2005 Nissan Xterra Off Road

2005 Nissan Xterra Off Road (Photo: Michel Deslauriers, Auto123)

Back on the asphalt, it's nice to see whenever the VDC is stepping in; a light blinks frantically in the instrument cluster to warn you. The phrase "Woah, you crazy fool, what the heck do you think you're doing, applying full throttle on this street corner? Have you lost your marbles?" didn't fit on that light, so Nissan chose to just write the word "SLIP" on it instead. Of course, you can turn off VDC altogether with a switch on the dash, induce wheelspin and show everybody within eye distance that you really are a crazy fool that's lost his marbles.

I have to say, the interior is right for me. The seats are sewn up in a mix of fabrics that are both comfortable and grippy, not to mention very smart looking. All the switches and controls are simple to use and easily within reach. The sound system has a 6-CD changer with MP3 playback and sounds great. My heart almost stopped, though, when I shoved in a Tea Party album and the subwoofer pounded the living daylights out of me. It turns out that the person who had the Xterra before me likes his or her music with a lot of base, since it was set to +5, the highest setting. The audio controls that are mounted on the left side of the steering wheel are very handy. However, I don't like the black-on-orange illumination of the radio and odometer; they are hard to read with sunglasses.

2005 Nissan Xterra Off Road (Photo: Michel Deslauriers, Auto123)

Interior space is plenty for a 5 foot 10 human being like me in front, and a little snug in back. The rear seat cushion is rather high which can limit headroom for some, but as a result, my one year-old daughter had a great view outside. Speaking of view, the size of the windows make this cockpit feel big and bright, and visibility outside is excellent. The cargo area is very roomy, and since the body of the truck is so high, the rear wheel wells barely reduce the available room back there. Pulling the rear cushions up and folding the seatbacks down creates a completely flat load floor, and a plethora of hooks and tie-down points help you tie down any moving objects back there.

On top, the heavy-duty roof rack includes what Nissan calls a "gear box", an overhead carrying case that's useful to air out certain dirty or soiled objects that you just don't want to leave inside, like the underpants of a very nervous person after a bungee jump, for example. Also, a first aid kit is strapped inside the liftgate for those prone to repetitive boo-boos.

Now, there is a flaw with the Xterra. The penalty for performance offered by this SUV is fuel consumption. The best result I obtained was 14.8 L / 100 km, and the worst was 17.2 L / 100 km. Once you get used to this truck and stop doing stoplight challenges, you'll probably end up with an average of 12.0 to 14.0 litres of fuel for every 100 km.

2005 Nissan Xterra Off Road (Photo: Michel Deslauriers, Auto123)

This Off Road model has a base price of $35,198 and included the $1,800 automatic transmission package. The total adds up to $36,998. That isn't cheap, but the base S model is available for $32,898 and contains a high level of equipment nonetheless.

If I was looking for a good sport-utility vehicle, with a strong engine, an attractive cockpit and space to haul the kids and other everyday stuff, I would definitely consider the Xterra. Now, if only people would notice that I'm actually driving a 2005 model without confusing it with an old Xterra, I'd be all set.

What I liked:
Powerful engine
Attractive rugged styling
Comfortable interior

What I didn't like:
Fuel consumption
Radio and odometer displays hard to read
Looks too much like the old model

CLICK HERE to view the 2005 Nissan Xterra Off Road's specifications.