King Cab models come with 6 1/2-foot beds. Crew Cab models feature 5 1/2-foot beds, trading a foot of bed space for roomy back seats and more interior cargo room. With the tailgate lowered, the beds can accommodate 4x8-foot sheets of building material between the wheel housings. Four big eyelets are bolted to the insides of the bed for tying things down. Like the Ford and Dodge trucks, the load height (the distance from the bed to the ground) is high on 4WD Titans, measuring approximately 37 inches to the open tailgate by our tape measure. On 2WD Titans it's about 34 inches, a big difference. Higher may be better in terms of machoism, but lower is better when loading heavy cargo. A 2WD Chevrolet Silverado appears to be the lowest in this regard.
The optional sprayed-in bedliner looks terrific. The anti-skid surface keeps cargo from sliding around, prevents scratches and rust, and reduces noise. Unlike plastic drop-in liners, it doesn't trap moisture. Covered by the truck's warranty, the coating is applied at a $2 million facility specifically built for this purpose at Nissan's spanking-new truck factory in Mississippi. The anti-skid surface can make it harder to slide a box out, but this seems to be greatly outweighed by the upsides.

The available C-channel tie-down system is designed to accommodate a variety of scenarios. It features C-section rails mounted in the bed, two on the floor, and one each on the side and forward walls of the bed. Removable cleats slide into the channels and can be positioned anywhere along its length thus permitting customized securing of cargo. Sliding cargo trays, a sliding tool box and other modular storage units are being designed by Nissan for kayaks, bikes, and other needs. The bed channels feature protective caps that slide on to keep out debris when they're not being used. It appears to be a great system.
An innovative storage compartment integrated into left rear fender is convenient for storing at tow-hitch ball, work gloves, road flares, or a first aid kit. Measuring 11x15 inches, this small bedside compartment is double sealed to be weather and dust proof. Opening it is a little awkward because you must pry open a little springloaded cover with one hand then unlock the lid with the ignition key in the other hand; however, the key can then be removed because the lid automatically locks when it's closed.

Cargo lamps on the back of the cab light up the bed; perimiter lamps on the big outside mirrors illuminate the ground along the sides of the truck. The tailgate can be locked with the ignition key, making it harder to steal, a common occurrence these days. A power outlet inside the rear of the bed is provided for powering air compressors and other accessories.

The Titan interior manages to feel spacious and snug at the same time. It's roomy in cubic feet, yet the interior is organized into handy tucking spaces and storage bins that corral all the stuff we are heir to.

Two interior configurations are available: a standard bench seat with column shifter that seats six passengers or an optional Captain’s Chair Package that features two front bucket seats with a gated floor shifter and a large center console. The leather upholstery in the LE models is sporty, attractive and quite pleasing; the rear seats in the LE are covered in matching vinyl that most people will assume is leather. The bucket seats are firm and comfortable. The seat bottoms are relatively flat, making it easy to slide in and out, yet they offer good support and feel like they'd be comfortable on crosscountry trips. We find them more comfortable than the cushy seats in the GM trucks or those we've seen in the new Ford F150 which could use more side support. The driver's seat and passenger's seat are power adjustable. Memory and seat heaters are available.
The King Cab has 60/40 flip-up rear seats and the nearly flat floor beneath makes loading and toting a wide mix of people and things a breeze. Three people can ride in the back seat, enjoying lots of legroom and headroom, but the upright seatbacks make anything longer than a trip to the restaurant or store feel like a journey. Bottle holders are provided in the rear doors to keep back-seat riders contented. Flip up the rear seat bottoms and the King Cab can carry a 160-pound dog in comfort. Hooks provided on the seat bottoms useful for hanging grocery bags, tote bags, or gear bags so their contents don't end up scattered around the floor. The seat backs also fold down, adding another cargo-carrying option. Add the benefits of the 180-degree rear door and the King Cab offers real flexibility.

The Crew Cab is roomy and comfortable, whether sitting in the front or rear seats. Nissan claims the Crew Cab offers more front legroom and rear legroom than other full-size half-ton pickups and it feels like it. The rear seat is large and relaxing, with a full 24 degrees of seat back angle. The rear seats are split 60/40with bottoms that flip up, revealing much more interior cargo space than what's available in the King Cab. The fold-up seat bottoms leave more usable space available than fold and tumble designs. Ample storage is available in the rear compartment, including door storage bins and rear door bottle holders in the armrests.
Up front, both models feature large knobs, handles and grips friendly to hands wearing heavy work gloves. Increasingly, Nissan interiors are standouts and the Titan continues the trend. "Smart" could be the operative word both in looks and in function. It looks as if it would work and it does.

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The manual heating/air conditioning controls feature big knobs. The topline Rockford Fosgate audio system has a big volume knob and large station buttons that can be set simply by holding them down for a couple of seconds. Secondary audio functions are easy to access and operate. An auxiliary input is provided on the dash for plugging in an Apple iPod or other MP3 player.

Thoughtfulness in the design is everywhere in evidence, inside and out, making the Titan a singularly useful truck. The lid on the center console is flat, so you can set a clipboard there without having it slide off; the lid is indented and lined with rubber for small items. The center console on bench-seat models is larger than that in the Dodge Ram, large enough to accommodate laptops. The center console in bucket-seat models is designed to hold DVDs and CDs. Well-designed cup holders are provided that are welcome homes for that sleeved grande cappuccino. Decent-sized coat hooks are easily accessed for hanging a coat or a load of dry cleaning. The glove box is large with a damped lid that doesn't slam open. Battery power points are provided for charging laptops.
An available overhead console offers several storage compartments, including a sunglasses holder large enough to hold those big Ray Bans that won't fit anywhere else. Adjustable pedals are available to help ensure a perfect driving position and are especially useful in moving smaller drivers away from the airbag-equipped steering wheel.

The LE model's optional navigation system features a bright screen with two views of the world. It's easier than most to operate. It appropriately integrates some of the audio functions and indicates the status of your air conditioning, but avoids integrating all of them so you can quickly change the fan speed without having to call up a menu, for example. The navigation system comes bundled with rear park assist, a great aid when parallel parking; the system sounds a beeping tone that increases in frequency as the rear bumper approaches an object, such as a parked car, a short metal pole or a child on a tricycle.

Safety features include optional front-seat side-impact air bags. The Titan is the first full-size pickup to offer curtain air bags, which can improve protection against head injuries in a side impact or rollover accidents. Standard safety features on the 2004 Titan include dual-stage front air bags with seat belt sensors and a front-passenger occupant classification sensor. Titan's front seat belts feature pretensioners and load limiters, adjustable upper anchors; seat belts are your most important line of defense in a crash, so be sure to wear them. In the rear are three-point outboard passenger seat belts and the LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tether for CHildren) child seat anchor system.