This is true...I saw a guy jump his Xterra over a bayou (by accident) doing 70 mph and hit the other side embankment head on. Left a crater. There was very little damage to the Xterra. Just cosmetic. The passenger compartment was intact.

None

Looks to be Safe.

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It drives well in the snow with the 4x4 on. It is great to drive off road when you want to have fun.

I had both brake lights replaced within a month and, I havent even had the car for a year. The way I found out was by being pulled over by the NYPD. I've returned the car dealership and on both occasions, the service manager gave me a big hassel about getting bulbs replaced for free and having my tickets paid. Also, my right passenger side speaker blew by just raising the volume.

Be aware of this electrical problem. I'am not happy with my Xterra anymore, I dont want to worry about being pulled over by the NYPD. I want to sell this car ASAP to buy back my Honda Civic. I do not recommend the Xterra for anyone.

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Styling (inside and out), Off-Road Capabilities, Driver Stance, Quality, Nissan PROVEN Reliability, Brakes (Feel like 4 wheel disc), Skid Plating probably the MOST important thing for a real off-road'er), Tie Hooks EVERYWHERE in this truck, Very cool rear tool tray, First-Aid Kit (used it a dozen times)

Engine decent but a little whiny at high throttle, but if I'm in such a hurry than I should bought a 'vette. The ONLY defect is what every is saying and that is the gas mileage. It's bad, but not terrible. it's a 19.8 gallon tank that filled to the max will probably give you less than 300 miles in a major city.

There was a storm last October that hit Miami, the flood destroyed the engine in my '97 Acura Integra. I was shot into the car-buying scene, I would have rather not been. The Integra was a fine vehicle, very exhilarating. It will be missed. I am an outdoorsman, so now it was time for a truck. A real truck. I researched on the Internet and I came across the Nissan site. I knew they had the Pathfinder, but I did not know about the X. I saw the picture on the site and was very curious about it. When I was in the area where you can customize your Xterra, I was shocked that you could get this truck LOADED with everything for $26k. I went to test drive one. I was sold. I got every possible accessory on this thing. Rubber Floor Mats, 'Wetsuit' Seat Covers, Front Grill, Real Tail Light Grill, Mud Guards, Xenon Front Lights, 4x4, Limited-Slip, 6 CD, Tow Hitch, Wind Deflectors (makes the X look even badder) all for $26. You could buy a 4-Runner at this price range, but not a model that can compare with the options that you get with the X. I have never been in a vehicle like this. I have fallen in love with my X. I catch myself staring at it. It can rival any jeep or light truck off-roading. It is superbly nimble in tight trails. The part time 4-Wheel Drive is better for off-roading then it's 'push the 4x4 button'. When you're out there you want to slam it into 4H when you need it. Not when the computer decides. What really turned me off about the CR-V's and the Rav 4's was not just the car/truck complex but the fact that when you looked at it driving from behind, you can see the entire axle exposed with very low clearance. I've seen friends with the aforementioned trucks leave parts attached to huge sharp rocks that you cannot see in the deep mud. Long story short, real off-roaders need skid plating. The grills save my lights from getting whipped by branches. Solar Yellow is so much fun. The blue lights a must, and the seat covers a DEFINITE must. If you’re an intense trail rider, a Garmin GPS fits perfectly on the dash with some Velcro, and the wind deflectors make it look mean. I recently saw pictures of the 2002 Xterra's. I'm glad that I have a 2001. The only advantage is the new Engine. Aside from that, the new front is now like the Frontier, which is nice, but it looks sort of goofy, and the interior is too funky in the 2002 model. The 2000, and 2001 have the square lights, making it look like an old school truck. 2000 and 2001 owners rejoice, our trucks are now rare. I really do not see the purpose of buying an Escape or any other vehicle in that class, you're going to end up staring at an X anyways. Every time I climb into my X she whispers to me 'where to?' Every mile DRIVEN in my X is an adventure…

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Escape (heard there was some recalls), Rav4 (car complex), CR-V (truck complex), Jeep Cherokee (aged design, unreliable), Honda Passport (unimpressive, unreliable history), Mazda Tribue/Santa Fe (Nothing bad to say. They were an alternative choice to the X. They are nicer than the Escape). Explorer Sportrac (Now these are nice trucks, I seriously considered this truck, but I really need interior cargo space. Love it in silver) Explorer trucks (Nice, but the X has more value), Duragno (also unreliable and many recalls), Aztec (are people actually buying those things)

Built with the mentallity of being a truck. It's solid, designed to conquer the concrete jungle but is a serious off-road performer as well. With all these new Soccer Mom Yuppie-Mobiles on the road that look alike, the Xterras are refreshing and capable. Great visibility. Good handling. Well thought out.

Gas Mileage
Not enough additional "toys"
Truck not taken seriously by 4x4 magazines & car reviews

This is a very comfortable and fun vehicle to drive. If you are looking for luxury and leather seats buy something else. If you lead an active livestyle or if you want a solid, reliable vehicle that WILL get you to where you need to be, buy an Xterra. Don't forget to waive to the stuck or broken down wannabe SUV's as you pass them! The Xterra did well in crash test results too.

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Jeep Cherokee Sport - I drove both. Both felt solid. Both handled well. Both were about the same price. The Jeep makes a loud noise when accelerating and looks it's age.

Rav4. Not really a contender. Once you add automatic transmission, a/c and other necessities, the Rav4 is ballpark the same price as an XE. No contest. The Xterra is a real truck. The Rav4 is a car on steroids.

Interior space, exterior look/styling, overall value of truck, places to put stuff, 3 12-volt plugs, stereo is great, plenty of power in the 170 HP.

Gas mileage, sunroof capability is limited, back windows don't go all the way down.

Overall great truck for the money.

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1987 Pathfinder - bigger and nicer motor in the Xterra, many more places to put stuff.

Some people still buy SUV's because they're trucks (no unibody here, and no oversized grocery-getter -- big plus)
SUV on a truck chassis is a major plus
More room in back than competitors, rear seats down fold flat
Tows 3800# boat very well.
Price/Value is good
functional roof rack, roomy interior.

poor gas mileage
sunroof is useless

I am disturbed to see the majority of the reviews putting down this vehicle
in terms of noise and ride. If you you want a car like ride, then buy a car. You are exactly right -- the ride stinks at 75+ mph, it doesn't corner like a corvette, and it's no Z28 off the green light either. Then again, it's not meant to be. It really disturbs me to see most of the new SUV's are nothing more than a 1970's station wagon lifted up a few inches so the soccer moms can see better. I happen to put a great value on the Xterra for the fact that it's still a truck underneath and hence this was a big buying point for me. I understand everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but let's give some credit here; the Xterra is one of the few SUV's left that hasn't secumbed to the marketing pressures of the soccer mom (no offense to any females here, just making a point). The point is, there aren't many midsize SUV's out there that can tow 5000#, Rav4? Escape? CR-V? Suzuki? even the Jeep Grand Cherokee has foregone the frame for uni-body. Point being, there is still a market for truck-like midsize SUV's and the Xterra fits this niche very nicely. I plan on trading up to the super-charged 2002 when it becomes available. I would recommend this vehicle to anyone who wants a true compact/midsize SUV.

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I think the ride is much smoother and quieter than my 97 cherokee.

Good off road capability. Enough space for all my fishing gears. Looks great and great value for the money. Lots of little storage spaces for the little things. User friendly cup holders (it holds a big gulp).

A lot of wind noise at highway speed. Lack of power. Poor gas mileage for the performance and the 3.3L engine. Metal hitting sounds from the suspension/transmission, especially when driving the truck in reverse.

I've had the truck for 2 years and it's been great. I bought it for my fishing trips and numberous trips to Home Depot. The off road capability is good and I've never gotten stuck. It has enough space for all of the fishing gears and 3 other friends. Although there are some weaknesses. As mentioned above, gas mileage and engine power are poor. When I put the truck in reverse, there are annoying metal hitting sounds from the front suspension/transmission. Dealer can't seem to find the problem. A Chevy Silverado rearended my truck (about 5 mph) over the weekend and the metal bumper in the back took a beating. The bumper was pushed up again the tailgate and the tailgate wont open. I haven't gotten an estimate on the damage but I suspect it will be costly. I am thinking about trading the truck in for the 2002 Xterra SE. The supercharger will add another 40 hp and 43 lbs of torque which will be helpful. With better performance, I'd gladly give up the gas mileage. Considering the engine (3.3L) and the relative small size of the Xterra, 0-60 mph @ 10.3 seconds is pretty bad. I think I should be getting more than the 15 mpg which I've been averaging. I don't expect the 2002 Xterra SE to be hot rod but anything will be better than the current 170 hp engine.

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Nissan Pathfinder - not a whole lot better for the price.
Jeep Cherokee - great power but seriously lacks quality.
Toyota 4Runner SR5 - legendary quality, but you pay for the quality.

Good prices.
Look good.

very poor mileage.You will be surprise every morning when you start you car,and you wonder is that my fuel tank is leaking or what?
Poor aligment.
you feel hurt your ear when someone open the windows in the back when the speed is >50miles.

Anyway,this is my first SUV car which I really like ,very comfortable.I intend buying a RAV4 but the price is almost the same if the car are loaded.I suggest you buy the Xterra if you don't mind about the mileage.I
want to remind all smoking people when you drive you car out of the dealer please!"check" cigarette ligther most of the time you never get it.This happened to my car at Falore Nissan in Sunnyvale.I came back and asked for
it the american african dealer tell me go and buy $20 at they store.I don't
want any arguments with that guy I will reflect it to Nissan Corporation later.

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Looks.

Workmanship. The interior, of course, was very cheap. At first look, my wife and I loved the vehicle. But during the test drive we began to notice the lack of quality control and lack of quality materials. The seats were uncomfortable and, frankly, quite ugly. I realized at that point that the reason you can get an SUV chock full of luxurious amenities is because they are all very cheap.

We are now in the market only for a Jeep or something with similar quality control standards. We will not, despite our recent yearning to do so, own an X-Terra...period. I think it's a shame that a vehicle so neat looking is built on slipshod standards (in my opinion). Our Jeep's interior is nearly immaculate (despite two kids, a dog, and over 100K miles...put an X-Terra through THAT test). I can't see that being the case with a six year old X-Terra. The stereo in the X isn't what I'd expect either. I think they conveyed an impression of filet mignon and offered up cube steak. So, there you have it.

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I took in my 95 Cherokee for trade. They offered me little, but worst was they picked my Cherokee apart. I would rather hang on to my 6 year old 4WD than trade it on something I figured would fall apart within two years.
When looking at the X-Terras, by the way, we noticed that the decals on the tube roof rack were peeling....on two of the models on the lot!!! Also, we noted the carpet was really, really, cheap....glue residue everywhere.

Of course, the looks!! Seriously, this "true truck suv" rides and handles like a true nissan oh...I am also a die hard "Maxima fan". The Xterra is just plain fun to drive, no more dodging pot-holes, I actually look for obstacles to challenge our Xterra. I have researched many reviews on the 2001 Xterra and I found the best common strengths recognized on the Xterra is it's value, off-road capability, towing capacity, reliability, looks, cargo room, available accessories and it's truck based ruggedness. My wife and I have really enjoyed this vehicle and being that I work for a automobile rental agency and having driven many different suv's, I like this mid-size Xterra above all else....

Wind noise @ 70 + ..If you have very good hearing "like me" don't let this you discourage you. The insulation is good, could be better, but try not to let it hinder your possible purchase of the Xterra. Driver leg room could be increased a few inches. It helps to stretch out those legs on a long rode trip, with the Xterra it's possible with some good foot work.
A little more accelaration would have been nice, but hey I traded in a Buick Regal GS Supercharged 240 HP, what should I have expected??

I love the new 2001 Xterra, my wife and I spent five hours getting a good deal on our trade in with the nissan Sales manager, but we believe it was worth all five hours. We hope to enjoy the ride for many years....
Can't hardly wait to get a "Sea-doo" to help try out the tow hitch...
I believe the Xterra is the best mid-size suv one can get in value, ride,
versitility, and just plan out fun...Hey as Emeril would say, " Let's Kick it up a notch, baby!!"

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Jeep Cherrokee Laredo & Grand Cherrokee, Chevy Blazer, Montero Sport, Ford Explorer......