Road Tests: Long-Term Test

Despite a thorough examination last month, editor-in-chief Christian Wardlaw found more to praise and criticize during the first half of February. Using the Xterra as airport shuttle to pick up relatives, and as family transport for a weekend at Disneyland, he found the Nissan easily accommodating for a family of four and a week's worth of luggage.

Fully loaded with three adults and two children aboard, Wardlaw found the trip home from Los Angeles International Airport easy, claiming that "nothing seems to faze this engine." Under load, with the A/C activated, or with one person aboard and no accessories running, the torquey 3.3-liter V6 yanks the portly Xterra off the line and accelerates it resolutely to speed. Plus, it holds third gear well for hill climbing, which means constant gear changes aren't aggravating the driver and passengers. Wardlaw found that the Xterra has no problem climbing the passes between Santas Monica and Clarita (maximum elevation approximately 2,000 feet), whether during the solitary morning commute or under duress with travel-weary family members and their gear aboard.

Other pluses include the neat storage pocket woven into the left side of the front passenger's seat, creating a great place to tuck a cell phone, power bars, or other similarly-sized items. Dual front power points meant Wardlaw's trusty Valentine One radar detector and resented Nokia cell phone could share voltage simultaneously. Beyond these compliments, Wardlaw appreciated the Xterra's simplicity, and he noted that the truck is still solidly screwed together, with nary a rattle emanating from the interior, thus imparting the sense that it will run for thousands of miles without complaint.

However, there is a buzz coming from the right front speaker, no doubt due to an overenthusiastic audiophile. Wardlaw griped about the hard plastic used along the top edge of the left door panel: "something soft and padded would work better here, since most people rest an elbow in this location." He also felt a flip-up rear glass would help the utility portion of Xterra's equation, and he wrote "the medieval dash-mounted parking brake release has got to go." Finally, he took note of a recalcitrant brake-shift interlock that didn't always recognize that the brake pedal had been depressed. This resulted in frustrating attempts to shift from Park into Reverse or Drive. To get the tranny unlocked, he had to let off the brake pedal and start over.

Here's an interesting observation. The dual front cupholders are lined with removable rubber inserts, which allow for cleaning and upsizing the cupholder when necessary. Good idea. But Wardlaw's water bottle kept getting stuck to them (removed, the cupholder was too large for the base of this particular water bottle), and he often grabbed for some agua only to find that the rubber insert was affixed to the bottom of the bottle as he tipped it to his mouth. Amusing.

Wardlaw relinquished the keys to our Nissan without regret. You may recall that he finds the truck exceedingly uncomfortable, a lousy on-pavement handler and a gas hog. Suspected of suffering from OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder - you should see this guy's office; it's like nobody works in there), Wardlaw hates the fact that for miles after a car wash, water runs out of the roof-mounted bin and, when you arrive at your destination, you've got to wipe the truck down to rid it of soapy water streaks.

His wife, who initially loved the thing, now rates it so-so after having it parked in her driveway for six weeks. Mainly, she doesn't like the engine noise and the squealing of the tires around turns. These days she compares it to our long-term Isuzu Rodeo in terms of creature comfort and the driving experience. Not a good sign. Wardlaw reminds potential buyers that competition in the segment is getting hot, and soon the Xterra, with its body-on-frame construction and humble pickup truck roots, may be considered anachronistic. However, he notes, the rumored supercharged V6, due in the 2001 Xterra, should juice straight-line performance nicely.

Between drivers, we took the Xterra to Santa Monica Nissan for an early 15,000-mile service. For $102.42, we received an oil change, fluid checks, an air filter, a fuel injector cleaning, and prompt, courteous service. Soon, that dealership's recommended collision repair shop will inspect the barely evident damage incurred during an altercation with a parking lot light pole a couple of months ago, as well as the mysterious dent that showed up on the Xterra's left front fender during a week parked in an outdoor lot near LAX.

Staff photographer Scott Jacobs snagged the keys to the Xterra after it was serviced. Young and single, Jacobs didn't warm to Xterra's styling right off the bat. "Something is off," he wrote in our logbook, "kind of like a friend who just got a bad haircut." He also didn't think the first aid kit in the rear hatch was a good idea, claiming that without it, Nissan might have designed a back window that powers down (an admittedly odd idea, but apparently, Jacobs wants that feature on an SUV).

Jacobs called the interior "functional (but) sparse and uninspiring. It simply states 'I'm a truck and nothing but.'" He felt that the cloth upholstery was cheap-feeling, making him think it wouldn't wear well. He also complained about the useless sunroof: "I don't know why the SE comes with one." Other staffers would agree - Nissan should delete the sunroof and drop the price a bit.

Other findings included the fact that the Xterra's engine makes plenty of noise unaccompanied by much verve, and, not surprisingly, the suspension provides a truck-like ride. Also, Jacobs experienced visibility problems in traffic. Summing up after a week behind the wheel, Jacobs opined: "I wouldn't choose the Xterra. But I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to others looking for a simple, basic, inexpensive SUV that does the job."



Total Odometer Reading: 13,464
Best Fuel Economy: 18.9 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 15.7 mpg
Running Average Over Life of Vehicle: 16.1 mpg
Body Damage Repair: $0
Maintenance Costs: $102.42 (15,000-mile service - included an oil change, new air filter, brake inspection, fluid checks and a fuel injection cleaning.)
Problems: Blown right front speaker.