Nissan Canada Inc. likes to call the Xterra its "all-new back-to-basics sport utility vehicle," but the Mississauga firm has decided to offer it only in a single, off-road-ready package with only an automatic transmission as an option.
So even though its manufacturer's suggested retail price of $28,998 is pretty aggressive considering the vehicle's equipment (Nissan says it matches the vehicle's back-to-basics attitude) and the competition's stickers, the 2000 Xterra will not be as widely appealing in Canada as it will be in the U.S., where a variety of levels are available.
In Canada, the single package includes a 170-horsepower, 3.3-litre V6 and complete off-road equipment such as heavy-duty 4-wheel-drive, 2-speed transfer case, auto-locking hubs, protective skid-plates and side-rails, a limited-slip diffferential, all-terrain anti-lock brakes and heavy-duty tires."
Other standard Xterra features include a heavy-duty roof-rack, 6-speaker AM/FM stereo system with CD player, air conditioning, dual airbags, power windows, mirrors and locks, overhead map-lights, extra front and rear 12-volt power-points, remote locking, numerous interior tie-down hooks for sports equipment and other cargo, and even a "comprehensive" first-aid kit."
The automatic transmission will be priced at $1,200.
Billed as a vehicle for the "backpack generation", Xterra begins arriving in Canadian dealership showrooms in a matter of days.