2005 Nissan Xterra

A gear-friendly toolbox-on-wheels, in a market segment of one

Nissan's Xterra, introduced in 1999, was an instant hit with younger, active folks. Still alone and unique in the market, the Xterra fills a purpose similar to that of the old International Scout, the original Ford Bronco, and the Jeep Cherokee. It's in the category of trucks that looks good dirty. It makes no claims to be a family SUV - no third-row seats, no drop-down DVD player, no leather seats, no power liftgate. Just a simple but very distinctive sport-utility that can get you and your gear through a rough trail. So, we wondered, does the all-new Xterra keep it real?

Like the rest of Nissan's truck lineup, the Xterra has been completely redesigned on the F-Alpha platform, first used on the new Titan full-size pickup and now used on the Armada, Pathfinder, and Frontier pickup and SUV models. It includes a fully boxed steel frame underneath, with most of the mechanical components tucked inside the frame.

New engine has the guts

The former Xterra had a very distinctive design, but it never had a lot of power to boast. Now, the rather inadequate base four-cylinder engine is gone from the lineup, and the only engine available on the Xterra is a much more powerful 265-hp, 4.0-liter V-6.

The new V-6 is related to Nissan's VQ engine family that powers many of its products, but here it's tuned for truck duty. It has an aluminum block and heads, with variable valve timing, variable induction, and a high-capacity exhaust. With 284 lb-ft of torque, it's not working hard at all in routine driving, and with greater efficiency it should get one or two mpg better than the old V-6, according to Nissan officials.

A six-speed manual is standard, replacing the five-speed manual of the outgoing Xterra that just couldn't handle the new engine's torque. Nissan officials told us that it's essentially the same six-speed offered on Nissan/Infiniti's rear-wheel-drive cars, like the Z350 and the G35, but with a different linkage and takeoff for the transfer case. The new six-speed doesn't feel anything like the 350Z's gearbox, because the throws are long and the linkage is looser, but it does shift easily through all the gates and the clutch takes up progressively.

Optional on all models is a five-speed automatic transmission, a version of the same transmission used on the full-size Titan pickup and Armada SUV. We drove both transmissions, and the automatic shifted smoothly and confidently, up and down, without the indecision that still seems to plagues some newer automatics. In the end I was very pleased with the automatic - and I'm a die-hard shift-it-myself driver.

The front suspension is now a multi-link (double A-arm) setup, which completely eliminates the need for strut towers and allowed designers to shorten the engine bay and allow for more cabin room and deeper footwells. In back, the suspension follows old-school truck tradition, with leaf springs. They're underslung, which allows the shock towers to be located as far outside as possible, for a wider, more stable stance. Travel is comparable to coils, engineers on the project say.

This actually translates to a very nice, well controlled ride on the road, especially for a vehicle with such a short wheelbase, the ride is smooth and settled, rather than pitchy, and the leaf springs in back behave well unless you're cornering over a bump or driving down a really pockmarked road.

Braking is also confident and straight, with none of the noticeable nosedive you might expect from a tall and (proportionately) short vehicle like this. Four-wheel disc brakes with anti-lock and electronic brake distribution are standard on all Xterras.

Off-road friendly

Just looking at the Xterra's profile and stance, it looks like a vehicle that would be extremely capable off-road, and a short trip onto a few rough trails gave all indications that it's a truck that's tough enough for more serious off-roading than just going up a two-track to the campsite. Maximum ground clearance is 9.5 inches, with an approach angle of 33.2 degrees and a departure angle of 29.4 degrees. Most critical mechanical components are tucked inside the area protected by the frame rails.