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Road Tests: Long-Term Test
Long-Term Test: 2000 Nissan Xterra SE
July 2001
By editors at Edmunds.com
Date Posted 01-01-1999
The month of July saw our Aztec Red Xterra languishing in inertia while its primary
driver, Road Test Editor Liz Kim, traveled and jumped in and out of other test
cars. No big loss to Liz — she wasn't that fond of the wet-doggy reek that
has pervaded the car since its return from Canada a couple of months ago. "Eh,
well, what's a rugged truck supposed to smell like, gardenias?" scoffed others,
who had no empathy for our olfactory-sensitive editor.
Recently, driving other mini SUVs for nearly two weeks during a comparison test
has given Kim an interesting perspective on the Xterra. She says there are two
types of people who buy them. First, there are the ones for whom "Duuuude, let's
go rock climbing and have really greasy, unkempt hair" is a regular utterance,
like in those Mountain Dew commercials. Then there are those buyers like her friend,
who just purchased a Honda CR-V that will never see a dirt road rougher than the
gravel driveway to a vineyard in Napa Valley. "It also hauls potted ferns from
Home Depot beautifully," said her friend.
Strangely enough, there are two types of mini-utes, as well; those meant to crawl
up a ravine and those that aren't. Each has its strengths and weaknesses. The
Xterra was built more as a rock climber than a cruiser, and for those who need
transport for about-town errands, an Xterra simply won't satisfy. With its durable
but cheap-feeling interior, lack of passenger amenities, high step-up, numb steering,
loud cabin, harsh ride quality and soft suspension tuning that results in plenty
of body roll, it's not a pleasant place to spend your time. The 2002 model pretties
things up a wee bit with faux aluminum trim and a six-disc CD changer, but overall,
if you bought your Xterra just to look cool, well, you won't be very happy for
very long. On the other hand, car-based SUVs like the Toyota RAV4, Ford Escape
and the Hyundai Santa Fe allow for a car-like ride with truck-like utility. While
they do tend to fall behind on off-road jaunts, for most buyers of this type of
vehicle, that's a pretty easy trade-off.
Liz has been fond of the Xterra ever since its addition to the long-term fleet,
but it took the supercharged engine of the 2002 SE model for our editor to see
what a lethargic performer the V6 powerplant of our long-termer really is. The
worst part is that this 3.3-liter 170-horsepower engine quaffs as much fuel as
a soccer hooligan does a vat of Boddingtons; it averaged only 15.7 miles to the
gallon.
The Xterra also pulled duty as friend-hauler, as Kim stuffed in four of her pals
for a Fourth of July outing at Dodger stadium (Dodgers 4-3, for those who are
interested). After a spectacular fireworks show, the Xterra was stuck in an inevitable
traffic jam in the parking lot that resulted in 5 meters of progress in 50 minutes.
As a result, Kim and her sated friends started getting antsy and started picking
on the faults of the Xterra. "No vanity mirrors, much less lighted," sniffed her
passenger. "What could possibly be the point of windows that don't roll down all
the way?" complained the rear seaters. "Hey, I only have a lap belt, don't drive
too harshly," admonished the rear center passenger. Thankfully, none of her friends
possess hips of the childbearing variety, so there weren't too many objections,
but the narrow cabin of the Nissan usually elicits howls of protest amongst, oddly
enough, our male editors.
The Xterra is nearing the end of its lease — it's being returned on August
1. We're already a couple of thousand miles over its mileage restriction, and
we're not looking forward to the penalty. As such, it'll live out the end of its
days quietly in its parking space.
Tell us about your adventures with a 2000 or 2001 Xterra (any configuration),
and we'll include your commentary in our Wrap-Up. E-mail editor@edmunds.com
by August 31, 2001, and please include your full name and city and state of residence.
Current Odometer: 32,324
Best Fuel Economy: 18.0 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 12.3 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 15.7 mpg
Body Repair Costs: None
Maintenance Costs: None
Problems: None
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