The new Xterra looks a lot like the old Xterra, but tougher and more powerful, ready for outdoor activity. Wheel wells have been accentuated with squared-off lines, adding muscular shoulders to the Xterra's stance.
The effect is especially pronounced from the front, where the massive front bumper and heavy grille combine with a conspicuous front skid plate, adding bulk and mass to the approaching Xterra. The roofline kicks upward to increase second-row headroom. Side mirrors are large and rectangular. The bodywork is intended to suggest an aggressive posture, and performance in the off-road sense.
The Xterra also projects a high-utility image. A roof rack made with wide beams adds size and a sense of utility. Side steps create easy access to the roof rack, a functional addition underscoring the utility of the roof rack and its cargo box. The angled C-pillar carries Nissan signature high-mounted rear door handles, a unique design trait that visually links the new Xterra with the original.
Overall, it's as if the original Xterra spent the past four years at the gym: same guy, but with more muscle.
Inside, the new Xterra has become more organized, and significantly roomier. It has about an inch more front legroom, and over an inch more front headroom. Second-row legroom, headroom and shoulder room have all increased.
Cargo capability has remained a priority. The rear seat folds down when needed, and the front passenger seat also folds down, meaning that lengthy recreational gear or lumber can be more easily accommodated.
Second-row seating is stadium-style, meaning that the rear passengers can see over the front-seat occupants.
Storage compartments have been enlarged (both center console and glove compartment), and there is also additional instrument panel storage. The cargo area has easily cleaned flooring and a total of 10 cargo utility hooks. The rear is set up to handle anything the roof rack can't, such as a dirty dog or muddy soccer cleats. There is an adjustable channel system on the cargo floor making it easier to secure bike racks. The built-in first-aid kit is included with the Off-Road and SE grades.
Testing an adventure vehicle demands something more than just putting around town, especially when you have a 4x4. Rising to the occasion, we ended up on a weekend adventure trip, driving to the Grand Canyon for a little river rafting, stopping in Sedona and Williams, Arizona, along the way.
Much of the route took us across lonely interstate highways, where we noticed the new Xterra cruises far more easily, and more quietly, than the previous generation. The automatic transmission, a five-speed overdrive, wins points around town. For commuting or driving in traffic, we would 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 on the sweeping, largely unpatrolled highways leading to Williams, the gateway to the Grand Canyon. In addition, the six-speed's first four ratios are lower than the automatic, so we could really feel all the torque when we shifted for ourselves.
The 4.0-liter V6 has very good, if not outstanding, response to throttle. 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 levels. 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 350 Z, and we would recommend it for those who like to drive.
Regardless of the power train, the Xterra is easy to keep in lane on the highway, probably due to the combination of rack-and-pinion steering and a speed-sensitive steering ratio. At one point, we drove five hours without stopping, a positive indication when it comes to seat comfort and overall driving effort.
To check the audio system, we jammed a CD into the Rockford Fosgate. We're not audiophiles, but we like our music. We can testify that the 300-watt system is quite a bit bigger, cleaner, and more accurate than what we normally listen to. 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, 8 speakers with subwoofer carry the day.
Even though the Xterra's utility quotient is the main design priority, effort has been made to reduce wind noise, and the results are tangible. Large mirrors, angled grilles, big roof racks, 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 redesigned 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-liter engine has some guts in the midrange, and we noticed that acceleration coming out of a corner is a strong point.
A memorable stretch came when as we approached the launch point for our raft trip. Leaving the highway for a graded dirt road, we continued downward for miles. 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 Grade 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, the Off-Road Grade Xterra, with its traction control, all-terrain tires and locking differential, not only got us in, it got out again, which is the whole point with a vehicle like this.
We think this is probably Nissan's most capable off-highway tool, a vehicle that can handle most challenges without the embarrassment of pushing, shoveling, or tow straps. With the six-speed manual, the low-range crawl ratio is 40-to-one, better than most Jeeps. Unlike many SUVs, the Xterra actually has a fully boxed frame and a solid rear axle.
The 2005 Nissan Xterra is available in 2WD or 4x4 configurations, in S, SE or Off-Road trim levels. Each comes standard with the 4.0-liter V6 and a choice of manual or automatic transmissions.
Safety equipment 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) and a child seat anchor system. The Side/Curtain Air Bag Package includes side-impact air bags, with rollover sensor, and side curtain air bags.
Options include the Power Package (standard on SE and Off-Road grades), which includes power door locks, mirrors and windows, remote keyless entry, cruise control and a vehicle security system with an immobilizer.
The Utility Package (standard on SE and Off-Road) includes sturdy step rails, electronic Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) (automatic transmission only), a cargo net, flat-folding passenger seat for carrying long cargo, and the signature first-aid kit.
The Rockford Fosgate Audio (standard on SE) package has a six-disc in-dash changer, eight speakers with subwoofer, steering wheel controls and MP3 CD capability. The system is satellite-ready, and has speed-sensitive volume.
The Off-Road Grade (standard on Off-Road) combines an electronic locking rear differential with Bilstein shocks, skid plates, fog lamps, 16-inch alloy off-road wheels and larger 265/75R16 BFG Rugged Trail all terrain tires. The package comes with distinctive black body side molding, unique blue seat fabric, cargo net, and everything in the Power Package. The Off-Road Grade also includes electronic handling systems such as Nissan's VDC, Hill Descent Control (HDC) and Hill Start Assist systems that avoid skidding and wheel spin through computerized application of the anti-lock braking system.