Nissan, which has been on a red-hot product roll for the past five years, debuted its brawny full-size Titan in 2004. Positioned for an in-your-face challenge to the F-150, it’s not only a true full-size American-style pickup with serious V8 power and towing capacity, but also offers a number of innovations that the domestic big four, and Toyota, do not.

Chief among these is a factory-installed and warranted, spray-on bedliner, Forget those cheesy, plastic aftermarket liners, or the significant additional cost of an aftermarket spray-on liner.

The Titan also features an optional, factory-installed Utili-Track cargo tie-down system utilizing the bed channels and specially designed tie-down cleats for amazingly flexible cargo storage. The tie downs can also accommodate the growing number of aftermarket bike, kayak and ski, as well as other accessory storage systems.

Other innovations include a standard, specially hinged rear door on Titan King Cab model that swings back 168 degrees, avoiding the parking lot clamshell situation between the front and rear doors. Helpful lighting illuminates the tailgate area when the gate is down for loading and unloading, and for when it does double duty as a workbench. There’s a small, locking, storage space for hand tools in the quarter panel section of the rear fender.

Also standard is a 5-speed, rather than 4-speed, automatic transmission.

The 2007 Titan adds some minor enhancements including new standard power folding mirrors with heat, power adjust, auto dim and integrated turn signals on the LE model, while the mid-grade audio package adds the ability to play mp3 formatted CDs (standard on SE and LE, optional on XE). The choice of both XM or Sirius Satellite radio is also available.

Walkaround: There’s no mistaking the Titan for anything but a Nissan, with its bold signature chrome grill. Like Ford’s F-150, all Titans have a V8 and four doors. Bed length is 6.6 feet long in the King Cab, which has rear-hinged rear doors, and 5.6 feet for the Crew Cab which has four regular-sized, front-hinged doors.

The Titan’s 224.2-inch overall length and 78.8 inch overall width mirrors the rival F-150.

Interior: The Titan’s cab is functional, comfortable well appointed and reasonably quiet, with deceiving spaciousness.

Instrumentation is easy to read at a glance and illuminated with Nissan’s signature amber backlighting. Control knobs for the sound and climate systems — as well as the inside door handles — are beefy. The steering wheel is big and feels like a truck wheel should. There’s also a deep, roomy, open center console storage area, that’s just convenient for lots of different stuff.

Notable options include front-seat side and curtain airbags, a navigation system, 350-watt, 8-speaker, Rockford-Fosgate stereo and a rear DVD entertainment system.

Under The Hood: There’s only one powerplant — a 5.6-liter, 305-horse, DOHC V8 that’s married to the aforementioned 5-speed automatic. No V6 is offered.

The Titan doesn’t lack for power, which is delivered steadily and very smoothly, with excellent acceleration and passing ability. It’s accompanied by a deep, sporty, almost hot-rod exhaust sound not found on regular production models of F-150, Silverado or Tundra. The Dodge Ram However does boast that deep, V8 sound.

The Titan boasts peak torque of 379 lb-ft at 3600 rpm — more than the F-150, or the regular production Silverado. In the Silverado’s pricey SS form, the V8 delivers 345 horses and 380 lb-ft at 4000 rpm. The 240-horse, 4.7-liter, i-Force V8 under the hood of the Tundra cranks out 315 lb-ft at 3400 rpm.

As you’d expect when an engine delivers this amount of torque, fuel economy is estimated at just 14/city and 19/highway with the 4X2 and 18/highway with the 4X4. Get over it.

Behind The Wheel: The Titan rides more like a big luxury car than a truck. The steering also has a precise, on-center feel.

Although most pickups offer decent ride quality when hauling something heavy, the Titan, with its fully boxed ladder frame, double wishbone front suspension and rigid rear leaf, does it even with the bed empty. Built on a new, full-size truck platform, the Titan’s ride doesn’t punish passengers. I found it to be a cross between being almost sporty and nicely controlled. When compared to the Silverado’s old-style bounciness, and the Tundra’s isolated cushiness, the Titan wins hands down. However, the new F-150, with its good handling and sense of road manners comes close, as does the Ram, when equipped with sport suspension and large tires.

Towing capacity for the Titan is 9,500 pounds for the Crew Cab and 9,400 on the King Cab, which is more than the Tundra’s 7,200 lb. maximum and 9,200 for the light-duty Ram. But it’s less than the 9,900 pounds offered in the F-150.

Whines: The sizable pillars around the Titan’s windshield obscure visibility somewhat. Annoyances I found are that the radio face reflects in the back window and the side windows in the King Cab open manually, like those in a minivan.

Bottom Line: Overall the Nissan Titan is one great, full-size truck that’s giving the big four domestics a run for their buyers’ money. I’ve been a confirmed Ford truck man all my life, but when it comes time for me to replace my personal F-250 4X4, I expect it will be with a Titan.