Overview & Reviews

The Nissan Xterra is a traditional midsize SUV with seating for five and serious off-road capability. Thanks to stout body-on-frame construction shared with Nissan's Frontier pickup, the Xterra is a beast on the trail and can tolerate a fair amount of abuse. The downside is that this Nissan lacks the on-road polish of car-based crossover SUVs you might buy instead.

The Xterra debuted for the 2000 model year. Later Nissan Xterras are similar in appearance and personality to the early models but have a slightly longer wheelbase, a roomier interior, more power under the hood and a few extra features. If you want a reasonably priced off-roader and find the Jeep Wrangler too crude for everyday driving, the Xterra is worth a look.

User Reviews:

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  Problems - 2002 Nissan Xterra
  By ANDY - August 24 - 4:30 pm

  In 2002 I bought new Nissan Xterra hoping that this car will be reliable. I bought an extended warranty to protect myself from any potential problems. Just before the warranty expired I have noticed some intermittent noise coming from the engine, I went to the dealer to have it check but they did not hear any unusual noises. Of course after my warranty expire the noise became louder and then the dealer diagnosed a manifold issue, they did not care that I was there before with the some issues (before the warranty expired), so the cost of repair was over $800 dollars. One month later my torsion bar broke and that was another $800 (with front shocks replaced), now I have found out that I need

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  Excellent - 2008 Nissan Xterra
  By Marcel - August 10 - 9:46 am

  I bought my Xterra in December 2007 after been around dealers because I wanted a real good SUV safe and stable in the highways. After reviewing dealer by dealer all the SUVs in the market this one was the more affordable and comfortable. Is excellent, the only thing I will love to add on my X is a moonroof!! Other then that, excellent.

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  Better Than Expected..! - 2008 Nissan Xterra
  By RSchools - August 1 - 8:40 am

  I have been test driving Xterras every year since their inception (2000?) and have always wanted one. When gas went to over $4.00 a gallon in Aug 08 I knew that it was a buyers market and purchased a new 08 for $18K even, or more than 9k off the sticker price -- WHAT A STEAL..!! Overall, I am exceptionally pleased with my Xterra. It gets 17+ mpg around town and just over 21 on the hwy. It is a very comfortable vehicle, even on long trips, and the versatility of the rear cargo area is wonderful. Some folks have complained about its interior plastic, but I luv it, as all it takes is a wet cloth to clean it in a snap. The only negative is that I didnt buy two of them when they were CHEAP!

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  First Timer - 2004 Nissan Xterra
  By Cucaracha Enojada - July 31 - 10:00 am

  This is my first SUV and I love just about everything about it. It snowed last winter and she drove like a dream. The controls are all within reach. The ride is pretty comfortable considering its built on a truck frame.

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  GOOD - 2004 Nissan Xterra
  By MHERRERAZ6 - July 31 - 10:00 am

  This is a great vehicle, however second row spacing is limited (crowded)due to the stadium seating. Drives well in different terrains, however feels very light when windy and moves easily. Extremely easy to have an accident under these conditions. Overall satisfied.

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  Best Utility Vehicle - 2004 Nissan Xterra
  By jhaskell - July 19 - 10:00 am

  If a fun, off-road worthy vehicle is what you are after, then The X-terra is for you. It is built for a purpose and fills it! Handles capably on the road, but was designed to be abused. Somewhat simplistic in its design (interior specifically), but most places you take this the scenery is better outside anyway. Get an X-terra and USE it!!!

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  SO far SO good! - 2006 Nissan Xterra
  By Jerry - July 19 - 7:13 am

  Hello one and all, i bought the SE 4x4 night armor late aug got 1400+ miles on it, the truck rides nicely and have been fun to drive. It has GREAT pick up, i AVG bout 19-23 HWY which is not bad if u think bout compared to other SUVs. Im 65 tall and it fits pretty well. It would have been nice for the back glass to pop open sometimes its a pain to open the whole back just to get something.Over all i am happy with this truck.

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  Fun vehicle to drive - 2002 Nissan Xterra
  By john - July 12 - 6:40 am

  This is a really good vehicle. I bought it new for my wife in 2001 and she drove it for 5 years and gave it over to me. I have driven a lot of vehicles but this is my favorite. Tough, dependable, versatile. Great in the snow if you add some weight in the back.

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  Nice SUV - 2003 Nissan Xterra
  By edjkc - July 5 - 10:00 am

  This is my first SUV. After looking at several different models, I decided on the Xterra. One of the biggest selling points to me was its off road capabilities (getting up in mountains during ski season can be quite a challenge in a small sedan). The gas mileage could be improved, but so far I am averaging 18.5-19 between city and highway driving. Not to bad, but could be better. Have read several reports on wind noise, but you must realize that whenever you add a rack on top of a vehicle the size of the X, its going to make some noise. Had a ski rack on top of a Ford Focus - talk about noise!!!!! All in all, I love this SUV.

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  Great SUV for the money!! - 2010 Nissan Xterra
  By Rico - July 1 - 5:06 am

  This is my first new Nissan and my first SUV. I mainly brought this Xterra because it fit my active lifestyle. I do a lot of mountain biking and camping and the Xterra has a lot of factory installed equipment that helps me move my gear along without any problems. The Xterra is a guy SUV it is clean and simple and has the right amount of options inside and out. If you are looking for great SUV with great reliability and safety features check out the Xterra.