Anyone come from an 05+ Xterra?

[jakehere]

I'm asking because you can get a new 2011 Xterra 2wd for dealer invoice ($24k), minus the $2k incentive = $22,000.

What vehicle has a quieter cabin on the fwy?
MPG's about the same?
Does the Xterra's VQ engine have better throttle response and guts compared to ours?
Any other thoughts pros/cons?

 

[StarGazer]

I had an '06 Xterra Off-Road and I loved it. To answer your questions:

Q: What vehicle has a quieter cabin on the fwy?
A: The 4Runner is quieter even with my Duratracs

Q: MPG's about the same?
A: I get better mileage in the 4Runner than I did in the Xterra. The Xterra had GY Wranglers w/kevlar which really killed the mileage. Still, stock for stock, the Runner gets better MPG and much longer range (YMMV).

Q: Does the Xterra's VQ engine have better throttle response and guts compared to ours?
A: Throttle response is "better" in that it takes little pedal travel to get moving. But it was a bit too head-snapping for me. I know some of the people on the Xterra boards complained about it and had the stealership adjust it for them IIRC. Overall, the Xterra is a bit quicker off of the line.

Q: Any other thoughts pros/cons?
A: The Xterra is long overdue for an update. This is one of the (many) reasons I went with the 4Runner. The Trail Edition seems like a natural upgrade from an Xterra OR. I think the Runner is a bit more capable off road and smoother on road. The aftermarket is weaker for the Xterra. Can't think of anything else right now.

If the 4Runner did not exist, I would likely be in an Xterra but would do the necessary upgrades to get it up-to-date.

 

[philsey]

Having owned 3 Nissans, I can tell you their resale value is not nearly as good as Toyota's.

 

[Foques]

^
+1

and customer service is nowhere near.

 

[Johnny Utah]

i had an 02 xterra. I used to want to trade it in for a new xterra..until i saw the new t4r body style. Anyway, The Xterra, I Loved it, but..I love the t4r so much more

 

[03_4x4Runner]

As stated the xterra has excellent low end power, something the 4runner lacks. They are a good value but not as refined as a 4runner. The off road magazines love them in 4x4 trim because you can get a rear locker. It is up to you to decide if a 4runner is worth 10k or more to you.

 

[ATL4R]

I have a 2007 XTerra and a 2011 4Runner Trail. The XTerra is like a Ferrari compared to my 4Runner. Low-end, middle, and top end - the XTerra is always ready to go. I think a lot of this has to do with the transmission. My 4Runner is ALWAYS trying to get me in a higher gear, while the XTerra stays in current gear a little longer. XTerra 1st to 2nd shift always occurs at 1900rpm's or more even if you are just putting along. My 4Runner will shift from 1st to 2nd at SUPER low RPMs and then if I give it some gas/pedal it seems to struggle. If you like to "giddy-up" a lot - the Xterra is more fun - as that engine will go hard and SEEMS more powerful. I've looked online for a graph of the power curves of both engines, but couldn't find one.

The Xterra is 500-700 pounds lighter too - so that explains the quickness issue.

Set the cruise control at 55, 65, 75, 85 in the Xterra and no matter what the terrain, you will not be downshifting. My 4Runner downshifts like crazy at any decent incline no matter what I set the cruise control at.

Which is a more refined driving experience? The 4Runner. I have 2 baby seats (one forward facing and one rear facing) in the back. The Xterra is just too small for them - the driver must keep the seat forward in an uncomfortable position for the rear-facing seat to sit in the backseat. There is plenty of room in the 4Runner even with front seats in the furthest back position.

A lot of guys on the Xterra forums complain of the shocks - I personally enjoy the Xterra ride better than the floaty ride of my 4Runner (bilsteins on the way to resolve this problem).

The interior of the Xterra is functional...the 4runner is much nicer inside.

The Xterra is a great deal for a basic SUV, but a tad small in you have a family.

 

[mtbnole]

I had an 07 SE 4x4 for 2 years. I loved it. a few thoughts:
The 4runner is much more expensive, but is larger and smoother on the highway.
The Xterra interior scratches a bit too easy, especially in the cargo area.
i do miss all the places to store stuff in the xterra, from the underfloor storage to the roof rack box, it makes the 4runner look ridiculous without anyplace to keep gear.
The VQ engine and transmission combination make it fun to drive and quick off the line, once you get used to it, you can drive smoothly. The 4runner in comparison is a fat, slow thing, unless you bury the skinny pedal.
The back seat is tighter in the xterra, but the cargo area didn't feel much smaller then the 4runner. The stadium seating is cool though.
You're talking 2wd, so i don;t think i need to mention off road ability, but both can go a long way.
Mileage in my TE seems to be nearly as bad as my Xterra with 33" ATs.
Stargazer is right, the Xterra needs a full update, as it's essentially the same as it was in 2005. The interior in the 09 and nweer models is better, but only where they updated it, the center stack basically.

Size, interior space (especially back seat leg room), available options and of course cost are the big differences between the two. If you don't need the bigger backseat and the fancy things like power seats, sunroof, AC outlets, fancy 4wd buttons, third row, full tie 4wd, etc., the xterra is great for quite a bit less, plus you can put on 33s without a lift!

 

[jakehere]

THanks for the great info!

Maybe I'll wait and see what the 2012 xterra looks like...

Holding on to 4R... (for now).

 

[Wakeborder556]

bump

 

[Lebber32]

Ummmmmm, am I the only one who thinks the xterra is a chick car

 

[bernardmwrangle]

Avoid Nissan

I own a 2005 Off Road Xterra. I have been researching a Trail Edition purchase for the past few months, this forum has been a great resource, thanks to all the members. This is my first post to the forum, I could not resist sharing my thoughts given my situation with my Xterra and Nissan.

The 2005 forward Nissan V6 has nice power, and with the locking rear diff the Xterra is a monster off road, I routinely off road in the Sierras, and the last two summers I literally crawled around a stuck GMC Truck and Jeep Grand Cherokee (I did offer to help them too!)

But the 2005 forward Xterras, Frontiers and Pathfinders have a defect in the radiator/transmission, the radiator fails and coolant leaks into the trannie destroying the transmission. If you google Nissan Transmission failure, you will see that there are class action lawsuits all over the place, there is a recent New York Times blog that summarizes the issue too.

Nissan extended the warranty on the issue to 80,000 miles - so guess how many miles my Xterra had when the radiator failed? 84,000. Nissan North America refused to repair the issue, and they were rude about it too, claiming there was nothing wrong with the design in spite of their warranty extension. So now I have an Xterra that Blue Books at $9,500 but needs a $5,000 transmission, a total dog. I would never buy another Nissan.

That issue aside, as far as your other questions, based on my test drive of the Trail it has much better on-road manners, I like the stiff truck feel ride of the Xterra and the Bilsteins it has, but the Trail had a nice ride, and by all accounts it is a monster off road, add a 2" lift, aggressive tires, budbuilt winch mount and winch, that is all you could ask for for a great off roader which will also keep the wife and kids comfortable. And the Xterra has a pretty cheap feel on the interior, hard plastic, and the middle console and rear cupholders broke within the first year. Oh, the Xterra also has crap mileage, even on a long freeway road trip to Seattle I could not get over 18 mpg.

So, I think with the poor interior quality, customer service, and major mechanical failures across three of their most popular vehicle lines over several years, you might regret not sucking it up and paying the extra dollars for a Toyota.

 

[WUKILLABEEZ78]

I own a 2005 Off Road Xterra. I have been researching a Trail Edition purchase for the past few months, this forum has been a great resource, thanks to all the members. This is my first post to the forum, I could not resist sharing my thoughts given my situation with my Xterra and Nissan.

The 2005 forward Nissan V6 has nice power, and with the locking rear diff the Xterra is a monster off road, I routinely off road in the Sierras, and the last two summers I literally crawled around a stuck GMC Truck and Jeep Grand Cherokee (I did offer to help them too!)

But the 2005 forward Xterras, Frontiers and Pathfinders have a defect in the radiator/transmission, the radiator fails and coolant leaks into the trannie destroying the transmission. If you google Nissan Transmission failure, you will see that there are class action lawsuits all over the place, there is a recent New York Times blog that summarizes the issue too.

Nissan extended the warranty on the issue to 80,000 miles - so guess how many miles my Xterra had when the radiator failed? 84,000. Nissan North America refused to repair the issue, and they were rude about it too, claiming there was nothing wrong with the design in spite of their warranty extension. So now I have an Xterra that Blue Books at $9,500 but needs a $5,000 transmission, a total dog. I would never buy another Nissan.

That issue aside, as far as your other questions, based on my test drive of the Trail it has much better on-road manners, I like the stiff truck feel ride of the Xterra and the Bilsteins it has, but the Trail had a nice ride, and by all accounts it is a monster off road, add a 2" lift, aggressive tires, budbuilt winch mount and winch, that is all you could ask for for a great off roader which will also keep the wife and kids comfortable. And the Xterra has a pretty cheap feel on the interior, hard plastic, and the middle console and rear cupholders broke within the first year. Oh, the Xterra also has crap mileage, even on a long freeway road trip to Seattle I could not get over 18 mpg.

So, I think with the poor interior quality, customer service, and major mechanical failures across three of their most popular vehicle lines over several years, you might regret not sucking it up and paying the extra dollars for a Toyota.

I had a 2005 Nissan Xterra before getting my 4Runner. The Xterra was a nice truck, and I agree with other comments about it being bare-bones with better throttle response. My Xterra also failed due to the radiator fluid leaking into the transmission, it was terrible! Transmission started to hesitate and lurch, and the truck would cut off unexpectedly. My Xterra had over 130,000 miles on it when this occurred so I was out of luck as far as getting it fixed by Nissan. I traded it in (only got $3000) and got my 2011 Toyota 4Runner SR5. Xterra was quicker, with better manuverability on curvy roads but other than that the 4Runner has been superior.

 

[bigbillyt]

I had a 2002 and then a 2007 xTerra 4x4, much prefer the T4r

The xTerras were both great trucks and a bit zippier than the 4Runner, I also got slightly better MPG with the Nissans. However, the 4Runner Trail, while being considerably more expensive, is much better in ever way, other than MPG. Interior room is better, ride is better, resale value is better and I like the looks quite a bit better. If you are looking for an entry level model, I bet you could find a decent deal on an SR5 and get the advantages without quite so much cash outlay. Obviously, it will still be more than the Nissan, but I think it is worth it.