Regardless of the power train, the Xterra is easy to keep in lane on the highway, probably due to the combination of rack-and-pinion steering and a speed-sensitive steering ratio. At one point, we drove five hours without stopping, a positive indication when it comes to seat comfort and overall driving effort.
To check the audio system, we jammed a CD into the Rockford Fosgate. We're not audiophiles, but we like our music. We can testify that the 300-watt system is quite a bit bigger, cleaner, and more accurate than what we normally listen to. Getting good sound in an SUV interior can be difficult, since there are many hard surfaces combined with soft shapes to reflect and muffle sound. In this case, 8 speakers with subwoofer carry the day.
Even though the Xterra's utility quotient is the main design priority, effort has been made to reduce wind noise, and the results are tangible. Large mirrors, angled grilles, big roof racks, open side steps-these are features that invariably create wind noise, and at speeds over 75 mph, noise does begin to become a factor. Yet below those speeds, the Xterra remains nicely calm and quiet. The roof rack, a prime source of wind whistle, has been redesigned with oval beams, which slice through the air more cleanly than round or square tubing. Engine noise, likewise, is kept to a minimum through techniques such as a silent timing chain, microfinished surfaces and Teflon-coated pistons.
On smaller roads, the Xterra retains a handy feeling, driving with the ease of a large family sedan. If you push it, the long-travel chassis will show some roll from side to side, and the tires will complain, but in ordinary driving, the Xterra feels consistently composed and, for a truck, highly refined. The 4-liter engine has some guts in the midrange, and we noticed that acceleration coming out of a corner is a strong point.
A memorable stretch came when as we approached the launch point for our raft trip. Leaving the highway for a graded dirt road, we continued downward for miles. It had rained in the desert the night before, and as we approached the river, water trickled across the road, accumulating in the middle and flowing down the path. Eventually the trickle became a torrent, then a series of streams, and we found ourselves driving down a canyon path of loose gravel with rivulets of water running around us on all sides. The crunch of gravel gave way to the sound of water and rock in the wheelwells. We were forced to move carefully from side to side to find the firmest ground, crossing running water gingerly, for about a quarter mile. The electronic traction control kicked in and out, but we never got stuck. Eventually, we turned a corner, crested a little hill and arrived at our destination, none the worse for the moisture.
The Off-Road Grade is intended for situations such as this, because out-of-the-way places are often subject to changes in weather and circumstance. All it takes is a little rain, or snow, or falling rock, to create a challenge. In this case, the Off-Road Grade Xterra, with its traction control, all-terrain tires and locking differential, not only got us in, it got out again, which is the whole point with a vehicle like this.
We think this is probably Nissan's most capable off-highway tool, a vehicle that can handle most challenges without the embarrassment of pushing, shoveling, or tow straps. With the six-speed manual, the low-range crawl ratio is 40-to-one, better than most Jeeps. Unlike many SUVs, the Xterra actually has a fully boxed frame and a solid rear axle. Next Page