Description

The ability to stand out from the crowded compact sport utility vehicle market segment isn't easily achieved. One SUV that does is the Nissan Xterra. It does a lot of other things well, too; and some not quite so well, depending on your taste. But from top (tubular-styled roof rack) to bottom (tubular-style step rails), it's a distinctive vehicle. To look at it is to know that it's not designed to run down to the supermarket once a week. It's made to lug stuff, go places, and do things - the activities the Gen X types (hence the X) like to do in the great outdoors (hence the Terra). A bulked-up station wagon it isn't. It looks tough and indeed there is substance behind the macho styling. It's built on the same platform as the Nissan Frontier pickup truck, with truck-style rear leaf spring suspension.