Once I hauled myself up into the driver's seat of the Xterra, I liked what I saw: A nice, clear dash with simple gauges and controls, and durable, quality plastics. Flat dash surfaces have a non-skid finish, and there are smart cubbies and slots everywhere. Even a cup holder or two. The seats are covered in a comfortably rugged fabric that seems to shed dirt well. The foot box is too cramped – my left leg was constantly in contact with the driver's door, which became irritating on a long drive. I bruised. I guess a rugged Xterra-type driver shouldn't worry about such matters, but I don't like to get bruised while driving.
Accessing the back seat of the Xterra requires acrobatics. The door opening is ridiculously narrow at the base – my sister couldn't even fit her foot through without turning it sideways. The big wheel well that forms the base of the door frame complicates matters even more. It's a really bad ergonomic design – one that would keep me from buying the Xterra if I carried passengers on a regular basis.
Smooth hard plastic covers the rear deck. My dog hated it – she couldn't keep her feet while the vehicle was moving. I had to throw a packing blanket back there to keep the noise of falling dog from disturbing my ride.
