Nissan Xterra Review

Made in America. Designed in America. Driven in America. Owned by Renault. Marketed by Nissan. The Xterra is nothing if not unique--from its roots to its road and trail presence.

Broad, tall, high powered, and gruff, the Nissan Xterra harks back to the day when 4X4s were, well, 4X4s: capable and intended for off-road use. Those really were 'the days'...

If you're in the market for a 4X4, check out this Nissan Xterra 4X4 review at 4WD4X4 Reviews and find out if the Xterra could be your next SUV.

New site: 4X4 Camping is here

I don't know about you, but whenever spring is in the air (ok, even when it still snowing outside) my thoughts turn to the upcoming 4Wheeling and camping season.

One of the main reasons I've enjoyed four wheeling for so long is that it gets me and my family outside, remote camping in to places that are only accessible by 4WD vehicle. Away from the crowds and crowded 'pay' campsites, and into the great outdoors.

Now there is a website dedicated to exactly this pursuit: 4WD4X4Camping.com. If you're interested in camping by 4x4, want to know more about custom camp gear, or are trying to track down that elusive off road camp site, check out 4WD4X4Camping.com.

It looks like they have (or soon will) all the 4x4 camping information you need.

Another Ute of the Year: Isuzu D-Max

Down under, Australian 4WD Action magazine recently named the Isuzu D-Max the 2009 'Ute' of the year. Yes, for those North Americans reading this: Isuzu still makes 4x4s. And darn good ones it seems.

A Ute (pronounced yute) is essentially a 4 door pickup with some additional off-road utility build in. They are all the rage in Australia, and are the workhorses of the outback and the city dwellers 4x4 of choice for urban posing, hauling, and weekend exploring.

Congrats to Isuzu. Many worldwide lament the end of production of the venerable Trooper / Bighorn to this day, so it's good to see the Isuzu D-Max continuing the tradition of excellent Isuzu 4x4s.

4WD Vans: Chevy Astro/GMC Safari

One of the most legendary 4WD Vans ever produced in North America, the Chevy Astro / GMC Safari, is largely unknown outside of this continent.

That is, unless you go to Japan where the Astro enjoys a following nothing short of cult-ish. I've even seen Astro vans sitting in used car lots in Japan selling for more than a Landrover Discovery of the same vintage and condition.

That may seem unbelievable, but the 4WD Astro / Safari is pretty darn unique for what it is. And what is it, exactly? Well, it's many things: a medium-mini mini-van that's smaller than a full size but larger than a mini-van. It's a camper. A commercial hauler. A family traveler. A truck-like van, a car-like van, an under-appreciated workhorse, and more.

In 4WD form, the Astro came surprisingly well equipped: leaf springs out back, throaty V6 engines producing up to 200hp, easily lifted suspension, a 5000lbs+ towing capacity, and even an optional limited slip rear differential. This dog hunts, as they say down south.

But being a GM product, when failures occur they can be pretty monumental. And the 4WD Chevy Astro / GMC Safari van was no exception. Hundreds of torsion bar failures caused the front suspension to collapse requiring costly repairs, and premature front suspension idle arm repair was all too common. In additional to a plethora of smaller build quality issues, this made the 4WD Chevy Astro / GMC Safari something of a hobbyist's 4WD van.

Despite its shortcomings, the 4WD Chevy Astro / GMC Safari van is still a popular choice for those looking for an inexpensive camping, travel, and daily hauling rig--in North America, at least. In Japan, they can be as expensive as a Landrover Discovery. Who knew.

If you're planning a drive across continent or way down "the Mexico way", this could be the 4WD Van you need. Reliable enough, simple and easy to repair, well equipped and capable, relatively inexpensive, and available in plenty of different configurations, 4WD vans don't get much better. Unless of course you want a diesel, but that's another post.