I'm looking to get a newer suv for the wife and I to travel and camp out of. There aren't too many options out there that aren't crossovers. I don't really like the 4runner visibility for the driver, and the fact that "everybody" has them. I really like the 2nd Gen gx460 for the comfort and capability, but have never owned a luxury brand vehicle. I have found several sub 40,000 mile pro-4x xterras for around 7 to 9 grand less than a similar year and mileage gx. I test drove a '15 xterra and liked it alot. I'll need to plan to keep whatever I get for 10 years. Any one who has owned any combo of the 3 vehicles, I would like to hear the pros and cons or advice. Thanks
Probable new xterra owner
- Thread starter Ocdfisher
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Maddmatt
Explorer
Hmmm - Interesting 'dilemma'
I own 2 Xterras (2010 SE, 2013 Pro4X) and have spent a fair bit of time, both highway and trail, in a GX470 (as well as several other versions of the Toyota/Lexus family). Not exactly what you asked, but pretty close?
As much as I love my Xterras, to be honest you can't go wrong with the Lexus. Comfort and capability right out of the box is as good/better than anything else you're likely to find.
What are your backseat aspirations? My kids always found the backseat of our Xterra just fine for long trips, and liked sitting up higher, but access is tight - next time you drive one notice how your pant legs brush the vehicle getting in and out. Who cares during a sunny test drive turns into "daddy I ruined my dress" when you get to the piano recital after driving through a spring snow storm.
How tall is your wife? I'm 6', my wife is 5'3" - she has no problem driving the Xterra, but the manual seats need considerable adjusting. I feel like everything in the Lexus is probably power/automatic/magic. The Lexus is an amazing daily/long distance driver.
But for me - the Xterra fits me perfectly. It just feels "right" when I get in it -that's why I bought the second one - the kids ended up with the first one, and when my oldest went to college and my youngest started driving, i realized it was going to be a few years before I got it back, so I bought my own.
Creature comforts - the Lexus is going to win this one. Both of mine have leather, but Xterra leather is not Lexus leather. Not even the same family of cow. I have seat heaters in the older one, and have them on the upgrade list for the newer one, for my purposes that's all I need. Opinions vary, but I find the audio quality in the Rockford Fosgate system in the Xterras to be great, but I'm sure the Mark Levinson system in the Lexus is 67 internet points better. Honestly I like the whole system in the older one better than the newer one.
Hard plastic "way back" area of the Xterra is a benefit for my uses. Dogs, Ski boots, mountain bike tires, camping gear, etc.... Who cares? I can clean even the worst messes out of the Xterra with a damp cloth. I don't know what the Lexus has back there, but I'm sure it's very very nice and very hard to clean.
I've only owned my "new" Xterra since last March, and I considered switching over to the Lexus family at the time. At the end of the day the lower price, my comfort with my first one and the relative "uniqueness" of the Xterra got me to buy the second one. Uniqueness is relative though, I live near Boulder, and there are 2 Xterras and 3 Outbacks (2 of them with rooftop tents) at every stoplight. The Xterra's will only get more unique though, as they aren't making any more but depending on where you live it can feel like "everybody has one". The only thing that will get me out of my Xterra is possibly switching to a truck, now that I don't have a truck bed I realize how much I miss it.
I own 2 Xterras (2010 SE, 2013 Pro4X) and have spent a fair bit of time, both highway and trail, in a GX470 (as well as several other versions of the Toyota/Lexus family). Not exactly what you asked, but pretty close?
As much as I love my Xterras, to be honest you can't go wrong with the Lexus. Comfort and capability right out of the box is as good/better than anything else you're likely to find.
What are your backseat aspirations? My kids always found the backseat of our Xterra just fine for long trips, and liked sitting up higher, but access is tight - next time you drive one notice how your pant legs brush the vehicle getting in and out. Who cares during a sunny test drive turns into "daddy I ruined my dress" when you get to the piano recital after driving through a spring snow storm.
How tall is your wife? I'm 6', my wife is 5'3" - she has no problem driving the Xterra, but the manual seats need considerable adjusting. I feel like everything in the Lexus is probably power/automatic/magic. The Lexus is an amazing daily/long distance driver.
But for me - the Xterra fits me perfectly. It just feels "right" when I get in it -that's why I bought the second one - the kids ended up with the first one, and when my oldest went to college and my youngest started driving, i realized it was going to be a few years before I got it back, so I bought my own.
Creature comforts - the Lexus is going to win this one. Both of mine have leather, but Xterra leather is not Lexus leather. Not even the same family of cow. I have seat heaters in the older one, and have them on the upgrade list for the newer one, for my purposes that's all I need. Opinions vary, but I find the audio quality in the Rockford Fosgate system in the Xterras to be great, but I'm sure the Mark Levinson system in the Lexus is 67 internet points better. Honestly I like the whole system in the older one better than the newer one.
Hard plastic "way back" area of the Xterra is a benefit for my uses. Dogs, Ski boots, mountain bike tires, camping gear, etc.... Who cares? I can clean even the worst messes out of the Xterra with a damp cloth. I don't know what the Lexus has back there, but I'm sure it's very very nice and very hard to clean.
I've only owned my "new" Xterra since last March, and I considered switching over to the Lexus family at the time. At the end of the day the lower price, my comfort with my first one and the relative "uniqueness" of the Xterra got me to buy the second one. Uniqueness is relative though, I live near Boulder, and there are 2 Xterras and 3 Outbacks (2 of them with rooftop tents) at every stoplight. The Xterra's will only get more unique though, as they aren't making any more but depending on where you live it can feel like "everybody has one". The only thing that will get me out of my Xterra is possibly switching to a truck, now that I don't have a truck bed I realize how much I miss it.
I've been doing a much research as possible on the pro-4x. After alot of google searches I can't get a real consensus on fuel economy. There are several horror stories of stock 2015 pro 4x xterras getting an average of 14 mpg. Then there are some people claimin 18 and 20 to 21 on the highway. Most people have lifts and bigger tires, and I know that will lower mpg. Anyone give real world input on their fuel economy. I live in florida so, mountains are only a variable when vacationing.
If I should only expect to see 15 to 16 from the xterra, I may postpone a test drive on Friday.
Thanks for any input
If I should only expect to see 15 to 16 from the xterra, I may postpone a test drive on Friday.
Thanks for any input
Most of our trips are in the west, so there's definitely more hills here than you would have in FL. We have two second gen Xterras, an '06 and '09. Both are automatics, both are slightly lifted (1.5") with Old Man Emu suspensions, both have some armor (skid plates, rock sliders), and both have the stock plastic front bumper. IMO aftermarket bumpers have a pretty big negative impact on MPG.
The '06 is on 33" AT tires and the '09 is on the stock size (32") AT tires. The '09 does 1-2 MPG better in most situations. Is this the tires alone, or some other factors? No idea. Here's some numbers, though I admit that I haven't really tracked this with any rigor, it's more from memory.
This would be for the '06 with 33's, add maybe 1-2 MPG for the '09 on 32's.
Extended time in 4LO, aired down, sand (worst case scenario and not typical)
As low as 10-12 MPG, though usually better
Around town, short trips, stoplights, winter
13ish MPG
Mixed town and highway
16ish MPG
Lower speed highway (2 lane backroads at 55-65 MPH)
18ish MPG
Interstate at higher speeds (75-80 MPH)
16ish MPG
Xterras have never been known for great MPG's. But, they do a lot of things really well. I am not sure you'd be able to get much better MPG's from a similarly capable vehicle, but even if you were getting 3MPG better, that's about a $250 difference for every 10K miles you drive. Pretty small cost difference IMO.
Thanks for the reply. I understand it is a truck and will be treated as such, but it is hard to go down in mpgs from my 01 montero. I need more pros than cons. I only get about 16.5 at 65 mph plus on trips with 3 to 4 hundred lbs of stuff. I guess all the latest and greatest technology in vehicle design still can't get a real v6 4x4 veiled over the 15 to 19 mpg range.
I have a 07 Pathfinder, the porkier, less athletic sister to the Xterra ,with 3.36 gears, 235/85r16s and about an inch lift. I get 16-17 in mixed driving and get 20-23 on the highway if I stay 60-65. As @outback97 noted, over 65, mpgs really start to drop.
vintagepatina
Member
i had a 2014 xterra and it is by far the most underrated, over-performing platform out there.
just stay away from the stupid xterra bulletin boards. people doing so many stupid mods.
OME HD lift, 255/85 tires, and a winch. thats all it needs. dont be sucked into stupid wheels, titan swaps, snorkels, LED lights, all that stupid ********....
keep it simple.
just stay away from the stupid xterra bulletin boards. people doing so many stupid mods.
OME HD lift, 255/85 tires, and a winch. thats all it needs. dont be sucked into stupid wheels, titan swaps, snorkels, LED lights, all that stupid ********....
keep it simple.
Sounds like it'd be a lateral move as far as MPG's go, not better, but not worse either.
The Xterra came out in 2005, was intended to be utilitarian and simple, and didn't really change much in ten years. It's far from the "latest and greatest technology". I like that though.
"Needing" a winch is pretty debatable, and requires other extensive modifications to mount and wire it. My '09 has one installed by the previous owner, but it's probably not something I would have chosen to spend the money on. A lot of the places we go don't have a lot of good anchor points anyway. For me, I would not at all consider it a need.
I think Xterra forums can be a valuable source of maintenance and repair info. If someone has a little self control, and common sense, I don't see any reason they need to stay away. It's not like you have to do something that you saw someone else do. Unfortunately the largest 2nd gen Xterra forum has gone downhill lately, and has lost a lot of knowledgeable members. But, there's still a ton of helpful threads and a good community.
I agree 100% with the Xterra being underrated by a lot of people, and also with, "keep it simple". That's great advice regardless of vehicle choice.
Hi, I thought I will throw my 2 cents in. I had an 05 manual Xterra, currently drive a 2002 LX470. The Xterra is a great reliable no frills truck. Stock it needs a rear leaf spring update/upgrade as the stock leafs are very soft and cant take any weight. That changed, it is very comfortable and underrated truck. There are minor things that I did to mine to make it more useful for me. Loved it. That being said, gas mileage is what it is, not much different than other SUV's of this type. Fuelly.com is a very good source to check for MPG for vehicles.
I had welded in a hitch receiver in the front to have the option to attach a winch and upgraded the roof bars to an aluminum basket with aluminum bars that would fit in the stock side bars. Very useful and cheap at the same time. I drove it hard for about 65-70K km and sold it for more than I paid for it with no issues that I remember. Great truck.
Now I drive the LX470 and it is noticeable that it is a different class of vehicle on its own, but its MPG is actually worse. I needed more space. One con of the Xterra was the rear doors. OK for my kids, but adults found it difficult to get in and out.
Good luck in your search, watch out for the strawberry milk shake in the early models and you will be happy to have one. Cheers
I had welded in a hitch receiver in the front to have the option to attach a winch and upgraded the roof bars to an aluminum basket with aluminum bars that would fit in the stock side bars. Very useful and cheap at the same time. I drove it hard for about 65-70K km and sold it for more than I paid for it with no issues that I remember. Great truck.
Now I drive the LX470 and it is noticeable that it is a different class of vehicle on its own, but its MPG is actually worse. I needed more space. One con of the Xterra was the rear doors. OK for my kids, but adults found it difficult to get in and out.
Good luck in your search, watch out for the strawberry milk shake in the early models and you will be happy to have one. Cheers
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