Full-size pickup truck buyers continue as a particularly loyal bunch, not given to switching allegiance without sound reasoning. The traditional Big Three domestic U.S. brands (Ford, Chevrolet, Ram) continue to dominate sales, so it’s no surprise others desire a bigger slice of the pickup pie.

The United States checks in as the No. 1 world market for full-size pickups, each one sold delivering sizable and welcome profits for respective parent companies.

In the 2000 model year, Toyota debuted its long-awaited Tundra. Nissan followed four years later with a serious contender of its own, the full-size Titan. Over the last decade-and-a-half, both have made inroads, but the going has been tough.

Titan was long overdue for an encore. Nissan learned mightily from its first effort and developed a fine-tuned marketing and content strategy for the second-generation model, which has been rolled out in stages.

While the domestic Big Three historically offer multiple grades of noncommercial pickup trucks (light duty, medium and heavy duty, or HD), both Toyota and Nissan focused primarily on the higher-volume light duty segment.

Not anymore.

The second-generation Titan made a huge splash in the 2016 model year with the XD Crew Cab introduction. The Titan XD includes the brand’s first V-8 diesel powertrain, a Cummins-brand 5.0-liter, generating 310 horsepower and hugging a newly carved niche between conventional medium duty and heavy duty.

For 2017, Nissan eyes the higher volume light-duty segment (also known as half ton) with Titan. It’s powered by a naturally aspirated, direct-injected, 5.8-liter V-8 gasoline engine delivering 390 horses and teamed with a seven speed automatic transmission. A V-6 is scheduled to join the lineup in the coming months.

Titan and Titan XD are built from two different chassis, with Titan’s wheelbase (distance between front and rear axles) about a foot shorter.

First impressions remain important and our Titan tester delivered many. Inside, a driver’s side grab handle awaits, a simple assist not all pickups employ. Shotgun riders and rear-seat passengers enjoy their own handles. Side running boards eased entry not only for this curmudgeon scribe, but his all-too-patient spouse and aging gray schnauzer also found the extra berth indispensable.

Large side-view mirrors include a concaved upper outside corner spotlighting side blind spots, a low tech, yet effective visual aid.

Interior wind noise remains relatively muted at highway speeds, impressive for such a large, not always aerodynamic structure.

All half-ton Titans feature an “active grille shutter,” which helps reduce air flow drag by closing an opening behind the radiator when large amounts of air flow are not necessary. Our tester’s grille sported a huge, chrome-like honeycomb pattern with Nissan’s logo front and center.

Also extra bold: exterior, strap-like door handles adorning all four side doors.

Our Titan Platinum Reserve tester included the four-door Crew Cab, the largest-available passenger compartment with two full-size rear doors. Platinum Reserve is the top level Crew Cab trim, joining S, SV, Pro 4X and SL. A smaller, two-door Titan single cab is available in S and SV trims.

All cab configurations come with two-wheel or four-wheel drivetrains. However, bed lengths remain specific. Larger Crew Cabs feature a 5-foot, 5-inch bed while an 8-foot bed comes standard with single cabs.

The Crew Cab tester increases storage capacity by 33 percent in the front row and 28 percent in the rear compared with Generation One. A new second-row under storage seat includes a locking lid. Also, seat cushions fold up against the backrest, increasing cargo carrying options.

Our Platinum Reserve four-wheel drive came loaded with standard goodies, no options and a $55,400 starting fare. The bottom line ended at $56,595 after factoring the $1,195 factory-to-dealer destination charge. The lowest priced Titan, a two-wheel drive single cab S trim, sneaks in a pinch below 30 grand at $29,580.

Titan got to work immediately, helping to relocate a couch-like, 7-foot-wide futon from point A to point B. Built-into-bed circular eyelets helped secure the futon in place via bungee cords. Illuminating the situation after dark were light emitting diodes (LEDs) located under rail beds.

Inside, push-button start comes standard. Below, a circular four-wheel drive dial allows shifting-on-the-fly between rear-wheel and four-wheel drive. A four-wheel low setting is available for slow speed challenges.

A notable change from Generation One is the transmission shifter location, moved to the steering column from between front buckets, allowing for a huge center console able to accommodate a 15-inch laptop computer.

Titan now promotes the longest duration bumper-to-bumper truck warranty in the business at five years or 100,000 miles. This covers not just the powertrain, but suspension, electronics and many non-wear-and-tear items.

During the 2017 Chicago Auto Show, Nissan debuted a four-door King Cab passenger compartment available in both Titan and Titan XD. King Cab slots between the single-row cab and two-row, full-sized Crew Cab. King Cabs feature a “clam shell” door design, with second-row doors hinged in the rear, and standard 6.5-foot bed. Also available is a second-row “seat delete” option built primarily for commercial use with

no second-row bench or heating ducts, but rather a flat rear load floor. King Cab is available in S, SV and Pro 4x trims.

Fred Diaz, general manager of Nissan’s truck division, comfortably sat on a lowered King Cab tailgate during a laid-back auto show media preview press event in February. Prior to helping launch the Gen Two Titan, Diaz oversaw Fiat Chrysler Automobiles spin off its Ram truck division from the Dodge group in late 2009.

“Titan gained about 1.6 points of market share (since the launch of the 2016 Titan XD). We’re almost at 2 percent market share,” Diaz said. Prior to the second-generation redesign, Titan’s U.S. market share hovered below .5 percent.

Top trim Platinum Reserves remain the sole trim offering an optional, exterior Titan Box, a novel idea Diaz brought along from his days at Ram Trucks (which offer a Ram Box). A lockable storage container extends along the interior bed side (with handy bottom-side drain plug) capable of swallowing a wide range of supplies or beverages. It’s also removable if extra bed capacity is required.

Last September, Nissan sponsored an outdoor dealer training event at the Odium multipurpose venue in Villa Park, inviting select media and other assorted guests. Experiential road-course opportunities included drives over a bundled set of logs, zero-to-60 trials and simulated rock crawls, all of which Titan handled with grace and ease.

Nissan assembles Titan in Canton, Mississippi.