Nissan Xterra
Encyclopedia
The Nissan Xterra is a compact SUV
built on the Nissan F-Alpha platform
. The Frontier
-based vehicle is named after the XTERRA
off-road triathlon
race series that Nissan sponsored through the end of 2006.
in the 2000 model year and marketed with the slogan Everything you need, nothing you don't.
The Xterra was not Nissan's first compact SUV. Nissan in Japan
had the Nissan Mistral
, in Europe
the Terrano
a 2-door SUV sold from 1993 to 2006.
Three design cues remained through the vehicle's life, rear door handles, a raised rear roofline, and the hump-backed rear gate. The raised roof allows for stadium seating
and the hump provides room for a first aid kit. The rear door handles are installed on the "C" pillar
as a Nissan design tradition started with the 1986 Nissan Pathfinder
. When the four door Pathfinder was introduced, Nissan chose to conceal the door handles as a part of the "C" pillar trim to visually make it appear like a two door truck with a camper shell, with conventional door handles on the front doors.
In the United States
, the Xterra was Nissan's entry-level SUV until the arrival of the 2008 Nissan Rogue
. In the model lineup, the Xterra is priced between the Rogue and the Murano.
The base XE came with a 143 hp KA24DE I4
, 5-speed manual transmission
, and steel wheels. It lacked accessories as step rails and roof rack.
The XE Xterras were configured with several option packages combining the 170 horsepower 3.3 L VG33E V6 engine with either a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission, as well as such features as roof rack, side step-rails, and carpeted floormats.
The SE was the premium trim level for the Xterra, offering almost everything available on an XE as standard. A flip-up sunroof and "SE" badging on the back set a fully optioned XE and SE apart.
Several minor options were available from the dealer, such as mudflaps, cargo liners, and in-cabin ventilation microfilters.
Canadian models from 2000 to 2004 were limited only to the VG33E V6, and only available with part-time 4WD.
The interior however, had minor changes in the climate controls. The old 200 SX buttons and controls were replaced with the same set up used from 2002 to 2004.
VG33ER option was carried over from the 2001 Nissan Frontier
, with 246 lbft of torque for the automatic, and231 lbft of torque with 5-speed manual. This is either for the sake of the manual gearbox not being able to handle the additional torque, or to give the automatic more power to compensate for the longer gearing.
The 2002 Xterra's restyled front end was grafted on to an otherwise unchanged bodywork. In 2003, new options were added including side-curtain airbags and a tire pressure monitoring system.
Audio systems were also upgraded, the premium 6-disc, 4-speaker AM
/FM
/CD setup being replaced by a 6-speaker 300W Rockford Fosgate
AM/FM/CD system along with an 8-inch subwoofer that took up a small portion of the rear storage area. The Nissan Xterra SE & XE system is designed to Rockford Fosgate's sonic signature "The Punch"; a two DIN AM/FM/RDS/6-disc source unit/in-dash CD changer (frequency response (CD) +\- 3dB, 20 Hz-20 kHz); an amplifier that drives 1-ohm loads per channel and 72 watts (12V Batt) per channel with built-in equalization, custom tailored to the vehicle; the lower front door speaker uses a 6.5" 1 ohm driver and a special 1 ohm voice coil; the upper front door speaker uses a 4-ohm, 25mm tweeter; the rear speaker systems are 2-ohm 6" x 9" full-range speakers located in the rearmost side panels. The system was advertised as an 8-speaker by considering the dual voice coil subwoofer as two speakers. The Rockford-Fosgate system's speakers, amplifier and factory subwoofer enclosure are actually manufactured by Clarion
.
shared by the Titan
and Frontier
. Offering a rear differential locker on the off-road model, the new model is larger in all dimensions than its predecessor. Utilizing Nissan's variable valve timing
fitted 4.0 L VQ40DE engine, it produces 265 hp. The Xterra received a facelift for 2009 with more options and colors, leather seats on SE models, and roof mounted lights on off-road models. The last year of the Nissan Xterra in Mexico
was 2008, as the larger-but-cheaper unibody Nissan Rogue
replaced in the product lineup. Reasons why the Xterra stopped sales in Mexico was for Nissan to free up room for the 2009 Suzuki Equator
at the Smyrna plant, and also because of Nissan building fewer Xterras due to declining sales in the United States
and Canada
. After that, the Xterra is now mutually exclusive with the unibody X-Trail
sold outside the United States and Canada. However, the X-Trail was sold in Canada from 2005 to 2006 alongside the Xterra, but after the 2006 model year, Nissan replaced the X-Trail in Canada with the Rogue.
, and São José dos Pinhais
, Brazil
until 2007. It is built under license by Pars Khodro
in Iran and called the Nissan Roniz, and in China
by Zhengzhou Nissan Automobile and sold as the starting in 2003. The Paladin uses the same chassis and running gear as the first generation Nissan Xterra, but the engine is a 2.5 diesel mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. The front end is from the local Pickup.
Compact SUV
Compact SUV is a class of small sport utility vehicles with a length roughly between . This class should not be confused with mini SUV, which refers to smaller vehicles.- Background :...
built on the Nissan F-Alpha platform
Nissan F-Alpha platform
The F-Alpha is an automobile platform from Nissan Motor Company which is used in their trucks and SUV's. The latest version of the platform is the basis for the Nissan Frontier and Titan pickup trucks as well as the Nissan Xterra, Pathfinder, Armada and Infiniti QX56 SUVs. A modified version of...
. The Frontier
Nissan Frontier
Nissan Navara is the name for the D22 and D40 generations of Nissan pickup trucks sold in Asia while in the North, Central and South America and the Philippines it is sold as Nissan Frontier. The line was started in 1998, and its immediate predecessor is the D21 Nissan Hardbody truck...
-based vehicle is named after the XTERRA
XTERRA Triathlon
XTERRA is a series of off-road triathlon races, . The XTERRA Global Tour is owned and produced by...
off-road triathlon
Off-road triathlon
Off-road triathlon is a form of triathlon, or three-stage race, consisting of a swim stage, mountain-biking stage, and a trail-running stage.Off-road triathlons are distinguished from conventional triathlons in that the terrain for the cycling and running stages are generally unpaved, rough, and...
race series that Nissan sponsored through the end of 2006.
Introduction
The Xterra was introduced in North AmericaNorth America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
in the 2000 model year and marketed with the slogan Everything you need, nothing you don't.
The Xterra was not Nissan's first compact SUV. Nissan in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
had the Nissan Mistral
Nissan Mistral
The Nissan Terrano II is a mid size SUV manufactured by the Japanese automaker Nissan. It was also made by Nissan's Spanish subsidiary Nissan Motor Ibérica S.A. for the European market, where it was marketed as Nissan Terrano II, and also supplied under an OEM agreement to Ford Europe for sale as...
, in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
the Terrano
Terrano
Terrano may refer to:* Nissan Frontier, a pickup truck* Nissan Mistral , a sport utility vehicle* Nissan Pathfinder, a sport utility vehicle* Terrano , an Italian and Slovenian wine grape...
a 2-door SUV sold from 1993 to 2006.
Three design cues remained through the vehicle's life, rear door handles, a raised rear roofline, and the hump-backed rear gate. The raised roof allows for stadium seating
Stadium seating
Stadium seating or theater seating is a characteristic seating arrangement that is most commonly associated with performing-arts venues, and derives its name from stadiums, which typically use this arrangement...
and the hump provides room for a first aid kit. The rear door handles are installed on the "C" pillar
Pillar (car)
Pillars are the vertical supports of the greenhouse of an automobile — known respectively as the A, B, C or D-pillar moving in profile view from the front to rear....
as a Nissan design tradition started with the 1986 Nissan Pathfinder
Nissan Pathfinder
The Nissan Pathfinder is a SUV manufactured by Nissan Motors since 1986, derived from Nissan's compact pickup truck platform. The Pathfinder is slotted in size between the Murano and Armada or Patrol, but in price between the Xterra and Murano...
. When the four door Pathfinder was introduced, Nissan chose to conceal the door handles as a part of the "C" pillar trim to visually make it appear like a two door truck with a camper shell, with conventional door handles on the front doors.
In the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the Xterra was Nissan's entry-level SUV until the arrival of the 2008 Nissan Rogue
Nissan Rogue
The Nissan Rogue is a compact crossover SUV that debuted in October 2007 for the 2008 model year, produced by the Japanese automaker Nissan. It is the North American counterpart of the X-Trail sold outside North America , as well as the Qashqai in Europe and the Dualis in Japan and Australia.The...
. In the model lineup, the Xterra is priced between the Rogue and the Murano.
2000–2001
During its first two years there were three Xterra models, two designated XE and a luxury SE.The base XE came with a 143 hp KA24DE I4
Straight-4
The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....
, 5-speed manual transmission
Manual transmission
A manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
, and steel wheels. It lacked accessories as step rails and roof rack.
The XE Xterras were configured with several option packages combining the 170 horsepower 3.3 L VG33E V6 engine with either a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission, as well as such features as roof rack, side step-rails, and carpeted floormats.
The SE was the premium trim level for the Xterra, offering almost everything available on an XE as standard. A flip-up sunroof and "SE" badging on the back set a fully optioned XE and SE apart.
Several minor options were available from the dealer, such as mudflaps, cargo liners, and in-cabin ventilation microfilters.
Canadian models from 2000 to 2004 were limited only to the VG33E V6, and only available with part-time 4WD.
The interior however, had minor changes in the climate controls. The old 200 SX buttons and controls were replaced with the same set up used from 2002 to 2004.
2002 - 2004
Xterra was freshened for 2002 with a redesigned dash and center console, improved powerplant, and front end styling. in Brazil 2 two engine 2.8 MWM 4.07 TCA 132hp@1800RPM TDI Mechanical Pump VE-Bosch 36kgf torque 2003-2005 the 2.8 MWM 4.07TCE CRD 140hp@1800RPM 41kgf torque 2005-2008 The 3.3L VG33E V6 was upgraded to 180 hp and a 210 hp superchargedRoots type supercharger
The Roots type supercharger or Roots blower is a positive displacement lobe pump which operates by pumping fluids with a pair of meshing lobes not unlike a set of stretched gears. Fluid is trapped in pockets surrounding the lobes and carried from the intake side to the exhaust...
VG33ER option was carried over from the 2001 Nissan Frontier
Nissan Frontier
Nissan Navara is the name for the D22 and D40 generations of Nissan pickup trucks sold in Asia while in the North, Central and South America and the Philippines it is sold as Nissan Frontier. The line was started in 1998, and its immediate predecessor is the D21 Nissan Hardbody truck...
, with 246 lbft of torque for the automatic, and231 lbft of torque with 5-speed manual. This is either for the sake of the manual gearbox not being able to handle the additional torque, or to give the automatic more power to compensate for the longer gearing.
The 2002 Xterra's restyled front end was grafted on to an otherwise unchanged bodywork. In 2003, new options were added including side-curtain airbags and a tire pressure monitoring system.
Audio systems were also upgraded, the premium 6-disc, 4-speaker AM
Amplitude modulation
Amplitude modulation is a technique used in electronic communication, most commonly for transmitting information via a radio carrier wave. AM works by varying the strength of the transmitted signal in relation to the information being sent...
/FM
FM broadcasting
FM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
/CD setup being replaced by a 6-speaker 300W Rockford Fosgate
Rockford Fosgate
Rockford Fosgate is a manufacturer of aftermarket and OEM car audio and In-Car Entertainment products and accessories, as well as limited Pro Audio, and personal electronics such as earphones. Lightning Audio is a subsidiary brand of the company....
AM/FM/CD system along with an 8-inch subwoofer that took up a small portion of the rear storage area. The Nissan Xterra SE & XE system is designed to Rockford Fosgate's sonic signature "The Punch"; a two DIN AM/FM/RDS/6-disc source unit/in-dash CD changer (frequency response (CD) +\- 3dB, 20 Hz-20 kHz); an amplifier that drives 1-ohm loads per channel and 72 watts (12V Batt) per channel with built-in equalization, custom tailored to the vehicle; the lower front door speaker uses a 6.5" 1 ohm driver and a special 1 ohm voice coil; the upper front door speaker uses a 4-ohm, 25mm tweeter; the rear speaker systems are 2-ohm 6" x 9" full-range speakers located in the rearmost side panels. The system was advertised as an 8-speaker by considering the dual voice coil subwoofer as two speakers. The Rockford-Fosgate system's speakers, amplifier and factory subwoofer enclosure are actually manufactured by Clarion
Clarion (car audio)
is a Japanese manufacturer of car audio, automotive navigation systems, AutoPCs, visual equipment, bus equipment, and communication equipment.Up until the end of 2005, products in Japan were marketed under the brand name AddZest, while outside of Japan the same product typically carried the Clarion...
.
2005–present
The Xterra was redesigned in 2005 on the Nissan F-Alpha platformNissan F-Alpha platform
The F-Alpha is an automobile platform from Nissan Motor Company which is used in their trucks and SUV's. The latest version of the platform is the basis for the Nissan Frontier and Titan pickup trucks as well as the Nissan Xterra, Pathfinder, Armada and Infiniti QX56 SUVs. A modified version of...
shared by the Titan
Nissan Titan
The Nissan Titan introduced in 2004, is a full-size pickup truck produced for the North American market by Nissan. The truck shares the stretched Nissan F-Alpha platform with the Nissan Armada and Infiniti QX56 SUVs, and is manufactured in Canton, Mississippi, United States.-Market and sales:The...
and Frontier
Nissan Frontier
Nissan Navara is the name for the D22 and D40 generations of Nissan pickup trucks sold in Asia while in the North, Central and South America and the Philippines it is sold as Nissan Frontier. The line was started in 1998, and its immediate predecessor is the D21 Nissan Hardbody truck...
. Offering a rear differential locker on the off-road model, the new model is larger in all dimensions than its predecessor. Utilizing Nissan's variable valve timing
Variable valve timing
In internal combustion engines, variable valve timing , also known as Variable valve actuation , is a generalized term used to describe any mechanism or method that can alter the shape or timing of a valve lift event within an internal combustion engine...
fitted 4.0 L VQ40DE engine, it produces 265 hp. The Xterra received a facelift for 2009 with more options and colors, leather seats on SE models, and roof mounted lights on off-road models. The last year of the Nissan Xterra in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
was 2008, as the larger-but-cheaper unibody Nissan Rogue
Nissan Rogue
The Nissan Rogue is a compact crossover SUV that debuted in October 2007 for the 2008 model year, produced by the Japanese automaker Nissan. It is the North American counterpart of the X-Trail sold outside North America , as well as the Qashqai in Europe and the Dualis in Japan and Australia.The...
replaced in the product lineup. Reasons why the Xterra stopped sales in Mexico was for Nissan to free up room for the 2009 Suzuki Equator
Suzuki Equator
The Suzuki Equator is a mid-size pickup truck based on the Nissan Frontier and assembled by Nissan. The Suzuki Equator is first sold in the US for the 2009 model year with MSRP prices starting at $17,220, and was first shown at the 2008 Chicago Auto Show....
at the Smyrna plant, and also because of Nissan building fewer Xterras due to declining sales in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. After that, the Xterra is now mutually exclusive with the unibody X-Trail
Nissan X-Trail
The Nissan X-Trail is a compact crossover SUV produced by the Japanese automaker Nissan since 2001. It was one of Nissan's first crossover SUVs and was released about the same time as several other companies competing car-based compact SUVs including the Ford Escape and its Mazda Tribute sibling,...
sold outside the United States and Canada. However, the X-Trail was sold in Canada from 2005 to 2006 alongside the Xterra, but after the 2006 model year, Nissan replaced the X-Trail in Canada with the Rogue.
Awards and recognition
- 2000 Motor TrendMotor TrendMotor Trend is an American automobile magazine. It first appeared in September 1949, issued by Petersen Publishing Company in Los Angeles, and bearing the tag line "The Magazine for a Motoring World". Petersen Publishing was sold to British publisher EMAP in 1998, who sold the former Petersen...
's Sport Utility of the YearCar of the YearCar of the Year is a phrase usually considered to have been invented by Motor Trend magazine in the 1950s for their annual award for best American automobile... - 2000 North American Truck of the YearNorth American Car of the YearThe North American Car of the Year is an automobile award voted annually in January at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The jury consists of no more than 50 automotive journalists.-Example:-Pre-1994:-1994-1999:-2000-2009:...
- 2000 New England Motor Press Association's Winter Vehicle Award of New England for Best in Class - Mini Sport Utility
- 2001 Named Top Car by AAAAmerican Automobile AssociationAAA , formerly known as the American Automobile Association, is a federation of 51 independently operated motor clubs throughout North America. AAA is a not-for-profit member service organization with more than 51 million members. AAA provides services to its members such as travel, automotive,...
New Car and Truck Buying Guide - 2005 Named on the Automobile MagazineAutomobile MagazineAutomobile magazine is an automobile magazine in the United States and is owned by Source Interlink. It was founded by a group of former employees of Car and Driver magazine, led by that publications’s former editor, David E. Davis, and originally published by News Corporation...
's 50 Great New Cars list - 2006 Nominated as North American Truck of the Year
- 2006 Motor Trend's Sport Utility of the Year
- 2006 Motor Trend's Truck Trend's Best Little-Guy SUV Award
- 2006 Car and DriverCar and DriverCar and Driver is an American automotive enthusiast magazine. Its total circulation is 1.31 million. It is owned by Hearst Magazines, who purchased prior owner Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S. in 2011...
Rock-Hopper SUV Winner. - 2006 4x4 of the Year award from Peterson's 4-Wheel and Off-Road magazine.
- 2006 Edmunds.comEdmunds.comEdmunds.com is a provider of automotive information via Web sites, books, and other media. The company is headquartered in Santa Monica, California and maintains an office outside of Detroit, Michigan...
Editor's Most Wanted Vehicle - 2009 4Wheeler Magazine's SUV of the Year
- 2010 Xterra received the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationNational Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationThe National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is an agency of the Executive Branch of the U.S. government, part of the Department of Transportation...
's highest Side-impact Safety Rating (five stars).
Production elsewhere
All Nissan-produced Xterras are built in Smyrna, TennesseeSmyrna, Tennessee
Smyrna is a town in Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States. Smyrna's population was 25,569 people at the 2000 census. The Census estimate of the 2009 population is 39,142.-Geography:Smyrna is located at ....
, and São José dos Pinhais
São José dos Pinhais
São José dos Pinhais is a city in Paraná, Brazil. It is located at around . It is a part of the Metropolitan Region of Curitiba. St. Joseph of the Pines is a municipality in the state of Paraná, located in the Greater Curitiba. It is located at 25 ° 32'05 "south latitude and 49 º 12'23" west...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
until 2007. It is built under license by Pars Khodro
Pars Khodro
Pars Khodro is an Iranian automobile manufacturer. It was the first manufacturer of sport utility vehicles in Iran.-History:Formerly, Pars Khodro built American Motors' Rambler and General Motors products under licence. Its first cars, the Aria and the Shahin, were based on AMC's compact 1966...
in Iran and called the Nissan Roniz, and in China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
by Zhengzhou Nissan Automobile and sold as the starting in 2003. The Paladin uses the same chassis and running gear as the first generation Nissan Xterra, but the engine is a 2.5 diesel mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. The front end is from the local Pickup.
Cultural references
- In the sitcom The Office (episode "Did I Stutter"), we learn that Andy Bernard drives a Nissan Xterra, which he subsequently sells to Dwight.
- In the crime-drama The SopranosThe SopranosThe Sopranos is an American television drama series created by David Chase that revolves around the New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster Tony Soprano and the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the often conflicting requirements of his home life and the criminal organization he heads...
, A.J. Soprano drives a yellow Nissan Xterra. - In the teen drama Veronica MarsVeronica MarsVeronica Mars is an American television series created by Rob Thomas. The series premiered on September 22, 2004, during television network UPN's final two years, and ended on May 22, 2007, after a season on UPN's successor, The CW Television Network. Veronica Mars was produced by Warner Bros...
, Logan EchollsLogan EchollsLogan Echolls is a fictional character on the UPN/The CW television series Veronica Mars, which debuted during the fall 2004 season on UPN.He is portrayed by Jason Dohring.- Background :...
drives a yellow Nissan Xterra with aftermarket parts including an ARB front bumper and a Safari Snorkel. - In the movie The Big BounceThe Big Bounce (2004 film)The Big Bounce is a 2004 comedy caper film starring Owen Wilson, Charlie Sheen, Sara Foster and Morgan Freeman. It was directed by George Armitage and based on a novel of the same name by Elmore Leonard....
, Jack Ryan drives a yellow Nissan Xterra. - In the movie Orange CountyOrange County (film)Orange County is a 2002 American comedy film starring Colin Hanks and Jack Black. It was released on January 11, 2002. The movie was distributed by Paramount Pictures and produced by MTV Films and Scott Rudin. The movie was directed by Jake Kasdan and written by Mike White.-Plot:Shaun Brumder is a...
, the main character drives a first gen silver Nissan Xterra. - In IL Politics Ex-governor Rod BlagojevichRod BlagojevichRod R. Blagojevich is an American politician who served as the 40th Governor of Illinois from 2003 to 2009. A Democrat, Blagojevich was a State Representative before being elected to the United States House of Representatives representing parts of Chicago...
drives a silver 2002-2004 Xterra to and from court
External links
- Nissan USA - Official American site
- Nissan Paladin official site
- Official site on Nissan China