The Nissan Xterra wants to be your buddy.  Your sidekick.  Your faithful pal.  If you were captured by forces of evil, it would break into a burning building to untie you and drag you to safety, if it could.  Here’s a scene you’ll find repeated more than once in a Nissan Xterra:  you’ll be driving down a major road or freeway, somewhere.  In the city or in the country, it doesn’t matter.  You’ll see a little side road, called “CR 1116,” or “Langdon Cemetery Hill Road,” or a trash-strewn alley.  Maybe even a barely visible two-track, leading into the woods and devoid of NO TRESPASSING signs.  Both you and the Xterra will notice it, and the Nissan will slow confidently to a suitable speed, as if it knew what you were thinking.  Then the two of you will discover a new road.

From its truck-with-a-backpack looks to its high, wide stance, the Nissan Xterra screams “active lifestyle.”  It’s one of the sport-utes whose hardware backs up the looks, too.  While many other SUVs are touting their more carlike features, the Xterra is a deliberate throwback, using the rugged Nissan Frontier pickup truck as its base.  New for 1999, the Xterra fits into the Nissan line a step below the plusher Pathfinder.  Nissan says it’s a return to the basic concepts behind the original Pathfinder, whose focus was true off-road capability in an afforable package.  In other words, the Xterra is a sport-ute that’s really intended to be used as a truck.

The Xterra brings to mind the clean, honest look of a Land Rover Discovery or an old Jeep Cherokee.  It’s the kind of truck that will look just as good covered in dirt and scratches as it will with a professional wax and polish.  It’s clearly built to be used.  The asymmetrical design features and large roof rack bring to mind the armor and rollcages seen on desert rally trucks and the much-publicized Land Rover Discoveries used in the grueling Camel Trophy offroad competition.  The roof rack isn’t just for show, either; it can carry up to 125 pounds, and a removable basket up front can be used to carry muddy boots and other unpleasantries generally condemned to pickup beds.  The Xterra’s raised rear roof section and square, flat hood are also homages to one of the kings among SUVs.  The Xterra has a look all its own, however.  The off-center trapezoidal bulge in the tailgate houses an optional first-aid kit, but adds to the tasteful asymmetry in the truck’s design.  The rear window, side windows, and taillights with diagonal slashes carried into the tailgate keep with the lopsided look.  The wide stance is accented by fender flares and meaty tires, even on two-wheel drive models.  Underneath, the Xterra has strength to back up its looks as well.  It retains the Frontier’s strong 4×4 pickup frame and solid rear axle, a combination true truck folks know to be simple, durable and tough.  Engine and fuel tank are protected by skidplates on all Xterra models.

Inside, the Xterra is all business.  It retains the Frontier’s straightforward dash layout, and visibility is good to all four corners.  Unfortunately, it also retains the Frontier’s parking brake handle, which pulls straight out of the dash to the right of the steering wheel and is perfectly placed to crack the knees of the unwary driver.  Like in many sport-utes, the seats are a little bit too close to the floor to make long-distance driving a truly comfortable experience.  Long-legged drivers will find the cushion adequate for thigh support, but the seat needs a height adjustment.  Visibility to the front is excellent, but backing into a parking space may take some guesswork due to the high rear window.  Back-seat passengers sit slightly higher that those in the front, stadium-style, but the raised roof leaves plenty of headroom.

Once on the road, it’s clear that the Xterra is all about supporting you in your quest for fun.  The SE model we drove is powered by a 3.3 liter, 170-hp V6, and the truck moves out eagerly.  A 2.4 liter, 143-hp four-cylinder model is also available.  The Xterra absolutely shines when it comes to gripping the road, however.  The Xterra is surprisingly maneuverable.  It’s smaller than it looks–the truck’s height gives it more presence.  This benefits drivers who have to squeeze into tight parking spots as well as off-roaders who want to be able to place the vehicle in exactly the right spot on a trail.  The Xterra was designed with both parties in mind.  The truck’s wide track (the wheels have been pushed right out to the edges of the fender flares) keeps things stable on the freeway and during changes of direction.  The Xterra is noticeably less tippy than most, another confidence-builder when taking a truck off-road.  The wide track allows for handling that puts several SUVs with more “advanced” suspensions to shame.  Drivers of sport-utes who are used to bouncing wildly about as each wheel tries to go in a different direction after striking a large rut or a pothole will find the Xterra’s composure after an impact almost graceful.  The Xterra tracks excellently, without much side-to-side tossing.  That said, two-wheel-drive Xterras can get a little bit tail-happy under acceleration or when it’s wet, just like their pickup truck siblings.  All in all, though, the Xterra displays impeccable road manners for a sport-ute.

The Xterra’s brakes are good, but panic stops bring back that tail-happy tendency.  Expect the rear end to get squirrelly if you have to slam on the brakes.  Four-wheel ABS keeps it controllable, but it feels uncomfortable with sudden deceleration.

To keep the bottom line low, the Xterra is not as festooned with gadgetry, as many more expensive sport-utes are.  What frills there are are geared toward convenience during adventures of one sort or another.  A first-aid kit is available, for instance, and mounts inside a recess in the back door.  The roof rack, which resembles a roll bar, is functional.  Nissan makes a number of accessories available to enable owners of several different kinds of leisure equipment to carry canoes, bikes, skis, or snowboards on top of the Xterra.  On the upper left side of the passenger seat, a unique storage pocket keeps sunglasses or a water bottle in easy reach of the driver.  There are two trim levels, both available in 2×4 or 4×4 configurations.  The Xterra XE is the starter model, and the SE is the more expensive of the two.  Most of the SE’s standard features are available as options on the XE.  The no-nonsense approach keeps the base price of an Xterra around $17,000 for a four-cylinder, manual transmission XE with two-wheel drive.  Our test vehicle, a SE V6 equipped with two-wheel drive and only floormats as an option, retailed for $24,149.

Specifications:

All specs are for the 2000 Xterra SE V6 2×4, which we tested.

Length:    178.0 in.
Width:        70.4 in.
Height:        69.4 in.
Wheelbase:    101.4 in.

Cargo space:    44.5 cu. ft. (Seats up)
65.6 cu. ft. (Seats folded)

Base price:    $23,549
Price as tested: $24,149

Horsepower:    170 hp.
Fuel capacity:    19.4 gal.
Est. mileage:    16/19

Towing capacity:    5000 lb (V6 auto only)

6/2009 update: The Xterra has remained pretty true to its mission in life over the years, so not much has changed.  They seem to hold up pretty well to abuse, too–though I haven’t scoured the annals of the hard-core 4×4 folks to see what they say about ‘em so your mileage may vary, as they say.  If you’re looking at used Xterras, they are the sort of 4x4s that get used for real, so watch for damage.