Rugged SUV for Xtreme adventure.

Introduction

The Nissan Xterra is the smaller, less-expensive member of Nissan's mid-size, off-road-adventure team. The Pathfinder is bigger, shares the same mechanical platform and similar mud, muck, and trail capability. But Pathfinder stretches six inches longer in wheelbase, to better accommodate seating for six and a more sophisticated rear suspension. The Xterra costs less as well, with more than $4,500 separating the base versions of each model. 

More than that, however, what separates the Xterra from the Pathfinder is attitude. The luxurious Pathfinder seems more suburban and settled, while the bare-bones Xterra almost demands youthful, outdoor exuberance, the kind of fun-and-games that Generation-Y so loves to misspell 'Xtreme.' Don't look for leather on the options list. Nissan has kept the Xterra true to its original concept as the rugged outdoors type with everything you need, and nothing you don't. 

Well, maybe a few things: For 2008, even the base-grade X model surrenders its window cranks for standard power winders, along with power locks, power mirrors, remote keyless entry, and cruise control. Similarly, S-models now come with standard step rails and a first aid kit. An available Technology Package includes a Bluetooth hands-free phone system and XM Satellite Radio. If you're going to go Xtreme, you may was well go there comfortably. 

The truth is that, like the Pathfinder, the Xterra is substantial, sophisticated, and refined, sharing a well-engineered, fully boxed ladder frame. Sophisticated electronics help maintain traction and stability over all kinds of uncertain terrain. Power comes via a 4.0-liter version of Nissan's acclaimed VQ V6 used in the 350Z. 

Still, the Xterra remains one of the few truck-style SUVs available with a manual transmission, and that alone may sway the buying decisions of some enthusiast drivers. In a market crowded with high-posture posers, the Nissan Xterra is the genuine article: a real, Safari-grade adventure vehicle that still handles everyday life on pavement with refinement and aplomb. 

Lineup

The 2008 Nissan Xterra is available in four trim levels: X, S, Off-Road, and SE. Four-wheel drive (4WD) is standard on Off-Road, optional ($2,000) on the others. All models are powered by the 4.0-liter V6. A six-speed manual transmission is standard on all but SE; a five-speed automatic is available ($800-$1,000). 

Xterra X ($21,130) comes standard with power windows, mirrors, and door locks; remote keyless entry; cruise control; and sun visor vanity mirrors and extenders, air conditioning, AM/FM/CD stereo, engine-speed-sensitive power steering, 60/40 split fold-flat second-row seats, a carpeted cargo area, roof rack side rails, and a security system with engine immobilizer. 

Xterra S ($22,880) adds a driver's-seat adjustable lumbar support, upgraded seat fabric, roof rack cross bars and gear basket, and aluminum alloy wheels. The rear cargo area features an adjustable channel system with four moveable hooks and Nissan's Easy Clean surface instead of carpet. Also standard for 2008 are step rails and a first aid kit. 

Xterra Off-Road ($26,330) adds exclusive off-road features such as electronic Hill Descent Control and Hill Assist; an electronic locking rear differential; gas-pressurized Bilstein shock absorbers; skid plates; and 265/75R16 B.F. Goodrich Rugged Trail T/A off-road tires. Off-Road models also come with fog lamps, unique blue seat fabric, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and a fold-flat front passenger seat. Four-wheel drive is standard on the Off-Road model. 

Xterra SE ($26,630) skips the serious rock-climbing gear for a more luxurious ambiance. Tires are 265/65R17 BF Goodrich Long Trails. Automatic transmission is standard. The SE also adds a trip computer, lighted vanity mirrors, auto-dimming rearview mirror with compass, and a 380-watt, eight-speaker-plus-subwoofer Rockford-Fosgate audio system that includes a six-disc in-dash changer, XM Satellite Radio, Bluetooth hands-free phone system, steering wheel controls, speed-sensitive volume control, and MP3 capability with an auxiliary jack for an iPod or similar device. 

The Rockford-Fosgate stereo is included (with the auto-dimming inside mirror and compass) in the Technology Package ($1,450) for Off-Road models with automatic transmission; a similar package ($1,300) for manual Off-Roads is pre-wired for XM but does not include the receiver. A Tow Package ($455) consisting of a Class III hitch and wiring harness is available on all but X, as are an iPod jack ($290). cargo organizer ($145), retractable cargo cover ($85), and auto-dimming rear-view mirror with compass ($245). Portable navigation ($745) and a dockable DVD player ($1,250) are available as port-installed options on all models. 

Safety equipment for all Xterras includes an advanced air bag system, which consists of dual-stage front supplemental air bags with seat belt sensors and a front occupant classification sensor. Also standard are three-point seat belts for all rear seat occupants (including the center-rear position) a child seat anchor system, and a tire-pressure monitor A Supplemental Airbag Package ($700), optional for all models, includes side-impact air bags, a rollover sensor, and side curtain air bags. Active safety features that come standard are Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC), four-wheel disc brakes with anti-lock (ABS) and Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD). 

Walkaround

The Nissan Xterra looks big, tough and powerful; especially at the front, where the massive bumper (molded at the bottom center to suggest a conspicuous skid plate) and V-strut grille conspire to add bulk and menace in rear-view mirrors. 

The roofline kicks upward toward the rear, to increase second-row headroom. Side mirrors are large and rectangular. Wheel wells are accentuated with squared-off lines, adding muscular shoulders to the Xterra's stance. The bodywork is intended to suggest off-road performance. 

At the same time, the Xterra still projects a high-utility image. A largely tubular roof rack adds size and a look of no-nonsense purpose. Available side steps provide easy access to the roof rack, functionally underscoring the utility of the roof rack and its integrated cargo box. The angled C-pillar carries Nissan's signature high-mounted rear door handles, a unique design trait that visually links the new Xterra with the original, as well as with the rest of the Nissan SUV family, the Pathfinder and the full-size Armada. 

In fact, the Xterra, like the Pathfinder is built on the same 'F-Alpha' mechanical platform as the Armada and the full-size Titan pickup. 

Interior

The Nissan Xterra is roomy inside, roomier than other SUVs in this price class. It works well for whisking four large adults and their gear into the backcountry. Second-row seating is stadium-style, meaning that the rear passengers sit higher so they can see over the front-seat occupants. 

Cargo capability is a priority. The rear seat folds down when needed, and on Off Road and SE the front passenger seat also folds flat, meaning that lengthy recreational gear or lumber can be more easily accommodated. After all, the Xterra is no poser. It's not a mommymobile masquerading as a rugged SUV for outdoor types. It is, in fact, a rugged SUV for outdoors types. Total cargo capacity with the rear seats folded is 65.7 cubic feet. 

The center-console storage area and dashboard glove box are both generously sized, and there is also additional instrument panel storage. On all but X, the cargo area has an easily cleaned surface, four moveable hooks in the floor, plus four stationary hooks in the ceiling and two more in the side panels. In fact, Xterra's inside-rear is set up to handle anything the roof rack can't, such as a dirty dog or muddy gear. There is an adjustable channel system on the cargo floor making it easier to secure bike racks. A built-in first-aid kit is included with all but the X. 

The Rockford Fosgate stereo sounds good. Getting good sound in an SUV interior can be difficult, since there are many hard surfaces combined with soft shapes to reflect and muffle sound. In this case, 380 watts, eight speakers and a subwoofer carry the day. 

Driving Impression

The Nissan Xterra is an excellent choice for outdoor adventures. It cruises well on the highway. That's important because outdoor adventures often require many miles of highway travel to get to the outdoors. 

The automatic transmission, a five-speed overdrive unit, wins points around town. For commuting or driving in traffic, we prefer it. But on the open road, the six-speed manual is a sweet gearbox, with an overdrive gear so tall the engine barely murmurs at cruising speeds. In addition, the six-speed's first four ratios are all lower than in the automatic, so we could really feel all the torque when we shifted for ourselves. 

The 4.0-liter V6 offers very good throttle response. High-speed passing with the automatic transmission does create some noise and vibration as the engine revs toward redline, but only at speeds well above the normal cruising level. No such issues with the manual, which is strikingly refined, yet sporty. We're told the six-speed is a version of the same transmission used on the Nissan 350Z, and we recommend it for those who like to drive. 

Regardless of the power train, the Xterra is easy to keep in its lane on the highway, probably due to its combination of rack-and-pinion steering and a speed-sensitive steering assist. 

Even though the Xterra's utility quotient is its main design priority, effort has been made to reduce wind noise, and the results are tangible. Large mirrors, an angled grille, a big roof rack, open side steps: These are features that invariably create wind noise, and at speeds over 75 mph, noise does begin to become a factor. Yet below those speeds, the Xterra remains nicely calm and quiet. The roof rack, a prime source of wind whistle, has been designed with oval beams, which slice through the air more cleanly than round or square tubing. Engine noise, likewise, is kept to a minimum through techniques such as a silent timing chain, microfinished surfaces and Teflon-coated pistons. 

On smaller roads, the Xterra retains a handy feeling, driving with the ease of a large family sedan. If you push it, the long-travel chassis will show some roll from side to side, and the tires will complain, but in ordinary driving, the Xterra feels consistently composed and, for a truck, highly refined. The 4.0-liter engine has some guts in the midrange and the Xterra accelerates well when coming out of a corner. 

We left the highway for a graded dirt road near the Grand Canyon. It had rained in the desert the night before, and as we approached the river, water trickled across the road, accumulating in the middle and flowing down the path. Eventually the trickle became a torrent, then a series of streams, and we found ourselves driving down a canyon path of loose gravel with rivulets of water running around us on all sides. The crunch of gravel gave way to the sound of water and rock in the wheelwells. We were forced to move carefully from side to side to find the firmest ground, crossing running water gingerly, for about a quarter mile. The electronic traction control kicked in and out, but we never got stuck. Eventually, we turned a corner, crested a little hill and arrived at our destination, none the worse for the moisture. 

The Off-Road model is intended for situations such as this, because out-of-the-way places are often subject to changes in weather and circumstance. All it takes is a little rain, or snow, or falling rock, to create a challenge. In this case, our Xterra Off-Road model, with its traction control, all-terrain tires and locking differential, not only got us in, it got us out again, which is the whole point with a vehicle like this. 

Hill Descent Control allows going down steep, slippery hills without constantly applying the brake pedal. Hill Descent Control is engaged by the driver via an HDC switch. It can be activated at speeds up to 31 mph in 4HI and 15 mph in 4LO. 

The Xterra is likely Nissan's most capable off-highway vehicle, one that ca. 

Summary

There is nothing else quite like the Nissan Xterra. It's in its element when used as a truck, a dirt-road prowler, or an adventure vehicle. It can handle wet or dirty cargo and clean up like a champ. It has room, power, and carefully thought-out utility features. It's built on a rugged chassis. Yet it's sufficiently refined, making it a practical everyday vehicle as well. 

Model Lineup

Nissan Xterra X ($21,130); S ($22,880); SE ($26.630); X 4WD ($23,180); S 4WD ($24,880); Off-Road 4WD ($26,330); SE 4WD ($28,630). 

Assembled In

Smyrna, Tennessee. 

Options As Tested

Supplemental Airbag Package ($700) includes side-curtain air bags with rollover sensor, side-impact air bags; Technology Package ($1,300) with Rockford Fosgate audio, 6CD in-dash changer, MP3 capability, 8 high performance speakers plus subwoofer, steering wheel audio controls, auxiliary input jack, speed-sensitive volume control, pre-wiring for XM Satellite Radio, and auto-dimming inside rearview mirror with compass.