This is by far the hottest market segment right now. Crowded with more than 20 vehicles, midsize SUVs vary in size and type but nearly all seat five adults and offer V6 or V8 engines. Our Best Buys include the Ford Explorer, the Lexus RX 300, and Mercedes-Benz M-Class. Explorer and M-Class are more traditional SUVs with full off-road capability and V6 and V8 engines. RX 300 is a car-based SUV that lacks a low range in 4WD mode, but is the most carlike to drive.
Our Recommended choices are all traditional SUVs: the Dodge Durango, which offers optional third-row seating; the slightly more expensive Explorer clone Mercury Mountaineer; the utilitarian Nissan Xterra; and the refined but expensive Toyota 4Runner.
If you are on a Budget take a look at the old standby Jeep Cherokee. It is cruder than the rest but offers go-anywhere ability, utility, and a low price.

It's been a while since Nissan hit a home run, but the Xterra has been precisely that, at least so far. Strong early demand exceeded even Nissan's projections and prompted the Tennessee plant, where Xterras are built, to increase production in order to keep pace.
Xterra isn't in line for any major changes over the next few years, at least as long as the parent Frontier keeps its basic design. However, the pickup's new 2001 supercharger option seems a natural for the SUV, and we'd expect it by 2002, maybe sooner if Nissan can get enough blowers. The supercharged engine could well be packaged in a special performance model, though we can confirm any of this yet. At the very least, Nissan should spin out new cosmetic packages and minor features aimed at Xterra's youthful "active lifestyle" audience.