Xterra discontinued after 2015... Good for 4Runner... Thoughts...

[SURF RUNNER]

Nissan Xterra discontinued after 2015

So even though this is old news it was "new" news to me today. I had not heard that the Xterra would be discontinued after the 2015 model year. I am surprised about this... not sure about the sales, but I always thought that the Xterra was a decent-looking SUV. Visually not as appealing as the 4Runner, but decent. I don't know that much about the Nissan generations and how good it was beyond aesthetics.

It just seems short sighted for Nissan to abandon an entire vehicle segment. The article mentions the Rogue... I'm assuming this is a crossover or hybrid vehicle. It seems to me that no more Xterra can only help sales of the new 4Runner.

Any thoughts on this?

 

[jwkilgore]

My thoughts are that with the demise of the XTerra and FJ, the 2016 4Runner is the sole mid-size BoF SUV being made for sale in the USA. It should be a banner year for 4Runner sales. In an effort to chase MPG all other SUVs have gone CUV and streamlined the look. They look more like minivans than SUVs.

[EDIT: Oops, the Lexus GX470 is still being made for 2016 and the Jeep Wrangler can be considered a BoF SUV if you squint your eyes just right. But both of those vehicles are chasing a whole other demographic than the 4Runner.]

If the 6th Gen stayed as a BoF (design would have been finalized long before the XTerra announcement), sales should remain very very strong for years to come.

The Nissan Rogue is a compact CUV similar in size to a Rav4, but better (IMO). My mom has one. They are nice efficient vehicles for commuting with decent cargo room. They are totally incapable of any off-road driving or of towing anything more than an itty-bitty trailer; they don't have any similarity with the XTerra at all.

 

[SURF RUNNER]

[MENTION=126566]jwkilgore[/MENTION]

2016 4Runner is the sole mid-size BoF SUV being made for sale in the USA

Good post... What about the Jeep Cherokee? Is the Cherokee not body on frame? It looks like it could be more of a crossover or hybrid.

 

[2003-4x4runner]

A friend who lived above Bass Lake CA (4700 feet elevation) bought a Nissan Xterra down in Fresno CA like 10 years ago. He drove home from the dealer up the hill and he said it had no power! He turned around half way home to return it. Another thing I hear a lot is that most Nissan's vehicles get bad gas mileage and maintenance costs are higher then other Japanese MFR's.

 

[Knight-Errant]

[MENTION=126566]jwkilgore[/MENTION]



Good post... What about the Jeep Cherokee? Is the Cherokee not body on frame? It looks like it could be more of a crossover or hybrid.

The Cherokee is unibody like a car. I'd consider it to be a rugged crossover in the Trail Hawk version.

The Cherokee has been having transmission issues and issues with the infotainment system. I'd stay away from one of these.

With the V6, they can be as expensive as the 4runner, but why you'd go for the Cherokee over the 4runner, I don't know.

I don't think the Cherokee is really a 4runner competitor. At this point the 4runner is in a class of its own.

I'd also put the Jeep wrangler in a class of its own even though both the Wrangler and the 4runner can be 4 door body on frame SUVs. The Toyota has much more refinement, comfort, practicality, and durability in my opinion. The wangler has (perhaps) more extreme off road ability if modified properly, but it is lacking in most other areas.

 

[cashmoney]

My wife's 01 xterra had over 200k on it when we sold it and all it had done to it was valve cover gaskets once and a timing belt. Everything else was all original. It got better mileage and had more balls than my 4Runner. It was a fun vehicle to drive.

 

[Knight-Errant]

The xterra was built in the USA as a compact SUV while the 4runner was made in Japan as a midsize (at least the 5th gen is midsize). A top of the line xterra pro-4x was about the same as what I paid for my made in Japan trail, but because of the exchange rates, you get much for your money with the 4runner.

The xterra interior hadn't be updated for an extremely long time and is showed.

I also wasn't too crazy about the xterra leaf spring rear suspension. It didn't seem terribly controlled in off road situations. Plenty of videos out there of it bobbing in a way that induces a sense of fear...of course whoever is behind the wheel is a big part of that.

If Nissan bothered to update it they would have many sold more, but I think they were selling about 18k a year towards the end (they sell about 18k wranglers a month for comparison).

Edit: I test drove a pro-4x and it had a really nice ride and seemed well built. The engine had a growl and the car did have personality. I don't dislike the x-terra, and I'm not trying to knock it. The price was too close to the 4runner and like I really felt my money went further with the 4runner.

 

[Knight-Errant]

I will agree that the xterra exterior has aged well.

 

[98WhiteT4R]

I had an '06 and really liked it, sold it with about 90k on the clock. Its definitely one of the better looking SUV's (or was). The inside was very spartan and cheap looking but I didn't mind. Never had a problem with it and I actually looked at a '12 PRO 4x about a year ago but ended up adding bumpers to my T4R. IMO it was one of the last real SUV's on the US market besides the 4Runner.

 

[Knight-Errant]

Another thing I hear a lot is that most Nissan's vehicles get bad gas mileage and maintenance costs are higher then other Japanese MFR's.

I've heard complaints about the Nissan maintenance costs too and also the quality of the dealer maintenance work from a few folks as well...but I don't have enough experience with Nissan to say for sure.

 

[Knight-Errant]

The inside was very spartan and cheap looking but I didn't mind... IMO it was one of the last real SUV's on the US market besides the 4Runner.

In a way, the spartan x-terra interior was refreshing since it wasn't overdone (On the 4runner I appreciated the simpleness of the temperature controls...I don't care much for LCD screens in cars though). I did really like the cloth pro-4x seats.

I wish we had more BOF off road SUV's on the market. The way things are going (excessive government regulation, the push for electric/autonomous vehicles) there may be no BOF SUV's in the near future.

Makes me want to hold on to my 4Runner for as long as possible...

 

[2003-4x4runner]

. It got better mileage and had more balls than my 4Runner. It was a fun vehicle to drive.

I agree with you on that part. Back in 2001 I was dating a girl with a 2000
4Runner and it was gutless. Don't get me wrong, I like the look of the Xtrerra and I almost bought one.

 

[williamlv282]

I loved the engine in those Xterras. I always wanted one. They're great vehicles and I'm sad to see them go

 

[98WhiteT4R]

In a way, the spartan x-terra interior was refreshing since it wasn't overdone (On the 4runner I appreciated the simpleness of the temperature controls...I don't care much for LCD screens in cars though). I did really like the cloth pro-4x seats.

I wish we had more BOF off road SUV's on the market. The way things are going (excessive government regulation, the push for electric/autonomous vehicles) there may be no BOF SUV's in the near future.

Makes me want to hold on to my 4Runner for as long as possible...

True, it was Spartan without trying to be Spartan which was refreshing. Getting to the end of the era of real SUVs these days. Crossovers and "luxury SUVs" are taking over the market.

 

[Deuskid]

I'd also put the Jeep wrangler in a class of its own even though both the Wrangler and the 4runner can be 4 door body on frame SUVs. The Toyota has much more refinement, comfort, practicality, and durability in my opinion. The wangler has (perhaps) more extreme off road ability if modified properly, but it is lacking in most other areas.

^ I totally agree. I own a JK [2 door] and am looking at replacing it w/ a 4Runner over a JKU[4 door]. 4Runner is much better vehicle, overall, than the JKU.

ymmv

 

[Styer]

If Nissan bothered to update it they would have many sold more, but I think they were selling about 18k a year towards the end (they sell about 18k wranglers a month for comparison).

You're right on sir. For model year 15 Nissan only slated to build 19k Xterras. Wasn't really refreshed in over a decade. Engine was low on power compared to current competitors. The interior was old, hard, spartan and worst of all cramped. The ride was rougher than competitors. All of this leads to declining sales and eventual elimination of the Xterra.

Nissan's goals right now are to increase their profit and market share. The USA being one of their quickest/best growing markets. Most of the body on frame vehicles were selling poorly. Their Crossovers however are on a sharp rise and Nissan slated to sell more crossovers than sedans in the next couple years. They are obviously investing their money elsewhere.

 

[DylanD]

Xterra discontinued! You are not the only one it's news for me as well

 

[bernardmwrangle]

I owned an '05 off road edition. The engine had pep and it was good off road, but the engine was garbage, they had a defect where the coolant leaked into the transmission and the tranny had to be replaced. That was actually the second problem with the engine. I was 2K over the mileage for the replacement warranty for the tranny and Nissan refused to fix it, cost me $4,500 on the trade in for my 4Runner, I never pass up an opportunity to trash Nissan now!

 

[T4R2014]

My wife's 01 xterra had over 200k on it when we sold it and all it had done to it was valve cover gaskets once and a timing belt. Everything else was all original. It got better mileage and had more balls than my 4Runner. It was a fun vehicle to drive.

Did it happen to have a supercharger? Any Nissan truck I've driven with the 3.3 has been an utter slug, though a very reliable slug. I'm not saying the 4Runner is a rocket, but I'm genuinely surprised you found it to have more balls than a 3.4 4Runner. I always wanted a yellow manual first gen Xterra loaded up with Calmini parts, though.

 

[cashmoney]

Nah. I'd have probably kept it if it did.