2002 Nissan Xterra

Effectively, the Xterra single-handedly "saved" Nissan when it was introduced for the 2000 model year. Before then, the company had been bleeding red ink, which translated into less R&D resources for developing and updating vehicles to stay competitive in the market. Nissan gambled with the Xterra and managed to create a new market niche in the process: a real truck-based compact SUV that could transport five adults, is maneuverable and easy to park, and has multi-terrain capabilities thanks to respectable ground clearance and available four-wheel drive.

Nissan's supercharged 3.3L V-6 debuted last year in the Frontier S/C pickup. The blower, a Roots-type unit made by Eaton for Nissan, bumps engine output above the boy/man 200-hp dividing line.

For 2002, the Xterra receives its first revisions. Most of the updates appeared last year on its Frontier platform-mate, so they come as no surprise. Most notable is an available supercharged V-6, making the Xterra the first factory-blown compact SUV on the market. Nissan estimates that about 15% of 2002 Xterra customers will chose this supercharged 3.3-liter V-6 while the rest will flip the coin between the un-blown 3.3 and the more-econo 2.4-liter inline-four.