I Took A 10-Year-Old Nissan Xterra Off-Roading—Now I Can't Wait For The New One

Nissan has been rumbling for some months about the impending return of its beloved Xterra SUV. It’s a hugely important vehicle for Nissan's future, one that will bring the wounded but plucky automaker directly into competition with the Toyota 4Runner—and hell, maybe even beat it.

But without much detail on the new Xterra besides the fact that it will retain a simple, proven V6 powertrain, we can’t talk much else about it. What we can talk about is Xterras of yore, which Nissan has kindly provided us with for a trip through some of Utah’s most gorgeous terrain.

This 2015 Nissan Xterra Pro-4X is one of the very last of the Xterras ever made. It packs Nissan’s dependable 4.0-liter VQ40DE V6, a five-speed automatic transmission, proper four-wheel drive, a rear locker, and a very rudimentary infotainment system paired with Rockford Fosgate audio. This thing even has analog gauges.

2015 Nissan Xterra Pro-4X With Its Modern Cousins

Photo by: Nissan

If you can believe it, there have ever only been two generations of Xterra. The first generation, which looks similar to the second generation, survived only four model years. The second generation, which we’re driving today, survived a colossal eleven model years, from 2005 to 2015.

A single facelift during the 2009 model year helped the Xterra survive longer, but it is broadly the same truck as it was in 2005. Much of Nissan’s 2000s design language exists inside, with large fake aluminum-look trim and that steering wheel that was in every car from the 350Z to the Altima.

This Pro-4X in particular has a few options: leather seats and navigation. You could order one with a manual transmission, but only if it had cloth seats. The 4.0-liter V6 makes 261 horsepower and 281 pound-feet of torque, and time has proven it to be a durable, tank-like engine. The Pro-4X also gets Bilstein shocks and extensive underbody skidplating—things I’ll be using shortly.

It’s a proper truck. Simple, rugged, durable, and frill-less. There’s no hybridization, no touch-sensitive controls; it’s a wonderful reminder of the simplicity of this generation of trucks, when you could service the entire thing with a 10-millimeter socket and zipties. It’s also a good reminder of what real, old-school off-roading is all about.

Photo by: Nissan

On The Dusty Trail

Nissan’s confidence in the old truck was such that they allowed us to freely off-road it without much supervision. We were in a convoy with several brand-new Frontier Pro-4X and Armada Pro-4X trucks, granted, but the Xterra was treated exactly the same as those new trucks. No special treatment or care. In fact, Nissan seemed keen for people to really try the Xterra’s capabilities, which I duly obliged.

As with any trail day, there’s a transit stage on pavement. I spent a few hours driving the Frontier the day before, so I was familiar with the new stuff for comparison. Ambling the old truck onto the pavement from our campsite was a delightful surprise; the Xterra was as good as new stuff at highway speeds.

It only suffers from its five-speed automatic, which kicks into fourth a little too often, and some extra wind noise. Otherwise, it had the highway manners of a modern truck, just without the big screens and adaptive cruise control. It also handled well around gentle bends and had a decent amount of feel through its hydraulically assisted rack.

Photos by: Nissan

But the trail is where the Xterra really shines. Unlike modern off-roaders, the Xterra had no fancy electronics that helped it find traction. It relied fully on mechanical grip and engineering, which often comes with its compromises in terms of ride quality. But it does bring an almost pure driver’s element to the Xterra I didn’t expect. It relied on you to choose the correct lines and make smart choices, but it otherwise did a shocking amount of the work. Paired with competent trail skills, it becomes unstoppable, even as a bone-stock truck.

What was most impressive was the nonchalance with which it handled obstacles. Where the Frontiers and Armadas would wheel hop and slip, the Xterra would gracefully clamber over the same obstacles without a hint of protest. It could clearly articulate its suspension further than the other trucks, but it also drove more smoothly over rough terrain.

The Xterra was comfortable, but not overly insulating from the trail experience, with the wheel coming alive once again with information, and the truck moving pleasantly during high-speed sand washes and bouldering alike.

Photo by: Nissan

We Need It Back

It was a pleasure to properly off-road a truck again. Too much of the modern stuff is all tech and gizmos, all of which can’t be relied on in the deep wilderness. Simplicity is the ultimate virtue of an off-road vehicle, and the Xterra has it in spades.

By all indications, Nissan intends to emulate this formula for the upcoming Xterra. Though Nissan representatives wouldn’t confirm, if I mentioned that the Xterra would be great with the 3.8-liter naturally aspirated V6 currently in the Frontier, I got several satisfied smirks. They got outright bashful when I said having the Armada’s twin-turbo V6 in a Raptor-beating version would be even sicker.

Nissan’s ideal formula exists right here in this old truck. Keep it simple, rugged, comfortable, and easy to use. Offering that, especially when Toyota has gone the way of the small-displacement turbocharged four-cylinder hybrid powertrains, would be a winner. I just hope Nissan follows through.

17

Source: Nissan

What's Next For Nissan

'Off-Roading Is In Our DNA:' Nissan Talks Frontier Sport, Xterra, And What's Next

The New Nissan Xterra Should Cost 'Below $40,000'

The New Nissan Xterra Shows Its Face For The First Time

Inside Nissan's Comeback Plan: AI, Hybrids, And The Return Of The Xterra