2005 Nissan Xterra Road Test

More of Everything in Nissan's Less-is-More 4x4

Nissan's Xterra, since its introduction in 1999, has been among the minority in the SUV world - a truck that can back up its

The original Xterra had a very narrow focus - a functional SUV for an active lifestyle - and that continues in the second generation. (Photo: Gerry Frechette, Canadian Auto Press)

purposeful looks with actual toughness and off-road prowess. Those poseurs looking only for the rugged image have plenty of wanna-be SUVs to choose from, but this isn't one of them.

Back when the Xterra was being developed, it represented the first vehicle Nissan had conceived since the Z, with the express objective of appealing to a very specific customer, rather than trying to be most things to most people. It had a very narrow focus - a functional SUV for an active lifestyle - and that continues in the second generation.

It is still the genuine article, a rough-and-ready truck for risk-takers who seek adventure in life far off the beaten

The Xterra is a rough-and-ready truck for risk-takers who seek adventure in life far off the beaten track. (Photo: Gerry Frechette, Canadian Auto Press)

track. The newest generation Xterra continues to embrace this approach, and applies today's technology and design to improve the breed.

Let's face it, though, the original Xterra was a bit crude, even for the crowd it was pitched to. For example, its V6 engine, of the generation previous to the one now found in just about every Nissan vehicle was not a paragon of power or refinement. So lethargic was it that Nissan equipped it with a supercharger, which brought power up to more acceptable levels, but at the cost of any semblance of reasonable fuel economy.