What do the rating stars mean?
Nissan has put a lot of what a truck is supposed to be into the refined and polished for 2008 Titan, and the 4X4 PRO-4X package is just one piece of it. From the entry level XE through the luxo LE, the Titan touts refreshed front-end styling and a new wheel design outside, plus enhanced seating and instrumentation inside. Really, it’s a looker, but not just another pretty face. Throw her some work and see it's just as it should be: tough, yet charming. The 2008 Titan PRO-4X starts at $33,950, but load her up with “feel good” and you’re quickly at $41,870, like our tester.
Initial Impression: Wowsey woo!
Scott: "Bright red … brawny … potent. In order, that’s what I saw at first glance, thought at first feel, and then what I knew at first blip of the throttle. I am a sucker for the deep throated rumble of eight big cylinders and the thrill in the nether regions when the copious amounts of torque unload into wicked acceleration."
Christine: "Loved the look from first glance—the sporty 4X4 exterior hit me with instant appeal. I liked the look, and when I glanced inside, I liked it even more: luxury combined with comfort in a tough, powerful guy. Now how would it prove in everyday driving situations?"
Continued below...
Look & feel: Potent, but refined
Climb up, and pull yourself in. That’s the trick to saddling-up in the strapping PRO-4X. It’s another sign that this truck is just that: all truck. But once settled into the seat, the “truckness” morphs into “really-nice-vehicleness,” yet not overly cushy (want that, get the LE model). Our tester had cloth seats, not the optional leather, which is absolutely fine for a truck. Leather conveys that “baby me” feeling. This is not the PRO-4X’s message, so keep the cloth. We also had the DVD entertainment system but not the optional navigation system. Nav is really nice for travels to unknown destinations, so it’s puzzling that these two items aren’t packaged together on the Titan.
We had to keep in mind that our truck came with the PRO-4X package and that’s where the rubber met the road. This batch of options, which includes high performance shocks, a deep 3.357 final drive, protective skid plates for the oil pan and transfer case, and an electronic locking rear differential is all about hard work.. We think the message Nissan is sending is “run ‘er hard, she can take it.” This Titan’s real personality shows up when the throttle is dumped. Under the hood resides a hungry 5.6-liter V-8 that unleashes almost frightening torque—Scott ran out of courage long before he ran out of throttle. And wow, the deep throated growl!
Along with all of the rugged toughness that’s built into the PRO-4X though, is a surprisingly comfortable and forgiving ride. We thought those perf shocks would make this truck buck like a reluctant bull at the rodeo. Not so.
Fuel-ability: Big, powerful, and yes, thirsty engine
We love the smooth, even, almost bottomless well of power that the Titan’s V-8 delivers (317 hp, 385 lb-ft), but it does come at a price. Fuel mileage isn’t bad given the size and work-oriented nature of the PRO-4X package, but still, it seems to drink fuel with little guilt. Nissan apparently noticed and took steps. Enough? Maybe … maybe not.
Our Titan was fitted with the dual-fuel (E85/gasoline) Endurance 5.6-liter V-8 that’s built with advanced features designed to reduce weight, drag, and friction and improve efficiency. It uses a lightweight aluminum block with cast iron cylinder liners. The cylinder heads are also aluminum with 4 valves per cylinder for better engine breathing, and they are actuated by reduced friction micropolished dual camshafts. On the bottom end the crank is microfinished as well and the pistons are graphite coated. It’s all in the name of low friction movement.
And while they were at it, the tranny got a dose of efficiency enhancement to boot. Power is delivered through a refined torque converter that reduces slip and returns more positive engagement, and a 5-speed automatic overdrive gearset drops engine RPMs at highway speeds for still more economy. But what we’d love to see here is an enhanced heavy-duty version of Nissan’s legendary ECVT (electronic continuously variable transmission) replace the 5-speed. Nissan has built itself a fine reputation for efficient continuously variable power transmission units, and a truck version seems like a logical next step.
The Enviro-meter: E85 lightens the carbon load
As with most FFVs, fuel mileage drops with E85. We averaged 14.6 mpg mixed driving on gasoline, but only 11.8 mpg on E85. Why? The ethanol component of E85 contains a lower energy content than straight gasoline. As a result, fuel delivery volume is stepped up to make up the power difference by increasing injector pulse width. This increased fuel volume retains normal engine power, but of course, uses more fuel. In our experience, larger engines incur more of a fuel economy penalty on E85 than do smaller engines. We think the system should determine vehicle load and increase fuel delivery only when necessary, not by default. The silver lining: E85 ranges from 50 to 75 cents/gallon cheaper than gasoline and is close to carbon neutral.
In spite of all the little things Nissan did to help efficiency, the Titan’s fuel economy is a hard pill to swallow. Yeah, it’s heavy (5500 lbs), and it is designed for work, but we can’t help but feel that some fuel potential economy was missed. V-8s are perfect candidates for cylinder deactivation. We’d love to see Nissan investigate this technology. Once developed and folded into the manufacturing process, the cost is relatively low and it can return fuel savings on the order 10 to 15 percent.
According to fueleconomy.gov, drive 15,000 miles per year on E85 and your energy usage will be equivalent to 8.0 barrels of crude annually—compared to 24.5 barrels for a conventionally fueled Titan. Likewise, greenhouse gas emissions for using E85 tally up to 11.1 tons/year, where the regular Titan will spew out a higher 13.1 tons/year.