Thursday, October 15, 2009

THE NISSAN XTERRA : IT’S KIND OF A BIG DEAL, LITERALLY

The Nissan Xterra is a handsome mid-sized SUV that one would not buy just to leave in the driveway for show. This Japanese designed vehicle holds true to its designation as a utility vehicle both on and off the road. The Nissan Xterra has won Motor Trend Magazine’s Sport Utility Vehicle of the year twice since its first generation model in 2000. It boasts a spacious interior and a rugged smooth exterior which is a look that appeals to the true rugged man and the rugged man wanna-be. It comes in four models: The Xterra X, The Xterra S, The Xterra SE, and the Xterra Offroad 4WD.

LOVE AT FIRST DRIVE
SUV’s are the only vehicle I have ever owned because of their commanding ride height, great safety ratings, and plenty of room in the cargo compartment to store and organize my camping and snowboarding gear. I have a friend who traded in her 2006 Jeep Liberty for a Nissan Xterra this year. The main reason she got rid of the Liberty because the mileage was awful and the trunk space was minimal. She likes the extra room the Xterra offers and the hard vinyl floors and surfaces. It makes cleanup easy, especially after her dog gets wet and wants a ride. She surprisingly gave me the keys to her new baby so I could take it for a spin around town. I thanked her and started the shiny blue truck from where I was standing with the push of a button on her keys, courtesy of the remote start feature. This feature is absent in both my other cars and would be nice for the winter when the car is half frozen and needs a head start before being driven. Starting up the car and driving it right away is not good because the internal parts need time to heat up to optimal operating temperature. The first thing I noticed when I sat down in the driver’s seat was the leg space the seats allowed. The seats are pretty close to the floor which is ok for me but probably not so comfortable for anyone a lot bigger. The center console is fairly deep and has coin holders and two cupholders. It’s also where the emergency brake handle is located for easy access. Another great feature of the Xterra is that it has three 12V DC outlets in convenient locations throughout the vehicle for plugging in various devices such as cellphone chargers, GPS, iPods and Fuzzbusters. Most other vehicles are lucky to have two of these outlets.

I pulled out of the driveway and made my way across the city. I have never enjoyed sitting in rush hour traffic until I drove this car. The sound system was clear and crisp, the ride was responsive, and I felt in complete control. Driving the tame city streets just didn’t seem like a true test for the Xterra, so I decided to take it out for a spin off road and put its full capabilities through the gauntlet. I turned the music up, rolled down the windows, and floored it. Oops, my mistake, I practically gave myself whiplash! I am used to my current car, the Honda Pilot, spinning its wheels like Wiley Coyote before it decided to take off anywhere. As I hammered the accelerator down, I could feel the 4.0 liter V6 practically devour the dirt road.
In panic, I slammed on the brakes which wouldn’t have been a bright idea in either of my previous SUVs, but thankfully the brakes on the Nissan are smarter, meaning, not as abrupt and violent. I eased on the gas and drove the car through some mighty rugged terrain. My Pilot and CR-V wouldn’t have lasted more than ten minutes going 50 mph on any kind of terrain other than a paved road. The Xterra, on the other hand, handled the dirt road like it was freshly laid asphalt. Before I returned the filthy car, I stopped at the car wash and made it shine once again. It was beautiful, I was in love, and I knew I had to get it.

YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR, AND IT’S WORTH IT!
When I decided to upgrade to a new vehicle, I wanted something that was sturdier and a more confident ride than my Honda Pilot and didn’t need a crazy amount of maintenance done to it like my Honda CR-V. However, performance was not the only item in my decision criteria. Big factors in my decision are safety ratings, convenience and comfort features, and of course the price. The Nissan Xterra has dual-stage front airbags, side-impact airbags in front, side curtain airbags which are new this year, tire pressure monitor, ABS with EBD, and electronic stability control. Like previous models, it’s available with a first-aid kit in the tailgate. It also includes a LATCH system which stands for Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children. The new Technology option package includes a Rockford Fosgate sound system, XM satellite radio, Bluetooth connectivity and steering wheel controls for the audio system. The Xterra is a bit more expensive than the Pilot, CR-V, and Liberty. With most of the gadgets I would want included and leather seats, the price would amount to roughly $29,000. The Pilot was $24,000, the CR-V was $21,500, and the Liberty was about $26,000. The Nissan Xterra is going to be my next great buy that will hopefully last me more years that my previous cars did. It’s an upgrade from any car I’ve ever driven. Not only in style, but also in ride and features. I’ll take comfort in the knowledge that while I may be a city driver primarily, my Xterra will be able to handle anything the unknown road throws at it.

Reviewed by: Stephanie McKenna




LINKS TO MORE INFORMATION AND REVIEWS: THE NISSAN XTERRA ‘09
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