2013 Nissan Titan - Quality Review

There are essentially two different body styles for the 2013 Nissan Titan--King Cab and Crew Cab--and between them as well as the four trim levels, there's a wide range of equipment, comfort, and luxury for pickup drivers. Although interior appointments vary, what all these models have in common is a lot of usable space inside--which almost makes the plasticky interior forgivable.

Seating accommodations do vary, as with most full-size trucks. Base models use a split bench seat and a vinyl floor, for example, while mid-range and top-end trims get captain's chairs, leather upholstery and plush carpets, and a center console. Overall we've found it easy to get into a comfortable driving position in the Titan--aided by the power-adjustable pedals you get in upper trims, although the seats aren't all that supportive.

King Cab editions (reaching back to the days of Datsun trucks) have an abbreviated cabin with a bench or pair of front bucket seats, and some rear-hinged doors for access to a stubby area with a pair of jump seats. We much prefer the four-door Crew Cabs, with their wide, nicely positioned seats that seem to be more of a climb to get into than in some of the competitive trucks.

Within those cab styles, there's a choice or three bed lengths keeps the Titan in the hunt for hauling a big payload, but it's worth noting that even the longest bed, at 7' 3," is nine inches shorter than the 4x8 plywood standard. For 2013, Nissan has added a new tailgate design, and step rails have been made standard on SV and SL models.

The Titan is available with a factory-applied spray-in bedliner and lockable storage bins built into its bed fenders. Those features, and a channel-based cargo-cleat system, make the Titan better than most for the sort of weekend hobbyist-hauler tasks you might have--like picking up furniture, or an outboard motor.

The real failing of the Titan's interior is its Interior materials, which generally fall well short of the mark--especially as rival models from Ford and Ram are getting better seemingly each year. And the drab colors and textures don't help. On the bright side, wind and road noise are kept mostly out of the cabin, although some of us have found engine noise to be too boomy and in the forefront. While the note of the muscular V-8 sounds great at first, your opinion may be different after hours on the highway.