For the month of July, our technical editor, Scott Memmer, took possession of our long-term Nissan Xterra.

Memmer has a long commute from the San Fernando Valley to our offices in Santa Monica. Because of this, he appreciates a vehicle with an automatic transmission and an elevated road stance, two features the Xterra offers. Even at 6:00 a.m., the San Diego (405) Freeway is already clogged with rabid commuters, and Memmer is shaking his fists at other drivers, who are shaking their fists back at him. (In L.A., some of those fists may contain an Uzi, so visibility is at a premium.) In this environment, the Xterra -- or any SUV, for that matter -- excels.

Our technical editor appreciated many of the internal comforts of the Xterra, such as the nicely appointed sound system, the logical instrument cluster, and the ergonomic controls. He found the cabin very well laid-out, a real study in simplicity and user friendliness. For example, the radio has a wide faceplate, with well-spaced buttons and easy-to-use controls. The A/C controls, too, are logically placed just so and extremely easy to understand (and Memmer needs A/C during the summer, where temperatures in the San Fernando Valley frequently top 100 degrees).

All this being said, his compliments end there. His main complaint about this vehicle was and is the seating position. As mentioned by several other editors who've driven this little sport-ute, the lack of seating adjustments make for an uncomfortable ride. In Memmer's case, being 6 foot 2 and 200 pounds, he found that he just couldn't get comfortable in the driver's seat, even after a month of trying.

Specifically, he found the seat too low to the floor, forcing his knees to stick up. (Our tech editor's 15-year-old daughter noticed this on the front passenger side too, and she's only 5 foot 3.) Memmer also thought the lower seat cushion offered too little support, causing it to "bottom out" through dips and bumps. Lastly, he found that his right foot came at the brake and accelerators pedals at odd angles, causing discomfort and even slight cramping. This made for a very uncomfortable month in the Xterra. Memmer advises anyone considering this vehicle to investigate the driving position thoroughly to make sure the Xterra's limited seat adjustments work with his or her body type.

Because our technical editor admits to not being a big fan of SUVs, he suggests taking the following comments with a grain of salt.

Mr. Memmer found the Xterra's body roll to be excessive, even for an SUV. Around the slightest turn, the tires squeal and sound like an old episode of "Mannix." It drives like a truck, which, in fact, it is, since it's based on the Frontier platform.

Also, it gets horrible gas mileage. Even in freeway commuting, it averages -- barely -- 17-18 miles per gallon. This strikes Memmer as odd for such a small vehicle. By comparison, our tech editor recently towed a trailer full of furniture from San Francisco to L.A. with his Dodge Caravan (V6, 3.0-liter) and got better mileage than the unencumbered Xterra. Go figure.

Finally, Memmer found the side sightlines in the Xterra, while elevated, somewhat limited by the design of the vehicle. This made lane changing tricky sometimes.

The Xterra has done well for Nissan, and, as a journalist, Memmer is pleased by this (since a healthy marketplace gives consumers more choices). The Japanese automaker has struggled of late, and it's nice to see the Xterra and Pathfinder invade traditionally American-dominated turf. This will keep American automakers pushing the envelope.

The Xterra would seem to appeal to upscale Gen X and Y'ers who have a lot of disposable income and want to make a lifestyle statement. Clearly, Nissan has tapped into that market and identified an audience. For Memmer, who is a little beyond those years and who has a wide strain of practicality running through his brain -- too wide, some would say -- this vehicle seems a little silly. For instance, why lug around several hundred pounds of four-wheel-drive gearing that you'll probably never use? And why drive a truck whose tires squeal around every turn? Give him a sedan or a minivan.

Memmer's just an old fart. As a co-worker of his said, "You need a check-up from the neck up."

Total Odometer Reading: 17,861
Best Fuel Economy: 18.3 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 15.3 mpg
Running Average Over Life of Vehicle: 16.1 mpg
Body Damage: $0
Maintenance Costs: $0
Problems: None.