Road Tests: Long-Term Test

There is truth in advertising. Nissan's print and television ads for the Xterra show hyperactive 20- and 30-somethings pursuing extreme sports with a zeal that would send Dan O'Brien into cardiac arrest. It's perfect for these people. Or people who want to look like them.

Most of us at Edmunds fall into the latter category. We pull on a little fleece and lace up our trail runners, and we think we're on an expedition. The Xterra helps this fantasy. It wouldn't be the same in a Ford Escape, Hyundai Santa Fe, Toyota RAV4 or Honda CRV — they all seem more gentrified, less rugged.

Indeed, the Xterra's thin seats are not made to accommodate the expanse that often comes with an indolent and self-indulgent lifestyle like most of ours. They're Spartan, like the saddle of a mountain bike. However, this is not to say the seats are uncomfortable. This month, our Xterra rotated from our Detroit Editor John Clor to our Senior Editor Neil Dunlop. On his drive from Detroit to his home base of Toronto (about 250 miles), Neil and his passengers had no complaints about the front buckets. It's just that with only three adjustments (fore and aft and recline) and sparse padding, they're by no means cushy.

Nor did they find the highway ride harsh. Despite its off-road prowess and truck-like demeanor, the Xterra cruises down the blacktop with little noise, either from the road, wind or the engine bay. What Neil did hear reminded him that this is not a car for wimps. "You want a quiet, comfortable ride?" Neil wrote in the Nissan's logbook. "Go on the bus."

On our same Motown-to-Hogtown (Toronto's nickname from its early days as Canada's pork center) trip, Neil was stopped by a 38-vehicle pile-up on Highway 401, which is notorious for sudden gusts and subsequent whiteouts produced by the snow that blows off the dormant tobacco fields that flank the four-lane throughway. With a wedding to attend in Toronto, Neil followed the other SUVs that traversed the roadside ditch and sought to drive around the five-hour delay by using the adjoining country roads. The Xterra needed to be thrown into four-wheel low to follow the Explorers, Durangos and Cherokees over the snowy expanse, but that's likely due to its lack of true snow tires rather than any inherent lack of ability.

Once Neil reached the city, the Xterra cleaned up pretty in a car wash, and the California plates got a lot of "Took a wrong turn, eh?" jokes from parka-clad natives. "Naw, we came for the cold," he answered.

Isn't that what someone from one of those commercials would say?

Our Xterra will reside with Mr. Dunlop for the next few months, during which time he will attempt to change his Sybaritic lifestyle in an effort to ascertain the Xterra's worth as a true extreme sport- lover's conveyance. Good luck, Neil.

Current Odometer: 28,302
Best Fuel Economy: 16.2 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 13.8 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 15.8 mpg
Body Repair Costs: None
Maintenance Costs: None
Problems: None