There was no testing this full sized pickup truck by driving it on a race track or around town. The Nissan Titan’s testing grounds were boat ramps, up hills and down hills pulling a 20 foot bass boat. It was real life boat towing situations that any angler would put their full size truck through going to the lake.

Before I get into the details of performance, exterior, interior, reliability, and safety features here are some information about the 2012 Titan 4X4 PRO-4X truck (www.nissanusa.com) that was driven:

Mechanical & Performance
•    5.6-Liter V8 Engine with 317 Horsepower and 385 lb-ft of Torque
•    5-Speed Automatic Transmission with Tow/Haul Mode and 3.357:1 Final Gear Ratio
•    Shift-on-the-fly 4WD System
•    2-Speed Transfer Case with 4Hi & 4Lo
•    Electronic Locking Rear Differential
•    4-Wheel Disc Brakes
•    4-Wheel Active Brake Limited Slip (ABLS)

Safety & Security
•    Driver & Front Passenger, Side-Impact, & Curtain Air Bags.
•    4-Wheel Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS)
•    Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC)
•    Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD)
•    Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
•    Vehicle Security System (VSS)
•    Nissan Vehicle Immobilizer System
(Due to space not all mechanical, performance, safety, security, comfort & convenience and exterior features were not listed in this article. Please check with your local Nissan dealer or go to www.nissanusa.com for more information on the Nissan Titan).

Pulling a 20 foot bass boat takes power. That power comes from its engine. The 5.6-liter engine produces 385 lb-ft of torque equaling 9,300¹ pounds of maximum towing ability in the Nissan Titan 4X4 PRO-4X pickup truck. Lots of numbers, but what it really means is the Nissan Titan had no problem accelerating up long grades without excessive shifting or letting the pickup truck over accelerate going down steep grades requiring the driver to apply the brakes when the Tow Mode switch was activated. The truck also accelerated quicker in the Tow Mode making it easier to start from a dead stop.

Nissan Titan 4X4 PRO-4X pickup truck had plenty of power on the highway, but how about a steep boat ramp. It was tested on two different ramps. SWEPCO Lake just west of Gentry, Arkansas had the steepest incline. The heated lake also provided a chance to engage the 4WD 4LO drive mode since the ramps surface was wet as numerous boats were putting in and out being the only lake where anglers can catch largemouth bass on topwater lures in the winter time. Backing up was no issue. No slipping or sliding. After the boat slid off the boat trailer the powerful V8 easily pulled up and off the ramp into a parking spot. The other ramp located on Beaver Lake had a longer ramp with less of an incline and again the Nissan Titan 4X4 PRO-4X pickup truck had no problem driving up the ramp.

Pulling a 20 foot bass boat is important, but so is stopping. The 20 foot bass boat had surge brakes on the trailer that would engage whenever the driver applied enough force on the truck’s brakes. The surge brakes couldn’t stop the vehicle only assisted in braking. Nevertheless, the Nissan Titan 4X4 PRO-4X pickup truck never felt like it was being pushed forward when the truck’s brakes were applied.

The Nissan Titan 4X4 PRO-4X truck was equipped with a Class IV tow hitch receiver and 7-pin wiring harness. The height of the truck made it necessary to use a 4-inch drop ball mount receiver otherwise it had two spots for the safety chain to hook onto.

The interior of the Nissan Titan 4X4 PRO-4X had all the amenities any angler would want in a truck to pull their bass boat. Power everything including a power drop rear cab window and the Rockford Fosgate powered audio system with its eight speakers including a woofer and center speaker would keep the angler pumped up until they hit the lake.

The exterior had a big, bold look that commanded respect when parked in any parking lot. A Red Alert color pattern drew looks from everyone as it went down the road or sitting in a parking lot. Truth is that any place you pulled in the truck’s sharp looks turned heads. The foldable extra large outside mirrors made it easy to back down a ramp, into your driveway, or check your boat trailer as you drove down the highway. The four door crew cab also was convenient for storing fishing equipment or clothing with folding seats and flat loading floor.  

The only part an angler won’t like about the Nissan Titan 4X4 PRO-4X is the mpg when towing a boat, but most full size trucks don’t get overly impressive mpg when towing. The truck is rated at 12 mpg city and 17 mpg highway, but that will vary depending on your driving habits. You can also expect your mpg to decrease due to idling on the ramp while launching, loading, and parking the trailer.

The Nissan Titan 4X4 PRO-4X pickup truck will easily pull any bass or pleasure boat without any problem. It’s a safe truck with numerous standard safety features from dual-stage front air bags to front-seat active head restraints. The spacious interior feels right and comfortable for all five of your fishing buddies to fit in the Titan crew cabin model; however, what’s really impressive is the exterior. Its powerful, bold appearance turns heads while the features like versatile cargo options make this a functional and perfect truck for anglers.

¹The towing capacity values are calculated assuming a base vehicle with driver and any options required to achieve the rating.