The tall ground clearance affords a high degree of capability, yet the ride is reasonably compliant and smooth on the road, too. Even when driving on the highway at over 120 km/h, it feels composed and planted. Don't go challenging any sport sedans to race up an off-ramp though, as it is tall and heavy.

Baby Noah and Lori love their Xterra as it takes them to all their favourite outdoor activities.

Motivation
Under the hood is a 4.0-litre V6 engine with 261 horsepower and 281 lb-ft of torque. This provides adequate grunt and the ability to tow 5,000 lbs (2,268 kg). The engine is powerful and reasonably well-behaved, though it's renowned for its rapid consumption of fuel. Drive hard and your gas will disappear faster than a Spongebob cake at a fifth-grade birthday party.

The engine can be mated to a six-speed manual transmission, or the tester's 5-speed automatic. If considering an Xterra, make sure you'll benefit from its capability. If not, you may wish to consider something smaller.

Ideal for Young Families
But for Lori Strong, Jeff Harman, and their young son Noah, it was an ideal choice. The couple enjoys the outdoors, and recently had their first child. They traded in a Cavalier towards the Xterra, and couldn't be happier.

"I'll never go back to a car, especially with the little guy now" said Lori. "You feel like you're in total control driving something like this. It's easy to back up too, and the blind spots aren't bad. I love how it feels so big and comfortable and safe." That's important, especially with a 5 month-old baby on board.

Xterra has all the safety bases covered, too. There are driver, passenger, side and curtain airbags as a start. Add four-wheel ABS disc brakes with respectable stopping power, brake-force distribution, stability control, front airbag sensor, and even an on-board first aid kit, and you'd feel confident too.

It's an easy machine to live with, especially when hauling around any selection of new-baby hardware. A collapsed stroller, playpen, diaper bag and car seat can be carried along with mom and dad--no second thought required. There's a new puppy in Lori and Jeff's family too, and he's got his own spot in the back.

The Xterra's hood conceals a 261-hp 4.0-litre V6 that generates 281 lb-ft of torque, enough to tow 5,000 lbs.