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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  we like it so far - 2004 Nissan Xterra
  By dbarnman - May 26 - 10:00 am

  we have 10,000 mile in 8 months. no problems with the car it self. good vehicle for the wife. as for me sluggish on power, and i dont reccamend the dealer we used. we hope to have continued success.not shure how cloth seats will hold up. will keep you advised.

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  WOW, life is more fun with my X-terra. - 2006 Nissan Xterra
  By MomoV - May 22 - 12:33 pm

  I have had my X-terra for 2 weeks and have driven it 1100 miles (went on two trips with it). I am amazed at the design of this SUV. It is very well thought-out, with everything you need and nothing you dont (like they say in commercials). I went to Great Sand Dunes NP last weekend and tried to get it stuck in deep sand. I engaged the 4WD/LO and rear locking differential, and it was awesome! No problem getting out of deep sand. I bought my X-terra at Boulder Nissan (Colorado), and that was the most pleasant car-buying experience ever. Those guys are amazingly nice.

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  Xterra not what its cracked up to be - 2002 Nissan Xterra
  By Gremlin336 - May 22 - 2:00 am

  Vehicle has been in the shop more than driven. They cant seem to fix the alignment. All the Xterras I have looked at(6) show feathering on the tires long before they should! Seems to be a design problem. Could be because they use the older recirculating ball steering.

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  my first new car - 2002 Nissan Xterra
  By princesspoo - May 20 - 1:13 pm

  Ive had my car since late 2001 and I just hit 90K on the mileage. Considering the last 20K have been in the last 10 months, the car is doing very well. I replaced the tires twice, brake pads once, and had the belts changed recently. I also had the factory recommended 90K service completed. It set me back quite a bit, but considering the car has held up since 01, Im not complaining. I will probably drive it another year or two before seriously starting to look for a replacement. The exterior paint still looks good after a wash/wax, minus the dings you get from people who park next to you and open their doors too wide.

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  Great SUV! - 2003 Nissan Xterra
  By Whade - May 12 - 10:00 am

  I have owned my 2003 Xterra for 3months now. I haggled with the salesman and payed $24,600 for a Silver 4x4 SE, with floormats, and microcabin filter. The Xterra has adequate power, great features, and seems very durable. I have had no problems and have no complaints. The ride is very smooth in the Xterra as the wheels absorb any potholes or bumps you might hit rather well. Cabin noise is also very quiet.The instrument panel is well laid out an I especially like the radio controls on the steering wheel. The Xterra is a solid vehicle and provides a good view of the road. It also provides good acceleration and Im able to merge and pass traffic easily.

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  Practical Fun - 2005 Nissan Xterra
  By maximus - May 11 - 12:23 am

  This is a fun car to drive with a lot of pluses, although there are also some negatives. The pluses include the industrial styling - if thats your thing, lots of power, storage galore, easy to clean interior, vehicle stability control, low tire pressure warning gauge, very quiet interior - even at 80+mph, interior tie down points everywhere, great door cup holders, and a great sounding stereo system. The negatives include interior plastic pieces that scratch very easily, chintzy chrome handles, semi-functional center cup holders, difficult rear entry/exit due to short wheelbase, base stereo does not read MP3 cds or have an auxiliary audio input.

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  Street machine with real offroad cred - 2006 Nissan Xterra
  By Whitney - May 3 - 12:26 am

  Nissan did a great job with the 2006 redesign, esp. the engine upgrade. Handles great on the road. Tight suspension, great pickup, quick starts. Quiet on the highway. No sacrifice in offroad performance. This is a perfect vehicle for around the town driving during the week and offroad trips on weekends. Design and interior are well thought-out with racks from Yakima to handle whatever your gear may be--skis, surfboard, bikes, packs, dog... Stereo sounds great. Great 360 visibility from the cab. Seats 4 comfortably except for the climb. Can change 2 to 4-high to 4- low with locking rear dif. Makes a great utility vehicle.

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  Very average SUV - 2003 Nissan Xterra
  By jcohen1994 - April 24 - 2:00 am

  Xterra is not too big, but carries everything I need. The 4WD goes through anything. Biggest drawback: gas mileage. EPA projected 17/20 for the 5 speed Xterra is a joke. I get 13 around town and 16 on the hwy. If gas mileage is important, pass on this truck. If it doesnt matter, go ahead and buy it. Other negatives: Heater/AC system doesnt work well, the 4WD gets stuck (requiring one to go into reverse to unlock the hubs), and there are no drip rails to keep rain and snow from falling on the seats when you open a door.

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  MY BUTT HURTS - 2004 Nissan Xterra
  By OICU812 - April 24 - 2:00 am

  I drove it 900 miles this week and my butt hurts. Extra foam and a Sheep skin seat cover helps some. 100% city driving gave 15mpg and interstate gives 18 on windy days and 19.5 on calm days. At 4500 miles the only problem was an oil leak at a plug near the oil filter. The odometer is off by 3.4% so to be fair you can add another .5mpg to the above MPG. The dealer says the odometer can not be adjusted. I have a 02 Tahoe with 105 more HP and 1000lbs heavier and it gets better MPG, 16 city and the last highway trip was 21MPG(honest injun). AND ABOVE ALL IT DOES NOT MAKE MY BUTT HURT. My first NISSAN and Im not happy. Time will tell.

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  Puts the S and U in Your V - 2006 Nissan Xterra
  By tropx - April 23 - 3:26 am

  Tried a 1st gen Xterra a couple of years ago and was unimpressed. Cool styling, but too noisy inside, gutless (even the S/C model), and crude overall. Great off-road, though. The new X is nothing like its predecessor. It still has the OR chops, but its refinement is a quantum leap ahead of Gen 1. I am impressed with its quietness on the highway. Ride quality is firm but fairly smooth. Sharp handling, fun to drive, plenty o power. A great cruiser, yet also a bona fide off-roader--NOT a quasi-SUV wannabe. A great choice if you have only one vehicle for commuting AND playing in the dirt. Be prepared at the gas pump, though--so far I average 17 mpg (90% highway) on winter gas.