An SUV for the purist!

I had intended to wait until I had owned this vehicle longer before reviewing it, but I cannot keep quiet about it. I LOVE IT! I was driving a 1995 V6 4Runner with AT and full power package that gave me MANY problems, and finally traded it on this Xterra thirteen days ago. I have 750 miles on it now, and can report the following:

The drivers seat is the most comfortable I have ever used; the adjustments are quite simple and intuitive, and combined with the tilt wheel, you can adjust this to feel perfect to YOU.

The gauges are all well laid out and easy to read, the controls are easily in reach while driving, and everything functions flawlessly.

The power of this V6 is MUCH superior to the 4Runner V6; I climb hills in fifth which the 4Runner would downshift to 3rd for.

The mileage is good for a vehicle this size. On my commuting route, which does not vary, I just got 21.2 MPG in this vehicle. The best I could coax out of my 4Runner on this exact route, driven the same way, was 16.2.

I have the XE without all the fancy additions, but find it fits me perfectly. The 'basic' sound system is great! Six speakers and good tone controlls fill the vehicle with good sounds during my two-hour-a-day commute. The radio power and selectivity is good; I can pull in stations in areas where they would drift out in my other vehicles. The CD player is quite stable, never skipping on the bumpy roads I travel over.

The 4 Wheel Drive is simple and effective; the auto-engaging hubs work perfectly, as they do on all Nissan vehicles.

There is a lot of cargo space with all seats in use, and with the back seats folded down, there is a HUGE amount of room back there. Several tied-down points are provided for cargo, as are four 12 V outlets for camping accessories.

During my paste waxing and detailing, I found the fit and attention-to-detail to be outstanding, from the double oversize seals on the doors, to the retainer strap on the gas cap (which prevents losing it!) to be superior in all ways.

The idea of a cargo basket on the roof rack is puzzling at first - but think about those trips to the beach - when you are ready to leave and have those wet swim suits, surf toys, and sandy beach towels to haul - just toss them in the roof basket and strap a cargo net over them - they will be dry by the time you get home.

The gas gauge is very accurate, with the low fuel light coming on when there is a bit over two gallons remaining in the tank, sufficient time to get to the next town for a fill up.

And such a little thing, but the built-in first aid kit is very impressive! Inside, you will find disinfectant, lots of bandage material, scissors, rubber gloves, tweesers with an attached magnifier, and two of those 'space blanket' type of survival blankets.

I just have one caveat - this is NOT a luxury car, folks - this is an SUV! It has a TRUCK frame under it, unlike some SUV's that are only really intended for paved roads. You WILL feel the road bumps in this vehicle. But you will also be able to USE this vehicle during those conditions that leave others stuck - - It has a TRUCK frame, high ground clearance, and very short turning radius.

The handling is quite intuitive; there are no little 'quirks' to get used to on this vehicle. My commute consists of 40 miles of diverse road: Twisting, hilly, country, city, four school zones, and one cloverleaf intersection. This vehicle handles it all flawlessly, and feels like I have driven it for years. There is no lack of power for hills and passing, and no sway in the curves.

In spite of it's great handling on the road, this is a SERIOUS SUV made for both on and off road, not a socker-mom show off.