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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  2nd Xterra - 2008 Nissan Xterra
  By Xterra#2 4me - July 11 - 9:20 pm

  This is my second Xterra purchase. I bought a 2000 when they first came out. The changes and improvements are generous. The horse power increase is terrific. The A/C is improved and cargo area is easier to work with. I have had my new one since Feb 2008 and love it. The only change I did was buy an automatic, I have to deal with stop and go traffic in my commute.

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  Great SUV - 2006 Nissan Xterra
  By Doug - July 11 - 9:06 am

  I owned a 2003 Xterra and it was ok. I traded that in for the 06 and what a difference. I love its off road capability. This SUV is very capable on road and the ride is much smoother than the older body style. I would recommend this vehicle to anyone.

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  Best SUV for the Money! - 2000 Nissan Xterra
  By Russ K - July 6 - 2:00 am

  I have owned my Nissan Xterra for three years now and have loved every minute of it! I have owned two Toyotas before and probably will not go back anytime soon.

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  Most Happy Camper! - 2008 Nissan Xterra
  By Priscilla Pike - July 2 - 7:53 pm

  This is my 4th Nissan, from a BT-10 Datsun, Pathfinders, 280-Z, to my new Xterra, and I am most pleased. I feel so very safe with its remarkable handling and ease in driving.

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  Disappointed - 2002 Nissan Xterra
  By Amanda7 - June 19 - 2:00 am

  We have had this SUV for two years. This is a truck based SUV and therefore, not always a comfortable ride. The gas mileage is horrible and the V6 engine isnt very responsive. At 45,000 miles, air conditioning started messing up. It only works half of the time and we are still trying to figure out what is wrong. Very disappointed with the overall performance and reliability of this Japanese vehicle.

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  X Terror - 2000 Nissan Xterra
  By Js_brady - June 17 - 2:00 am

  This vehicle looks great BUT the 2000 model is severely lacking in interior design. I have had my XTerra in the local shop close to 30 times in the past year. It took about 7 visits just for them to do an alignment, 4 visits to replace the intake manifold, 3 visits to replace the window seals on both of the front windows. So on and so forth.

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  Fun Mobile - 2002 Nissan Xterra
  By YeeHaa - June 17 - 2:00 am

  Just got My Xterra last week. Went off-road and had a blast. It is a little piggy when it comes to gas, but I knew that would be the case. It handles quite well, much better than some reviews that Ive read lead me to believe. It also has enough power, even without the super charger. I having that commanding view of the road. This is the best SUV for the money.

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  Love it! - 2004 Nissan Xterra
  By sixactual - June 12 - 2:00 am

  I like almost everything about my XTERRA, except the mileage and the gas guage. You simply can not read the fuel level without turning on the dash lights.

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  I lovemy 2005 XTerra - 2005 Nissan Xterra
  By Sylvia - June 11 - 9:30 am

  The Xterra is a wonderful car. It drives like a truck. It sits high. It handles well off the road. The six cd in the dash system is awesome. The seats lay completely flat. Plus the car is beautiful and can go from zero to 80 in about 8 seconds.(that was just a test)I dont drive like that always (lol).

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  2005 Xterra is Awesome - 2005 Nissan Xterra
  By Sean - June 6 - 10:20 pm

  I purchased my Xterra in April. I have about 8,000 miles on it and it is excellent. It is the best vehicle I have owned to date. Fun to drive, smartly designed and runs like a charm. Has good power and everything I could ask for. Would recommend to anyone.