Bad for the seller. Kill them all.

Hello crossovers.

Yes, because a crossover serves the same purpose as a full size truck...

Other than almost the same ride height, they are completely different vehicles.
That's like saying, "Get rid of G-8's, Mustangs and Camaros. Hello Prius'.

There are people that need to have a truck besides those that work at a construction site, or those that work on farms.

I like what they're doing with trucks (especially like you said, heavily discounting them). If you need a truck for work or play (towing, hauling, etc.), it's nice not to have to get into another vehicle to enjoy yourself and the ride. Have you looked at the new Ram? That thing is beautiful. A very nice interior and very useful exterior.

The only thing that bothers me is something my friend and I were talking about a while back: "Remeber when every truck out there was around $15,000? A fully loaded Ram 1500 goes for over $50k now!"

There is no reason in my book to even consider the Nissan. GM, Ford, and Dodge beat it hands down. Now I know why in the four plus years the Titan has been on the road, I have only seen them a couple of times. Give it up Nissan, you lost to a better team.
Take the mony you're saving by re-badging the great new Dodge, and give it to your designers. Maybe they can get off the crack they are smoking. The Maxima, Rouge, Murano/FX, Altima, Versa, Armada/QX, and whatever they are calling that goofy minivan are all DISASTERS.

"The Maxima, Rouge, Murano/FX, Altima, Versa, Armada/QX, and whatever they are calling that goofy minivan are all DISASTERS."

Wow, considering how many Maxima's, Altima's, and Versa's I see around, I don't think they are disasters. I'm not saying every car that sells well is a good car (I'm looking at you, Chevy Cobalt) but Nissan makes a good product.

ronvpr

You are severely confused/high or just ignorant. I dont own any nissan product but to say its a disaster is ridiculous. The altima is a very compettive car in its class and kills anything that the American companies have to offer, although the malibu cought up slightly. The maxima is a great blend of value and front wheel drive performance, as a matter of fact its one of the best performing front wheel drive midsize cars out there. Then your "fx/murano" comparison is even dumber. THOSE ARE TWO DIFFERENT CARS!! one is based on an altima with front wheel drive and the other is based on a 350z. P.s when the Fx35 came out, it destroyed everyone on of your beloved SUVS in every performance, technology, luxery and reliability catagory. ITs understandable if you love american cars (cts=v, malibu, corvette), i do to, but dont spew non sense before thinking.