Cars - Nissan Xterra

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	Cars - Nissan Xterra

The Nissan Xterra (also called the XTerra or X) is a compact SUV based on that company's F-Alpha platform, and shares many similarities with the Nissan Frontier pickups. The Xterra won the North American Truck of the Year award and was Motor Trend magazine's Sport/Utility of the Year for 2000. It was again nominated for NACOTY and again won Motor Trend's award in 2006.

All Xterras are currently built in Smyrna, Tennessee. The Xterra is Nissan's smallest SUV in the United States other than the X-Trail sold in Canada and Mexico. It is called the Nissan Roniz in Iran, where it is also built, under licence by Pars Khodro.

The Xterra was named after the XTERRA series of off-road triathlon races. Nissan has since become the race series' primary sponsor.

The Xterra was originally introduced in the US with the 2000 model year and was marketed as a simple, but capable SUV with the slogan Everything you need, nothing you don't. This was, and still is, contrary to the many rival luxury SUV models being produced by other manufacturers. Although accepted by a wide range of ages, incomes, lifestyles and genders, Nissan marketed the Xterra primarily to the adventurous and outdoor types. Every single Xterra commercial depicts someone driving it though the mud, unloading mountain bikes out of the back to go hit the trail, or packing up their surfing gear.

Although 2002 saw a change to the front end and 2005 brought a whole new Xterra, two design cues have remained a constant. The Xterra has kept it's raised rear roofline, and the 'Hump' on the back lift gate. The raised roof allows for stadium seating and the hump allowed the inclusion of a first aid kit in the liftgate. Although originally added for functional reasons, both define the X's character and help to set it apart in the ocean of SUVs on today's roadways.

Generations

First Generation: 2000-2001 (Square Headlights)

First Generation: 2002-2004 (Round Headlights)

2002 saw the first real changes to the Xterra. Although the interior was freshened up with a new dash and center console, the biggest changes were to the top-of-the-line powerplant and the front end. In 2001 Nissan had changed the front end of the Frontier to give it a more aggressive look and to add overhead clearance in the engine bay. In 2002 Nissan brought those changes to the Xterra, including Nissan's new Supercharged 3.3L V6. They hoped the new V6 would help quell the critic's negative views about the Xterra's lack of power.

2002 also saw a change in the color lineup. Aztec red and kaki were dropped from the choices and atomic orange added.

Second generation: 2005-Present

The 2005 arrived with a completely redesigned look, to resemble that of the Nissan Titan and Nissan Frontier. Utilizing a 4.0 L variant of the well-known VQ35DE, it now produces 265 hp. This new engine was the answer to the Xterra's previous lack of power. Available with a rear differential locker on the Off-Road version, it competes well with other SUV of it size.

Cars - Nissan Xterra

Generations

First Generation: 2000-2001 (Square Headlights)

First Generation: 2002-2004 (Round Headlights)

Second generation: 2005-Present

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