2005 Nissan Xterra Review

Name: 2005 Nissan Xterra Review
Brand: Nissan
Price: 1454 USD
Rating: 4.4 (164 reviews)

Price Estimate: $1,454 - $2,351

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37 cars

$11,142 avg. price

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Appraise My 2005 Nissan Xterra

Nissan Xterra model years

Nissan Xterra for Sale

Edmunds' Expert Review

by the Edmunds Experts

Pros

One of the most powerful V6s in the class, above average off-road capability, solid passenger room, innovative cargo features.

Cons

Still not what we would call refined on the street, a few instances of low-grade interior materials.

What’s new

The Xterra has been fully redesigned for 2005 with a new platform, a more powerful V6 and a more spacious interior.

Edmunds says

With newfound power under the hood, a more refined suspension underneath and more passenger space inside, Nissan addresses all the shortcomings of the previous Xterra without taking away any of the appealing attitude that made it a hit in the first place.

Continue reading Edmunds Expert Rating below

For sale near Austin, TX

37 listings

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2005 Nissan Xterra
SE 4dr SUV
$6,991
- 182,501 miles
- No accidents, 1 owner, personal use only
- 6cyl automatic
- DeMontrond Buick GMC (138 mi away)
- Tire Pressure Warnin...
- Alarm
- Trip Computer
- Rear Bench Seats
- Stability Control
Close
Located in Houston, TX
At DeMontrond Buick GMC, we’re committed to delivering a trusted, family-owned dealership experience in Houston. Since 1953, our mission has been to p...
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: Yes
Personal Use Only: Yes
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
16 Combined MPG (14 City/20 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: 5N1AN08U05C636187
Stock: T5C636187
Certified Pre-Owned: No
Listed since: 04-08-2025
2005 Nissan Xterra
SE 4dr SUV
$5,977
- 176,539 miles
- 1 accident, 2 owners, personal use only
- 6cyl automatic
- Southern Chevrolet (599 mi away)
- Tire Pressure Warnin...
- Alarm
- Trip Computer
- Rear Bench Seats
- Stability Control
Close
Located in Foley, AL
Odometer is 13816 miles below market average!Curtain Supplemental Side-Impact Airbags, Supplemental Airbag Package, 17" Aluminum Alloy 4-Spoke Wheels...
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: No
Personal Use Only: Yes
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
16 Combined MPG (14 City/20 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: 5N1AN08U75C648546
Stock: 648546A
Certified Pre-Owned: No
Listed since: 04-05-2025

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Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2005 Nissan Xterra S Rwd 4dr SUV (4.0L 6cyl 6M) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $2.71 per gallon for regular unleaded in Texas.}

Monthly estimates based on costs in Texas

$191/mo

$154/mo

Avg. Midsize SUV

Calculate my fuel costs

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Nissan Xterra Reviews

Owner Reviews

4.4

164 reviews

5(63%)

4(21%)

3(10%)

2(5%)

1(1%)

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Most Helpful Owner Reviews

Still an excellent, versatile backcountry SUV!

michael sanders, 04/08/2016

2005 Nissan Xterra S 4WD 4dr SUV (4.0L 6cyl 6M)

Purchased used in 2009, 48K miles, now 178000 miles. replaced clutch (premature failure, undersized original clutch, design defect, Nissan would not acknowledge or repair) at about 55K with non-Nissan appropriately-robust clutch parts from Jim Wolf Technology, San Diego, no further clutch issues to date. Interior fabric holding up very well but did have drivers seat upholstery redone …

radiator/transmission

cindy0710, 07/13/2011

2005 Nissan Xterra SE Rwd 4dr SUV (4.0L 6cyl 5A)

I, too, have experienced the faulty radiator leaking into the transmission and ruining it...I have 109000 miles so it is beyond the 80000 mile warranty and nissan wants thousands to fix it....acknowledging that the faulty radiator caused the problem, not wear, tear, etc.....so now they want me to pay the hefty bill for a new radiator and transmission for a defect in the …

trans has design flaw

hs21, 04/26/2015

2005 Nissan Xterra SE 4WD 4dr SUV (4.0L 6cyl 5A)

I have a 2005 Xterra and this a known problem that the radiator leaks into the trans causing both to fail. Nissan was sued over this problem and lost, so they extended the warranty to cover fixing. This problem also exists on the Frontier and Pathfinder. Nissan doesn't tell you this and I found out the hard way.

Love it, Hate it.. It's a good vehicle!

Brian Schott, 04/27/2018

2005 Nissan Xterra S 4WD 4dr SUV (4.0L 6cyl 5A)

Purchased mine very much used @ 143K miles recently.. This is a very well built vehicle, with a strong engine. Ok, so the interior isn't fantastic, but it's functional, and mind you I've been happy with my European vehicles (BMW), exclusively, for many years now. Steering is a bit heavy, but I can forgive that. The "S" model doesn't have a rear locker, but who needs that anyhow. Driver's …

See all 164 reviews of the Nissan Xterra

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2005 Xterra Highlights

Trim:

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$20,850
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	17 MPG
Cost to Drive	$191/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	35.2 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	rear wheel drive
Warranty	3 years / 36,000 miles

See all features & specs

Safety

Key safety features on the Xterra include:

Alarm
Tire Pressure Warning
Stability Control

NHTSA Overall Rating

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.

Frontal Barrier Crash Rating
OverallNot Rated
Driver4 / 5
Passenger4 / 5
Side Crash Rating
OverallNot Rated
Side Barrier Rating
OverallNot Rated
Driver5 / 5
Passenger5 / 5
Combined Side Barrier & Pole Ratings
Front SeatNot Rated
Back SeatNot Rated
Rollover
RolloverNot Rated
Dynamic Test ResultNo Tip
Risk Of RolloverNot Rated

IIHS Rating

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.

Small Overlap Front Driver-Side Test
Not Tested
Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side Test
Not Tested
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Original
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Updated
Not Tested
Side Impact Test – Original
Marginal
Side Impact Test – Updated
Not Tested
Roof Strength Test
Acceptable
Rear Crash Protection / Head Restraint
Poor

2005 Nissan Xterra Review

Price & Payment

Edmunds' Expert Review

Pros

Cons

What’s new

Edmunds says

For sale near Austin, TX

2005 Nissan Xterra
SE 4dr SUV

AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary

2005 Nissan Xterra
SE 4dr SUV

AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2005 Nissan Xterra S Rwd 4dr SUV (4.0L 6cyl 6M) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $2.71 per gallon for regular unleaded in Texas.}

Nissan Xterra Reviews

Owner Reviews

Most Helpful Owner Reviews

Trending topics

Still an excellent, versatile backcountry SUV!

radiator/transmission

trans has design flaw

Love it, Hate it.. It's a good vehicle!

2005 Xterra Highlights

Safety

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2005 Nissan Xterra Review

Price & Payment

Edmunds' Expert Review

Pros

Cons

What’s new

Edmunds says

For sale near Austin, TX

2005 Nissan XterraSE 4dr SUV

AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary

2005 Nissan XterraSE 4dr SUV

AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2005 Nissan Xterra S Rwd 4dr SUV (4.0L 6cyl 6M) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $2.71 per gallon for regular unleaded in Texas.

Nissan Xterra Reviews

Owner Reviews

Most Helpful Owner Reviews

Still an excellent, versatile backcountry SUV!

radiator/transmission

trans has design flaw

Love it, Hate it.. It's a good vehicle!

2005 Xterra Highlights

Safety

Related Used 2005 Nissan Xterra info

Vehicle reviews of used models

Shop used vehicles in your area

Popular new car reviews and ratings

Research other models of

Other models

Join Edmunds

2005 Nissan Xterra
SE 4dr SUV

2005 Nissan Xterra
SE 4dr SUV

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2005 Nissan Xterra S Rwd 4dr SUV (4.0L 6cyl 6M) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $2.71 per gallon for regular unleaded in Texas.}