Feature > New Vehicle Reviews
2005 Nissan Xterra Test
Taking the Route Less Traveled to Test its Off-Road Prowess
story and photos by Steve Temple
Whenever we can combine both business and pleasure in an off-road adventure, we’ll go for it. For instance, recently Nissan invited us to a fairly rugged excursion through Arizona to introduce us to the revamped Xterra. Okay, we enjoyed a few genteel stops along the way, but we deliberately veered off-course to wring out this cocky little compact SUV and see if it could hold up under something a bit more challenging.
After all, Nissan claims it has greatly improved off-road performance, thanks in part to a more powerful engine and a new boxed ladder-frame chassis based on the same competent F-Alpha platform that’s used on the Titan and Armada. The Xterra’s slightly modified version employs an independent front with dual-wishbone control arms, and a live axle rearend suspended by leaf springs.
Trying to look majestic against some really majestic rock formations.
The plan was to head north from upscale Paradise Valley to the resort town of Sedona, and hit the Chicken Trail (not as easy as it might sound) to a scenic overlook. On the way, though, we took advantage of Nissan’s relaxed oversight and headed off the highway toward an innocent-sounding spot on the map called Bumble Bee, a few miles west of the Interstate.
The origin of the settlement’s name is somewhat obscure, and like many ghost towns, legends of a lost gold treasure still endure. Founded in the late 1800s as a stop on the stageline between Phoenix and Prescott, Bumble Bee now looks like a great setting for a movie about big dreams dying in the desert.
After exploring the abandoned saloon and gas station, we decided to manhandle the Xterra on some soft dirt roads to evaluate the punch of the VQ-series, 4.0-liter V6, along with the handling traits of the VDC (Vehicle Dynamic Control) system. The 265 hp engine (with 284 lb./ft of torque) is basically the same one found in the somewhat heftier Nissan Pathfinder, so it’s no surprise the Xterra scoots out pretty well.
Doing our imitation of Steve Millen on the switchbacks of Pike’s Peak.
We experimented with the VDC (available only on the automatic transmission), to see what would happen with it both on and off. When engaged, it uses selective braking to dampen wheelspin, settling down the vehicle like a big hand to minimize oversteer or understeer. The system isn’t intrusive, but it did prevent us from wildly fishtailing (unless that’s what you want to do). The VDC is not the only performance enhancement, but evaluating the Xterra’s off-road prowess would have to wait for some more rugged terrain.
For that, we pulled back onto the pavement and resumed our trip to Sedona. When we rolled into the parking lot of the resort, Nissan’s PR pros gave us some puzzled stares, wondering how their new test vehicle got so muddy. Grinning sheepishly, we explained that we took the scenic route on some side roads near Bumble Bee. That mention met with some nods of acknowledgement, because it turns out that’s where Nissan’s engineers do their off-road testing, so we picked the right detour after all.
The Bumble Bee Ranch welcomed us with open arms, or at least an open entrance. We spotted a Nissan Pathfinder in use in this remote area. Turns out Nissan test engineers also use this region for evaluating new vehicles.
The next day we took a couple different Xterras on the Chicken Trail, one a standard model with a five-speed automatic, and the other an off-road grade version equipped with a six-speed manual and Bilstein shocks tuned for off-road. The latter also includes 265/75R16 BFGoodrich Rugged Trail tires.
Coincidentally, the Chicken Trail located south of town is the same one used by the Pink Jeep excursion company. Using gaily painted Jeeps outfitted with extra seats, this firm takes tourists out for a taste of off-roading, complete with a colorful guide clad in a cowboy hat and leather vest and longcoat (we were expecting him to spit tobacco as well, just for effect).
“Could I have a double-mocha latte grande please? No, well then, make it a Diet Coke. Or how about just a sip from the well?” The Bumble Bee Saloon has obviously seen better days.
What was even more intriguing is that one of the attractive female Pink Jeep guides openly expressed her interest in owning an Xterra, and wondered how she might get a deal on one. Is that an endorsement from a professional off-roader? We’re not sure.
Perhaps because she was admiring some of the vehicle’s new styling, with enlarged fender flares and molded-in steps in the rear bumpers. That latter provides easier access to the nicely designed roof rack with a gear basket and latchable lid. But she also could see how well our Xterras tackled the slick surfaces, and negotiated the rutted and rocky trails.
Has enough beans to climb pretty quick, too.
Front suspension and factory skid plates.
In addition, the locking rearend and limited-slip differential, a couple of other selectable features we particularly appreciated were the Hill Descent Control (HDC) that automatically brakes the vehicle, and Hill Start Assist (HAS) that holds the vehicle in place for up to two seconds without rollback. Like the VDC mentioned above, these features enhance off-road performance, but without over-controlling the vehicle.
Other aspects in the design that came in handy included under-body skid plates and the 9.5 inches of ground clearance (which wasn’t quite enough in a couple of areas, hence our appreciation for the plating). The approach and departure angles are 33.2 and 29.4 degrees, respectively, so clearance is generally good, but we dinged one of the low-hanging tubular side steps, so we wouldn’t recommend that option for regular off-roading.
Picking our way down the Chicken Trail. Actually, the steep descents were the most challenging part of this off-road excursion. The rest was fairly easy to handle.
The remaining portion of our trip on the following day included a lot of fast cruising on graded dirt roads snaking through some mining country. The Xterra soaked up those bumps without complaint, and then smoothly transitioned to some high-speed highway driving. Along the way, we developed an appreciation for the Xterra’s no-nonsense interior, with a Utili-Track channel system and cargo hooks in the cargo area. There’s even a First Aid kit that’s standard with the off-road Xterra, which fortunately we didn’t need to use.
The finale was a river-rafting excursion down the Colorado, which really didn’t have all that much to do with testing the Xterra, other than driving on some bumpy and wet gravel roads down to the riverbank at the valley floor. This on-water portion was intended as a spiff for attending this press event, but turned out to be a long chilly ride after we got drenched in the Honeymoon Rapids (probably named for what usually happens on your wedding night). Despite dinging a prop on a submerged boulder, we nonetheless enjoyed motoring down the muddy Colorado, and taking in the towering rock formations.
Did these perks enhance our appreciation for the Xterra? Not especially, because the vehicle stands on its own just fine, with or without plush accommodations (not that we’re complaining, of course). Now, if we could just figure out how to wrangle a trip for an off-road adventure in Hawaii...