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2009 Nissan Xterra Quality Review

July 27, 2009

COMFORT AND QUALITY | 6 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

especially cut-rate
ConsumerGuide

more hard plastic than we'd like
Edmunds

small door opening when entering and exiting
Cars.com

The 2009 Nissan Xterra offers plenty of room, but the execution suffers.

Reviews read by TheCarConnection.com agree that the 2009 Xterra features ample cabin space. Up front, the Nissan Xterra provides "good headroom and legroom," says ConsumerGuide. Cars.com asserts that "five occupants fit inside the Xterra" and rear comfort isn't all that bad, and Kelley Blue Book concurs that the Nissan Xterra offers "ample headroom and legroom for every passenger, front and back."

All that space, however, doesn't help the uncomfortable front seat the 2009 Nissan Xterra is equipped with. ConsumerGuide would like "a bit more padding for optimal long-distance comfort." In the rear of the vehicle, Cars.com reviewers say to expect "a small door opening when entering and exiting," but "once situated, the rear bench seat is OK, thanks to a nicely reclined backrest, and headroom is plentiful."

In terms of practicality, Edmunds notes that the 2009 Nissan Xterra features "an easy-to-clean floor and a total of 10 utility hooks." Inside the cabin, ConsumerGuide reviewers find "useful small-item storage." Cars.com mentions that the Nissan Xterra's "cargo area measures 35.2 cubic feet, which is a sizable amount of space," while "folding the second-row bench seat nearly doubles the total cargo area to 65.7 cubic feet." ConsumerGuide adds that "good space becomes generous with the rear seats folded," and an "available fold-flat right-front seat allows carrying objects up to 9 feet long," although the "lack of opening tailgate glass is a minus."

Reviewers rate the materials inside the 2009 Xterra as an overall minus, with Edmunds warning that "there's more hard plastic than [they'd] like" and ConsumerGuide commenting that the interior looks "especially cut-rate." Materials quality and assembly are a visual reminder of both the price range and the intended use of the 2009 Nissan Xterra. Cars.com testers notice "a few large gaps between the panels" of the interior, and "like the Dodge Nitro, the dash is made of hard plastic." Build quality issues also arise on the ConsumerGuide test models, which "suffered rattling front-door windows and an irritating squeak from the cargo area."

Rattles and squeaks aren't the only noises emanating from the Xterra. Car and Driver mentions that the "noisy rear suspension" can become tiresome and irritating. And ConsumerGuide says that "the V6 has a gruff, fairly loud growl at full throttle, plus an annoying bellow between shifts with the manual transmission," and "wind rush and road rumble sometimes annoy."

Conclusion

The 2009 Nissan Xterra rates highly for usable space, but a plasticky cabin and noisy interior push its comfort ratings south.

COMFORT AND QUALITY | 6 out of 10Expert Quotes:especially cut-rateConsumerGuidemore hard plastic than we'd likeEdmundssmall door opening when entering and exitingCars.com The 2009 Nissan Xterra offers plenty of room, but the execution suffers. Reviews read by TheCarConnection.com agree that the 2009 Xterra features ample cabin space. Up front, the Nissan Xterra provides "good headroom and legroom," says ConsumerGuide. Cars.com asserts that "five occupants fit inside the Xterra" and rear comfort isn't all that bad, and Kelley Blue Book concurs that the Nissan Xterra offers "ample headroom and legroom for every passenger, front and back." All that space, however, doesn't help the uncomfortable front seat the 2009 Nissan Xterra is equipped with. ConsumerGuide would like "a bit more padding for optimal long-distance comfort." In the rear of the vehicle, Cars.com reviewers say to expect "a small door opening when entering and exiting," but "once situated, the rear bench seat is OK, thanks to a nicely reclined backrest, and headroom is plentiful." In terms of practicality, Edmunds notes that the 2009 Nissan Xterra features "an easy-to-clean floor and a total of 10 utility hooks." Inside the cabin, ConsumerGuide reviewers find "useful small-item storage." Cars.com mentions that the Nissan Xterra's "cargo area measures 35.2 cubic feet, which is a sizable amount of space," while "folding the second-row bench seat nearly doubles the total cargo area to 65.7 cubic feet." ConsumerGuide adds that "good space becomes generous with the rear seats folded," and an "available fold-flat right-front seat allows carrying objects up to 9 feet long," although the "lack of opening tailgate glass is a minus." Reviewers rate the materials inside the 2009 Xterra as an overall minus, with Edmunds warning that "there's more hard plastic than [they'd] like" and ConsumerGuide commenting that the interior looks "especially cut-rate." Materials quality and assembly are a visual reminder of both the price range and the intended use of the 2009 Nissan Xterra. Cars.com testers notice "a few large gaps between the panels" of the interior, and "like the Dodge Nitro, the dash is made of hard plastic." Build quality issues also arise on the ConsumerGuide test models, which "suffered rattling front-door windows and an irritating squeak from the cargo area." Rattles and squeaks aren't the only noises emanating from the Xterra. Car and Driver mentions that the "noisy rear suspension" can become tiresome and irritating. And ConsumerGuide says that "the V6 has a gruff, fairly loud growl at full throttle, plus an annoying bellow between shifts with the manual transmission," and "wind rush and road rumble sometimes annoy." ConclusionThe 2009 Nissan Xterra rates highly for usable space, but a plasticky cabin and noisy interior push its comfort ratings south. 2009 NISSAN XTERRA STYLING | [9 out of 10] Kelley Blue Book: "clean and purposeful interior" ConsumerGuide: "Audio controls are easy to reach" Cars.com: "If you like your SUV to look tough, the Xterra has toughness in spades" The front of all Nissan Xterras receive a new look for ...

Read More of this Review:

  1. styling
  2. performance
  3. quality
  4. safety
  5. features

Other Choices:

For those who don't require rugged off-roading ability but still want a high-utility, easy-to-clean interior, the fuel-efficient Honda Element might just fit their needs. The Wrangler Unlimited is much larger than older models and upholds much higher standards of safety and refinement than the old one; with its very boxy, rugged styling, it's perhaps the main alternative to the 2009 Nissan Xterra. Until the Toyota FJ Cruiser arrived a couple of years ago, the Nissan Xterra was in a class itself, the only model appealing to young people who not only wanted off-road capability but an interior versatile and rugged enough for taking along equipment. The FJ Cruiser is even more of a mountain goat off-road, but its interior is tighter and not as useful or versatile as the Xterra's.

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See the Nissan Xterra in Other Years:

2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000

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