Titan makes sport of back roads
Northern New Hampshire muck and mire doesn't stop 2008 Nissan 4x4
PITTSBURG, N.H. - We were not nice to this truck.
On a trout-fishing trip in the brilliant fade of fall in northern New Hampshire, we filled it with firewood for a campsite, loaded it with kayaks as well as camping and fishing gear. We also expected it to protect our fishing rods and delicate collections of hand-tied flies. Then we asked it to perform like a brute, traveling over back trails and jaw-jittering back roads.
Most remarkably, our test truck, the 2008
Make no mistake. This is a big truck that sometimes requires multiple turns and fixes to park at the supermarket. But it does have reasons to exist: for work at construction sites, as a heavy home hauler or farm wagon, and, in this case, for sporting uses.
Like all pickups, it is easy to build on the base-price model, depending on what you need or want, and how much you are willing to pay. But first, consider what's included in the $32,000 base price. There are four doors leading to a spacious interior with lots of leg room fore and aft and overhead clearance that can accommodate the tallest occupants, such as my fishing buddy, Todd Vachon, whom we could not let out of the truck lest he be mistaken for a moose by gawking tourists.
Typical of Asian manufacturers, Nissan made all the interior controls big, easy to figure out - even for people with hands the size of Todd's.
The standard 5.6-liter V-8 puts out 317 horsepower, which doesn't sound overwhelming for a crew cab truck with a 7-foot, 3-inch bed. Still, it was powerful on highways, able to reach deep into 385 lb.-ft. of tugging torque in the mud and goop of back roads, and surprisingly quiet, even when pushed hard. Surprisingly for a pickup, the rear wheels remained stable even in situations where you might assume four-wheel drive would be needed.
And four-wheel drive is available through a two-speed transfer case with both Hi and Lo, shift-on-the-fly options. Yet field to stream, and even on late-night runs as we cruised looking for moose in full rack, we did not need that extra oomph. The set and strength of the rear wheels and their push were plenty. I can only wonder how much of a powerful, forward-pushing rig this would be in deep snow or an ugly bog.
Our test model came with 18-inch alloy wheels, a locking tailgate and cargo-bed light, tow hooks up front, an eight-speaker sound system, a front passenger seat that folded flat to act as a tray, a 60/40 split rear seat that folded up for cargo, and an electronic brake force distribution system.
The throttle response was delicate in a way that isn't normally found in a truck, with the slightest of touches or back-offs yielding appropriate changes in aggression.
And yet, we ended up with a price tag of more than $40,000 for our test vehicle. Some of the add-ons were necessary, some were not, and others should be standard, period. For example:
A $900 moonroof? Who gazes at the moon through the roof of their car or truck?
Want floor mats? They cost an extra $125. Puhleeze.
A mobile theater system will cost a hefty $1,450. It features a flip-down, eight-inch screen, DVD player with remote control, and a pair of wireless headsets.
The upgraded bed liner with nifty, moveable tie-down cleats adds $950, but it's worth it if you haul a lot of gear.
And then there's the debatable "popular package" for $2,250. It includes an eight-way power driver's seat with adjustable pedals, steering wheel audio controls, backup sonar warning, hands free telephone, and other electronic gimmickry.
The $450 tow package - with hitch, electric harness, transmission temperature gauge, heavy duty battery, and outsized rearview side mirrors - is a bargain.
But the $1,200 it costs to add front seat side airbags, roof mounted head bags, and dynamic vehicle control is definitely not a bargain. That equipment should be standard on all vehicles by now. Unfortunately, many people will opt for that silly moonroof or upgraded sound system before they will make the sensible choice of airbags and stability control.
All that said, we were not good to this truck, but it sure was good to us.
Royal 
