From a mom's point of view...

I purchased a used 2005 Xterra SE, with 10K miles on it. I was in the market for a larger vehicle when it was discovered that I couldn’t easily fit a carseat into my 2 door Civic. I knew that I wanted an SUV and I knew that I loved the look of the Xterra. I did my research and all reviews pointed to it being an awesome vehicle.

The things I love:

The cargo area! The greatest feature about the cargo area is that it is completely washable. No more dog hair embedded into the carpet or seats. It is also large enough to permanently transport a stroller and still have room for grocery or shopping bags. As all the seats fold easily away (or down) I have also been able to transport extremely large items without any problems. I cannot wait till my kid is old enough for sporting equipment so I can haul it around!

The no frills interior look. I love the rugged upholstery and dash. There is a ton of storage cubbies everywhere, I am not afraid of ruining my seats as they are easy to clean and because of the material the dash is made of, I am not blinded when I drive in the summer as the reflection is very low. It is also a very roomy vehicle, even for people in the backseat. Plus the theater type seating in the back makes sitting back there not a bad thing! Plus, the stereo is great. I am a stereo snob and hate “tiney” sounding systems. With its 6 CD changer and sub (conveniently located below the drivers seat) it sounds so good I don’t think I will ever upgrade it.

The power. This truck rocks. I love how it has 265hp and “gets up and goes” very easily. I have never once had a moment where I have felt underpowered, which is sometimes a problem on larger vehicles.

I have not yet had the pleasure of taking it off-road yet. I am hoping this summer we will.

The things I wish could change (all minor issues)

The cargo area is too slippery. I finally invested in the carpet for the back so my groceries (and dogs) will no longer slip and slide everywhere.

I wish the radio was more Ipod/MP3 player compatible (not a major issue though).

The fuel mileage sucks, but it is an SUV, if I wanted 50 MPG I would have bought a hybrid car.

I have owned all types of cars, from a compact Sentra and Civic, mid-sized Malibu (can we say LEMON) to a Trans-Am sports car and I can say without a doubt, that the Xterra is by far my favorite.