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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  The Harrelsons Review - 2003 Nissan Xterra
  By harrelsonjh - July 27 - 10:00 am

  We owned a 2000 Xterra for year and a half, when my husband total it and he wasnt even hurt. So we decided that we were getting another Xterra, but this time we wanted to upgrade to a 4X4. WE LOVE OUR XTERRA!!!!!!!!!!

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  250k and still rolling - 2000 Nissan Xterra
  By patrick - July 25 - 12:08 am

  I was going to buy a Toyota 4 runner but comparable vehicle with more miles was 3k more, I bought it with 132k I have replaced valve cover gaskets, tires, alternator, starter and brakes 1 tuneup/ timing belt and fuel pump and front brakes in 4 yrs I have owned it (fuel pump was at 225k a preemptive repair) Check engine light has been on the whole time and no matter what cant get rid of it even though truck runs fine. 4wd works great. I paid 3100.00 and it was 14yrs old then and have driven for 4 yrs its got 250k and is due for timing belt replacement again. I am willing to bet this thing coud go 300k no problem, I have a 2004 for a backup and have not needed to use yet. All these years 2000-2004 have same issue of radiator support rotting away, check engine light, valve cover gaskets leaking and sometimes Distributor bearing going bad but if you are handy or dont mind a coupe bucks going for maintenance it truly is a good bang for the buck.

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  How an Alternator Died at 21,00 Miles! - 2005 Nissan Xterra
  By What Went Wrong? - July 23 - 1:56 pm

  After having a 2000 Nissan Xterra that never ever needed a repair, I purchased the new one in 2005, all two months of them. Now at 21,000- miles, my alternator and idling arm are dead. Go figure. Dealership thought the progressive noise it made was lack of oil! Wrong! New dealership cant explain why it happened. Neither can I or the next dealership I may have to go to,,,probably NOT Nissan!

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  Its awesome! - 2003 Nissan Xterra
  By George S. - July 21 - 2:00 am

  Ive only owned my new Xterra for a few weeks so far. But, Ive been looking at them for over 6 months now. The Xterra is great looking, and very fun to drive. Im new to suvs and trucks, but Im sure this is a typical feeling truck based suv. The steering is very numb, but again, I figure that is normal. Freeway driving is much more comfortable than expected.

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  Great SUV - 2001 Nissan Xterra
  By RickNYC - July 20 - 10:00 am

  I have had my Xterra for just over 1 year, and think its a great car buy! Handle well in NYC traffic and long road trips. Easy to get in and out of.

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  5 year review of 2005 Nissan Xterra SE - 2005 Nissan Xterra
  By 8watt300b - July 18 - 2:13 pm

  I bought this vehicle new, ordered in the color and trim level that I wanted. In the 5 years I have owned it I have had to replace (under warranty - the fuel tank sensor, a u-joint). The CD player quit working just off of warranty and I havent changed it as I use an ipod with FM modulator. The vehicle overall have been fantastic. I have put a couple hundred thousand hassle free kms on it and it hasnt had any more problems than any other vehicle I have ever owned. Its still solid, tight and peppy. Excellent for a small family, great for work use in the oilfield. Reliable.

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  This truck kicks ass!! - 2004 Nissan Xterra
  By swilson - July 15 - 2:00 am

  This truck kicks ass!! Great in the snow, mud and rain. Comfort for long legs unlike the Toyota 4Runners cramped cockpit. Great heater onboard for those freezing cold mornings. Very responsive and easy to drive. The turning radius was a very pleasant surprise. Extremely happy with the purchase of this solid vehicle.

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  hood paint off & noise underneath - 2007 Nissan Xterra
  By thomas - July 13 - 3:43 pm

  1) In less than 18 months, a small portion of the hood paint is off naturally. Bought brand new. 2) When passing a road-bump even with a very low speed, you can hear a noise come from underneath the car. The noise is similar to as if something was loose. On two occasions I took the vehicle to the dealer to correct this problem. The noise was back within a month.

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  Fun to drive - 2005 Nissan Xterra
  By haus1984 - July 7 - 8:01 pm

  Bought this a year ago at 67K miles. In that time Ive put about 20K on it. This thing is a lot of fun to drive. It will get up and go! Turns on a dime for an SUV. Seats 5 comfortably. The rear and passenger seats fold down easily and allow for a lot of cargo. It rides nicely and is very comfortable both on and off road. By off road I mean actual trails. Mine has VDC and it works great in snow & mud. Great visibility in all directions. The interior is cheap plastic. Things slide around in the “trunk.” Tire Pressure siren goes off a lot. I’m not going to overinflate the tires so I live with it. I check the trans fluid for murkiness often just to be on the safe side. Haven’t had an issue yet.

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  Best Value SUV, Most Improved - 2005 Nissan Xterra
  By CHS - July 7 - 6:46 pm

  The redesigned Xterra is one of the best values in the market. With the new 265hp engine power is no longer a problem. Excellent engine braking with the manual transmission makes the HDC unneeded, glad I didnt get it. Gearing is low enough for actual off-road use, great power in the low end. The clutch cancel and locking rear make this vehicle a great value without expensive add-ons that other comparable vehicles require for off roading. Wind noise is greatly reduced from previous design overall much quieter ride. Built on a true truck platform this vehicle rides like it should, not like a car. What makes this one really stand out for me is attention to details such as wiper function.