User friendly 4-wheel drive, loaded with essential options, extreme head-turning looks,
a more comfortable drive than we expected, great safety features.

Not great gas mileage.
A little slugish if you want to drag race.

I can't imagine anyone serious about needing a 4-wheel drive vehicle not considering the "X". In our case, it was love at first sight. My wife and I test drove our new SE before also driving the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Dodge Durango, Ford Escape and Nissan
Pathfinder. We found it to be as roomy as the Cherokee and Pathfinder...much larger than the Escape...and although smaller than the Durango, it was comparably equipped and about $6,000 less in price. We are getting ready to build a log home in rural Northwest Oklahoma and have a 1/2 mile of dirt road that can get nasty after heavy rain or an occassional heavy snow. We are also fly fishermen, so spend a lot of summers in the Rockys. We have absolutely no doubt that our new Xterra (haven't named it yet) will serve us equally well in all altitudes.

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Jeep Grand Cherokee, Ford Escape, Dodge Durango, Nissan Pathfinder. In my opinion, just as roomy as the Cherokee and Pathfinder but not quite as smooth a ride. I agree with other reviews...If a great ride is what your after, buy a car. Smaller than Durango but much less expensive. Ford Escape doesn't compare at all. If you're looking for a stout SUV with more than adequate options, then you'll find the 2001 Xterra is the absolute best vehicle for the money...hands down.

Powerful engine, great handling, awesome looks

Poor reliability and poor parts network. Immedately after purchase, fuel guage inoperable, then heat/ventilation system inoperable... and Nissan is unable to tell me anything other than it is back ordered. IT will probably be after the end of the summer before I have any vents or A/C! That it pitiful. There is a mysterious squeek and rattle in the dash that the dealer can hear but not find... and now the Service Engine light it on. Pathetic for a 3 month old vehicle with only 3600 miles on it.

Great vehicle to drive. Handles, rides and looks awesome. I get more looks in this truck than my Mustang GT. Overall poor servicing and parts from Nissan.

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Ford Explorer - To big and bulky compared to Xterra

Looks, ruggedness, dependability

Want more HP

Come on now all you SUV owners, who can really afford 40,000 for a dresses up Toyota? The X has all that and more. This is the nicest SUV for the money on the market. Rugged, awesome looks and the solar yellow always gets 2 or more looks around town

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Toyota 4 runner, cherokee limited, escape .......

Ease of use.

Horsepower.

My overall impression of this vechile is that it is a great SUV. My ONLY complaints of it are that the gas mileage is a bit low (18 mpg) for its somewhat shy horsepower. Usually you will have one or the other. I have considered adding some after markets products to add power. Hopefully in the future Nissan will rectify this for future buyers.

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It compares very well against its competitors for the price.

Size, Looks, Reliability, Usefullness! The roof rack realy comes in handy! The waterproof seats (a must for windsurfers. All the tie downs in the back, the sape tire is under the truck, the sunroof is great when you have the basket off! This is just a real truck, what SUV's were meant to be like! And the savings, you can buy yourself some nice toys for all the $$$ you save not buying the 4-Runner or Pathfinder!

Radio is a wee bit weak, ashtray could be a bit bigger along with the gas tank! Could use brighter interior lights (but there fine!)

My rating is 5 out of 5. This is one sweet truck, tough, mean looking and very reliable. This is a real truck. I've driven all kinds Ford Explorer the Expedition, Chevy Blazer, Jeeps and the Jeep Liberty(talk about a bad joke)and 4-Runners. Believe me not one of them compares to the Xterra!

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Ford Explorer/Escape/Expedition (not worth the big$$$) Jeeps (Gutless and unreliable especially that little wee Liberty) 4-Runner (Good but not worth it, and you don't even want to get it dirty!) Pathfinder - why when theres the Xterra!

Excellent value. Most well rounded vehicle in it's class.

Ashtray too small to dig for quarters for tolls. Need mudguards to limit splash marks on doors. Some accessories not yet available.

(2000 Model) - Very happy after 1 month and 2500 miles. Comfortable on two road trips of 500 and 1000 miles each. Mileage average of 18-20 mpg. Waiting on mudguards and tow package. Roof easier to keep clean with drip basket removed.

This is one tough SUV. Style, layout, smooth ride, comfort, and lots of stares

Not as good as gas mileage as you would expect from a V6

(2000 Model) - We purchased the vehicle approx 1 month ago and couldn't be happier. Dollar for the dollar, this SUV can't be beat. It truly does bring out the ""U"" in utility. I definately recommend this one vehicle to anyone!

smooth engine...the supercharged variety will be awesome -- I'm jealous already -- great appearance and Xtreme "attitude," excellent off-road and foul weather capabilities...fit and finish is as good as any of the four BMW's I've owned. As fun to drive as my M3, in an Xtreme sort of way!!

engine is superb, but as with the rest of the world, we always want MORE power...since the demise of the muscle-car era, have you ever seen a new model boast of having LESS h.p.'s than the previous????

I love the Xterra...I was "waiting" for this gorgeous truck-based SUV without even realizing it. I had had a full-size Ford Bronco several years back and had "missed" the utility and off-road prowess of that vehicle ever since I sold it -- in the Xterra I have rediscovered all the same capabilities and the "fun-to-drive" factor, merged with superior hauling, manners and looks, to boot!!

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Ford Bronco, Jeep, Blazer, Hummer, Toyota...as "skilled" or more so than any on this list, save for the off-road capab. of the Hummer...but way more useful and affordable and BETTER LOOKING and just as rugged

Ride, great 4WD, perfect for harsh climate or offroading. Amazing storage capacity. Cheap. And of course the looks.

Engine isn't weak, but the new 2002 Supercharged model would be nice. Then again, new look for 2002 is fugly.

Overall I think this is an amazing truck. It reminds me alot of a Toyota Landcruiser or a similer "real" SUV. Alot of the yuppie types will complain about the cheap looking interior or ride. But the interior is easy to keep clean and is durable. Thats what its built for. AS for the ride I think its excellent. The off-road tuned suspension is loose and so you don't feel alot of the bumps on the road. On the other hand, the body does roll a fair bit on tight turns. The other great thing is that the X can hold pretty much anything you like. The internal bike rack is a great accessory.
So far I don't have any complaints about my X and it does everything I want it to and it does it well.

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Honda CRV (its a car), Mercedes M-Class (fast, tight suspension=rough ride), Ford Explorer Sport (didn't like the handling at all), Ford Escape (again, its a car)

Very attractive exterior look. Looks tough and sporty,unique design.

Gas mileage is TERRIBLE, it is worse than much larger SUVS, sunroof needs to electronic, as it is useless as a pop up. Interior is PLASTIC and cheap plastic at that., it scratches very easily. Seats and carpet are of very cheap material also., my seats are already showing wear and I rarely drive it and have had it less than a year. Stereo in SE is supposed to be upgraded but it sounds terrible, you can harldy hear it wide open with windows up at 65mph., and you cannot hear it all with the windows down and the sunroof popped open. Back windows do not go all the way down, window in cargo area doesn't open at all. Overall, interior is CHEAP and everything in it is as well.

I think this is a very attractive looking vehicle at first glance. I would not buy another one until many upgrades to this vehicle had been made. It is nice to look at and seems cheaper but in the long run, after many upgrades, you are spending just as much as you would on a much more packed vehicle.

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Jeep Cherokee., for the price, I would have chosen Jeep because of what you are getting for your money.