Here we have a relative old timer from the Nissan factories. Introduced back in 2005, the 2009 Nissan Titan might be forgiven for showing its age, but the Japanese auto manufacturer has kept the line ruthlessly modern with every successive update. So what’s new in 2009?

The most visible, but probably least impressive, of the changes to the Titan is a newly designed front end. Ruthlessly modern, with chrome and bullish styling making no apologies for the trucks massive stature, but it’s called the Titan so that was probably never high on the agenda.

What we can be sure was high on the original feature list however, is the no-compromise V8 engine. Nissans VK56DE Endurance 5.6-liter DOHC 32-valve V8 engine produces 317 hp at 5,200 rpm and 385 lb-ft of torque for the Titan. Not an inconsiderable amount of power for a deceptively light chassis, and let’s just say that dampening the sound created by the rough and ready engine also hasn’t been a priority for Nissan.

Ignoring the obvious economic and environmental question marks hanging over large SUV’s this year, the only major blight to the 2009 Nissan Titans character is its lack of internal finish quality and features. Even compared to Dodge’s rough and ready offerings, the Titan falls short on value when it comes to included extras.