Nissan Xterra
| Nissan Xterra | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Nissan |
| Production | 2000–present 2003–2007 (Brazil) |
| Assembly | Smyrna, Tennessee, United States São José dos Pinhais, Brazil |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Compact SUV |
| Body style | 4-door SUV |
| Layout | Front engine, rear-wheel drive / four-wheel drive |
| Chronology | |
| Successor | Nissan Rogue (Mexico) |
The Nissan Xterra is a compact SUV built on the Nissan F-Alpha platform. The Frontier-based vehicle is named after the XTERRA off-road triathlon race series that Nissan sponsored through the end of 2006.
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Second generation (N50)
| Second generation | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Production | 2005–present |
| Body and chassis | |
| Platform | Nissan F-Alpha platform |
| Related | Infiniti QX56 Nissan Armada Nissan Frontier Nissan Pathfinder Nissan Titan |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 4.0 L 265 hp (198 kW) V6 |
| Transmission | 5-speed automatic 6-speed manual |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 106.3 in (2700 mm) |
| Length | 178.7 in (4539 mm) |
| Width | 72.8 in (1849 mm) |
| Height | 74.9 in (1902 mm) |
2005–present
The Xterra was redesigned in 2005 on the Nissan F-Alpha platform shared by the Titan and Frontier. Offering a rear differential locker on the off-road model, the new model is larger in all dimensions than its predecessor. Utilizing Nissan's variable valve timing fitted 4.0 L VQ40DE engine, it produces 265 hp (198 kW). The Xterra received a facelift for 2009 with more options and colors, leather seats on SE models, and roof mounted lights on off-road models. The last year of the Nissan Xterra in Mexico was 2008, as the larger-but-cheaper unibody Nissan Rogue replaced in the product lineup. Reasons why the Xterra stopped sales in Mexico was for Nissan to free up room for the 2009 Suzuki Equator at the Smyrna plant, and also because of Nissan building fewer Xterras due to declining sales in the United States and Canada.[citation needed] After that, the Xterra is now mutually exclusive with the unibody X-Trail sold outside the United States and Canada. However, the X-Trail was sold in Canada from 2005 to 2006 alongside the Xterra, but after the 2006 model year, Nissan replaced the X-Trail in Canada with the Rogue.
Awards and recognition
- 2000 Motor Trend's Sport Utility of the Year
- 2000 North American Truck of the Year
- 2000 New England Motor Press Association's Winter Vehicle Award of New England for Best in Class - Mini Sport Utility
- 2001 Named Top Car by AAA New Car and Truck Buying Guide
- 2005 Named on the Automobile Magazine's 50 Great New Cars list
- 2006 Nominated as North American Truck of the Year
- 2006 Motor Trend's Sport Utility of the Year
- 2006 Motor Trend's Truck Trend's Best Little-Guy SUV Award
- 2006 Car and Driver Rock-Hopper SUV Winner.[1]
- 2006 4x4 of the Year award from Peterson's 4-Wheel and Off-Road magazine.
- 2006 Edmunds.com Editor's Most Wanted Vehicle
- 2009 4Wheeler Magazine's SUV of the Year
- 2010 Xterra received the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's highest Side-impact Safety Rating (five stars).
Production elsewhere
All Nissan-produced Xterras are built in Smyrna, Tennessee, and São José dos Pinhais, Brazil until 2007. It is built under license by Pars Khodro in Iran and called the Nissan Roniz, and in China by Zhengzhou Nissan Automobile and sold as the (Template:Lang-ja) starting in 2003. The Paladin uses the same chassis and running gear as the first generation Nissan Xterra, but the engine is a 2.5 diesel mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. The front end is from the local Pickup.
Cultural references
- In the sitcom The Office (episode "Did I Stutter"), we learn that Andy Bernard drives a Nissan Xterra, which he subsequently sells to Dwight.
- In the crime-drama The Sopranos, A.J. Soprano drives a yellow Nissan Xterra.
- In the teen drama Veronica Mars, Logan Echolls drives a yellow Nissan Xterra with aftermarket parts including an ARB front bumper and a Safari Snorkel.
- In the movie The Big Bounce, Jack Ryan drives a yellow Nissan Xterra.
- In the movie Orange County, the main character drives a first-generation silver Nissan Xterra.
- In IL Politics Ex-governor Rod Blagojevich drives a silver 2002–2004 Xterra to and from court
References
- ^ Rock-Hopper 2006 Competition Car and Driver.com, April, 2006. Accessed on June 11, 2007.
- A story of Nissan Paladin and Chinese Team in Dakar 2005 from Nissan Motorsports website
External links
- Nissan USA - Official American site
- Nissan Paladin official site
- Official site on Nissan China
