AUTOPANEL

The good: The 2010 Nissan Xterra's 4x4 system and beefy 4-liter V-6 make it a pretty good off-roader. 4WD LO setting is great for low-speed rock crawling and icy conditions. Cavernous rear storage and standard roof rack give users plenty of space to stow things.

The bad: The CD player doesn't support MP3-encoded discs. There's no USB/iPod integration, GPS navigation, Satellite Radio, or auxiliary input offered at this trim level. Five-speed automatic transmission is hesitant to downshift when needed.

The bottom line: The Nissan Xterra may have what it takes to haul your gear off of the beaten path, but the S trim level is nearly devoid of cabin comforts and tech.

The Nissan Xterra hasn't changed much since its last major revision way back in 2005, but the cabin tech in our S trim model hasn't been upgraded since this active lifestyle SUV debuted way back in 2000. With a beefy engine and switchable 4x4 system, the Xterra is a decent enough soft-roader. But users who want any semblance of cabin technology or true off-road capabilities want to check out the SE and Off-Road trim levels.

In the cabin
One could describe the Xterra S' interior as "utilitarian," but we'd prefer to call it "dated." The cabin technology package available at this trim level is out of the '90s. Your only option is a single-disc CD-player with AM/FM radio. There's no Bluetooth connectivity available for hands-free calling or audio streaming. There's also no USB port or iPod integration tech available at this trim level. The CD player doesn't support MP3-encoded CDs. There isn't even an auxiliary input.

Audio from the standard six-speaker stereo is pretty good, all things considered. Bass is clear with a hint of distortion at higher volumes, but not so much so that the music was unlistenable. Mids were adequate and treble was unmuddied thanks to a pair of dash-mounted tweeters. This is a system tuned to sound good with Top-40 rock and rap, where the bass really drives the music.

The interior has a few neat functional features, such as handles placed on the A-pillar to ease entrance and egress, but other interior bits seem poorly designed. For example, the twin glove compartments look big with their huge doors shut, but open them and you'll only find a shoebox's worth of combined storage volume.

Under the hood
Only one engine is offered with the Nissan Xterra, a 4-liter V-6 engine that outputs 261 horsepower and 281 pound-feet of torque. This puts it on par with the likes of the 2010 Toyota 4Runner in displacement and power. However, the large displacement V-6 doesn't feel beefy, hiding most of its power when cruising around town. This is mostly the fault of the single-option five-speed automatic transmission's hesitance to downshift on demand, a trait that probably helps the Xterra reach its EPA estimated 15-city/20-highway mpg rating, but doesn't do any favors for the acceleration. Nudging the accelerator for a highway merge resulted in no noticeable acceleration. When we really put our foot down, the Nissan would bog down for a beat while the transmission slogged through a shift, then the engine would roar to life and off we'd go. Once awakened, there's a good deal more pep in the Xterra's step.

Our Xterra was a 4x4 model, which means that it is able to switch between 4WD and 2WD at the touch of a dial. Selecting 2WD sends power out of the rear wheels only and is the best mode for optimal fuel economy on dry public roads. The 4WD splits the power delivery between the front and rear wheels for the best grip when going off-road. We noticed that our Xterra's turning radius was moderately increased in 4WD mode. A third mode, 4WD Lo, is a low-geared, high-traction crawling mode that is best used for rock crawling and creeping out of low-traction situations, such as ice or snow. 4WD Lo can only be engaged when the vehicle is in neutral with the brake depressed; it limits the vehicle's overall speed.