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2003 Nissan Xterra
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| The Anti-Crossover |
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| Updated |
Jun 10, 2004 22:26:33 |
| Rating |
 498 ( -68 -13.65% ) | | Author | Christian J. Wardlaw |
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Description:
2003 Nissan Xterra
The Anti-Crossover
Writer's Notes
Test Vehicle: 2003 Nissan Xterra XE V6
Base Price: $22,399
Destination Charge: $540
Options on Test Vehicle: Power Package ($1,299 - includes cruise control, dual front map lights, power exterior mirrors, power windows, power door locks, remote keyless entry, cloth door inserts, delayed courtesy lighting, anti-theft system with engine immobilizer); Sport Package ($399 - includes front fog lights, front tow hook, rear limited slip differential, heavy-duty alternator); Audio Package ($799 - includes 300-watt Rockford Fosgate stereo, in-dash six-disc CD changer, eight speakers, subwoofer, radio data system, steering wheel audio controls); Automatic Transmission ($1,000), Tow Hitch ($349)
Price of Test Vehicle: $26,785
Engine Size and Type: 3.3-liter V6
Engine Horsepower: 180 @ 4,800 rpm
Engine Torque: 202 @ 2,800 rpm
EPA Fuel Economy (city): 16 mpg
EPA Fuel Economy (highway): 20 mpg
Observed Fuel Economy: 16.9 mpg
Competitors:
Chevrolet Blazer
Ford Explorer Sport
Isuzu Rodeo
Jeep Liberty
Kia Sorento
Mitsubishi Montero Sport
Suzuki Grand Vitara XL-7
This is an old-school SUV, cobbled together from Nissan Frontier pickup parts to capitalize on a growing trend toward smaller, inexpensive utility vehicles aimed at youthful buyers.
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xxx
CAPE COD, MA - In the beginning, there were trucks, and they were good. They had sturdy frames and lots of torque and roomy cargo beds and few (if any) cabin conveniences. Meant for workin', these trucks were, and they did not appeal to people with little work to do.
Then, in 1936, Chevrolet introduced the Suburban and began what would ultimately become the official SUV craze half a century later. The Suburban was a truck that could carry both a family and cargo, all encased in weatherproof steel and glass bodywork. During the decades that followed, the Suburban and others of its ilk enjoyed increasing popularity with rural dwellers, but city-folk still preferred wood-sided station wagons that rode more comfortably and offered the creature comforts that SUVs did not.
Almost 50 years later, the 1984 Jeep Cherokee debuted. Smaller and more modern than the hulking pickup-based SUVs that had been available to that point, the Cherokee found itself an instant Yuppie icon, gracing suburban driveways more often than dirt farm roads. Jeep wasn't alone in this game; Ford offered the Bronco II and General Motors sold the Chevrolet S-10 Blazer and GMC S-15 Jimmy twins at this time, but the Jeep was the only model with four doors, making it a fine substitute for a family sedan, wagon or minivan.
By 1990, when the 1991 Ford Explorer arrived on the market, automakers from America and Japan were busy designing and introducing four-door SUVs in an attempt to slake consumer thirst for the rugged, individualistic, lifestyle vehicles. The station wagon was essentially dead, and the minivan possessed too much of a Mommy-mobile stigma. These truck-based SUVs fed America's appetite for utilitarian family vehicles while transferring upon their owners the image of a healthy, outdoorsy lifestyle.
By the middle of the 1990s, a new kind of utility vehicle was arriving from Japan. Called the crossover, these thingamabobs attempted to blend the best attributes of cars and trucks into a single, do-it-all kind of conveyance. The first to market was Subaru with the Outback, followed by Toyota's RAV4 and the Honda CR-V. These SUVs drove like cars, looked like trucks, offered a high seating position for a clear view of traffic, had available all-wheel-drive for inclement weather and light off-roading, and could carry plenty of stuff home from the Home Depot if need be. Plus, they got better gas mileage and offered improved safety over truck-based SUVs.
Today, crossover vehicles are what people want. Which brings us to the Nissan Xterra, which can rightly be knighted the Anti-Crossover.
This is an old-school SUV, cobbled together from Nissan Frontier pickup parts to capitalize on a growing trend toward smaller, inexpensive utility vehicles aimed at youthful buyers. As such, it possesses superior ability to travel off-road when stacked up against its competitors. In fact, the Xterra is a blast to drive hard in the dirt. It feels indestructible, able to take punishing abuse and keep coming back for more. And in particularly foul weather, such as the blizzard and subsequent torrential rain that turned southeastern Massachusetts into a soupy winter wasteland during our time behind the wheel of a 2003 Xterra XE V6 4WD, this Nissan positively shines. At the Xterra's price point, we couldn't think of a better vehicle to have as we blazed through the snow, standing water and wind-driven rain that pummeled Cape Cod for a week in February.
Nissan has steadily improved the Xterra since its 2000 debut, and this year is no exception.
However, for most people the Xterra is overkill. Because it is based on the Nissan Frontier, because it is a truck first and a commuter vehicle second, because it was constructed using existing rather than dedicated hardware, the Xterra is not a good choice for a daily driver, traveling to and from the office primarily on dry, paved roads.
The standard 3.3-liter V6 engine, for example, is loud and unrefined, infused for 2003 with additional power (up ten ponies to 180 hp) and torque (up 2 lb.-ft. to 202 at 2,800 rpm) but not enough to make this two-ton SUV feel light on its feet. If you can stretch the budget, select the supercharged version of this motor, which is more entertaining at the expense of a mile or two per gallon running on more expensive premium fuel.
With 265/70R16 all-terrain tires, a tall center of gravity, slow and numb recirculating-ball steering and suspension tuning that tries too hard to provide a smooth ride, the Xterra is sluggish and unresponsive, wallowing over dips on the highway and providing a busy ride quality over flat pavement. Characteristics such as these don't matter off-road or when plowing through a snowstorm, but on dry roads they become a liability.
Occupant comfort can't match crossover class leaders, either. First, the Xterra sits high off the ground. Though our test truck had side step rails, we found them useless, mounted as they were just beneath the doorsill and offering scant width upon which to place a soggy boot. As a result, we continually muddied our pants clambering in and out of the Xterra. Rear seat access is no better thanks to slim door openings, and this, combined with the tight rear footwells, made exiting the truck an act of contortionism.
Second, the front seats are flat and featureless, turning mushy after an hour behind the wheel. New seat tilt and height adjustments for the driver help somewhat, and ultimately an acceptably comfortable driving position can be dialed in, but we wouldn't want to spend a day behind the wheel of this rig droning down the Interstate without a big bottle of Advil sitting in one of the cupholders. The theater-style rear seats are far more comfortable as long as you don't require anyplace to put your feet, thanks to front chairs that sit flush with the floor of the Xterra.
Third, because the Xterra sits so high off the ground and is based on a pickup truck platform, the cargo floor meets a six-foot-tall person at thigh level. This makes loading heavy, bulky objects more difficult. Further compounding cargo loading is the fact that to fold the rear seats flat, the bottom cushions must inconveniently be removed and either stored elsewhere or tossed into the cargo hold with whatever large object(s) you wish to transport.
These are the kinds of design compromises that are causing consumers to flock to crossover vehicles. Oftentimes, however, car-based utility vehicles lack rugged construction and visceral visual appeal. The Xterra possesses both in spades, particularly when painted a searing Solar Yellow like our test truck. Though we prefer the front styling of the original to the bug-eyed countenance of today's model, there's no denying that the bulging and buff Xterra means business. And despite a few assembly quality bugaboos in our truck, the Xterra nonetheless feels bulletproof inside and out.
Nissan has steadily improved the Xterra since its 2000 debut, and this year is no exception. In addition to more power and torque for base engines, Nissan has made its Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) system available on V6 4WD models, and it includes traction control as well as a tire-pressure monitoring system. Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) is standard on all models, while XE V6 versions get sixteen-inch alloy wheels and side-step rails included in the sticker price. SE models now include dual 12-volt power outlets inside the engine compartment, and can be ordered with a new Rugged Leather package. Four new colors are available including Canteen, Granite, Atomic Orange and Camouflage.
Also improved for 2003 is the optional Rockford Fosgate audio system, with which our test Xterra was equipped. Up from 210 watts to 300-watts of ear-splitting power, we were disappointed in the sound quality of this system. Granted, we aren't audiophiles and aren't qualified to sell audio equipment, let alone review it. But, our ears detected plenty of hiss in female vocals and the depth of the bass was disappointing. Notably, when the music was cranked up nice and loud the speakers were distortion-free, which may be all that matters to the buyer of the Xterra. We, however, want richer sound from an $800 system.
Since its debut, the Xterra has been marketed as providing "everything you need and nothing you don't." In a sense, this is true, but as time marches on, we see a softening of the back-to-basics philosophy. Does anyone need a 300-watt stereo capable of making the ears bleed? Does anyone need "Rugged Leather?" Does anyone need audio controls on the steering wheel or a pop-up sunroof? We think not. And now that Nissan caters to the crossover crowd with the stunning Murano, the Xterra can continue to pursue the small but loyal band of hardcore truck lovers that will most appreciate it.
Hardy compact SUVs capable of true off-roading are a dying breed. Among Xterra's competitors, only the Jeep Liberty and Kia Sorento are worth considering as an alternative. But neither exudes the sheer chutzpah of the Xterra. Evaluated in the proper context, this Nissan rules. But as a daily commuter we recommend something with a softer, more refined edge.
Crossover, anyone?
--Story by Christian Wardlaw
Photography courtesy of Nissan North America |
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