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2009 Nissan Xterra Safety Review

July 27, 2009

SAFETY | 8 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

Good," frontal-offset and side impact
IIHS

Four stars, front impact; five stars, side impact; three stars, rollover rating
NHTSA

All Xterras come equipped with stability control and antilock disc brakes
Edmunds

The 2009 Nissan Xterra increases its safety rating with the addition of standard curtain side-impact airbags and a new rollover sensor.

The 2009 Nissan Xterra earns the highest possible rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS): "good," for frontal offset impacts and for side-impact protection. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the government agency responsible for issuing crash safety ratings, gives the Nissan 2009 Xterra four out of a possible five stars for occupant protection during front impacts, while the Xterra receives a full five stars for side impact occupant protection. The one lagging score is the rollover rating, where the Xterra scores only three out of five stars.

Some reviews read by TheCarConnection.com, including the one by Cars.com, note that "despite the fact that the Xterra has active head restraints—which are designed to decrease the chance of whiplash in a rear-end collision—the SUV received a Poor overall score in an IIHS rear crash test."

The 2009 Nissan Xterra comes equipped with all the expected safety features, along with some extras for the off-road bunch. Kelley Blue Book notes that "the Xterra Off Road model includes electronic Hill Descent Control and Hill Start Assist.” And Edmunds reviewers state that "all Xterras come equipped with stability control and antilock disc brakes.” Other standard safety features as listed by Cars.com include "electronic brake-force distribution, an electronic stability system and active head restraints for the front seats."

Car and Driver, in particular, raves about the "unimpeded view from commanding driving position" offered by the 2009 Nissan Xterra. However, ConsumerGuide claims "visibility is hampered by the rear roof styling and wide-base windshield wipers.”

Conclusion

With the addition of standard curtain side-impact airbags, the 2009 Nissan Xterra has a competitive feature set.

SAFETY | 8 out of 10Expert Quotes:Good," frontal-offset and side impactIIHSFour stars, front impact; five stars, side impact; three stars, rollover ratingNHTSAAll Xterras come equipped with stability control and antilock disc brakesEdmunds The 2009 Nissan Xterra increases its safety rating with the addition of standard curtain side-impact airbags and a new rollover sensor. The 2009 Nissan Xterra earns the highest possible rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS): "good," for frontal offset impacts and for side-impact protection. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the government agency responsible for issuing crash safety ratings, gives the Nissan 2009 Xterra four out of a possible five stars for occupant protection during front impacts, while the Xterra receives a full five stars for side impact occupant protection. The one lagging score is the rollover rating, where the Xterra scores only three out of five stars. Some reviews read by TheCarConnection.com, including the one by Cars.com, note that "despite the fact that the Xterra has active head restraints—which are designed to decrease the chance of whiplash in a rear-end collision—the SUV received a Poor overall score in an IIHS rear crash test." The 2009 Nissan Xterra comes equipped with all the expected safety features, along with some extras for the off-road bunch. Kelley Blue Book notes that "the Xterra Off Road model includes electronic Hill Descent Control and Hill Start Assist.” And Edmunds reviewers state that "all Xterras come equipped with stability control and antilock disc brakes.” Other standard safety features as listed by Cars.com include "electronic brake-force distribution, an electronic stability system and active head restraints for the front seats." Car and Driver, in particular, raves about the "unimpeded view from commanding driving position" offered by the 2009 Nissan Xterra. However, ConsumerGuide claims "visibility is hampered by the rear roof styling and wide-base windshield wipers.” ConclusionWith the addition of standard curtain side-impact airbags, the 2009 Nissan Xterra has a competitive feature set. 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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