Two interior configurations are available. Standard on XE is a front bench seat with column shifter to accommodate up to six passengers. SE and LE come with two front bucket seats (captain's chairs) and a gated floor shifter in a large center console. You can still get the bench seat as a credit option, upholstered in premium cloth in SE and in leather in LE.
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. It's a good sleight of hand.
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 cross-country trips. We find them more comfortable than the cushy seats in the GM trucks or those we've seen in the new Ford F-150, which could use more side support. The Titan LE driver's seat and passenger's seat are power adjustable, with memory on the driver's side. 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 for back-seat riders. Flip up the rear seat bottoms and the King Cab can carry a 160-pound dog in comfort. (We did this.) Hooks provided on the seat bottoms are useful for hanging grocery bags, tote bags, or gear bags so their contents don't end up scattered around the floor. The seatbacks also fold down, adding another cargo-carrying option. Add the benefits of the wide-opening rear doors and the King Cab offers real flexibility.
The Crew Cab is roomy and comfortable whether sitting in the front or rear seats. The Crew Cab offers more front legroom and rear legroom than most other full-size half-ton pickups. The rear seat is large and relaxing, with a full 24 degrees of seatback angle. The rear seats are split 60/40 with 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.
Titan's interior is smart in function and in looks. Large knobs, handles and grips are easy to operate, even when wearing heavy work gloves. Big knobs are used for the manual heating and air conditioning controls.
The top-line 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 evident everywhere, 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 large enough to accommodate laptops. The center console in bucket-seat models is designed to hold DVDs and CDs. Well-designed cup holders provide welcome homes for sleeved grande cappuccinos. Decent-size 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 standard on LE to help ensure a perfect driving position, and are especially useful in moving smaller drivers away from the airbag-equipped steering wheel.
The optional navigation system features a bright screen with two views of the world, and it's easier than most to operate. The system integrates some of the audio functions where appropriate and indicates the status of the air conditioning, but avoids integrating climate functions, so you can quickly turn down the fan speed without having to call up a menu.
Rear park assist, which comes with the navigation system, is 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.
