In a market crowded with high-posture poseurs, the Nissan Xterra is the genuine article: a real, Safari-grade adventure vehicle that still handles everyday life on pavement with refinement and aplomb.

Like the Nissan Pathfinder, the Xterra grew up a few years ago, abandoning its compact-SUV past to join the ranks of mid-size, family-friendly sport utilities. Both models now share Nissan's F-Alpha platform, which underpins the full-size Titan pickup and Armada SUV. As a result, Pathfinder and Xterra are both exceptionally capable off-road vehicles. The defining differences between the two mid-size models are the Pathfinder's longer wheelbase (by six inches), its resulting seven-seat capacity, and proportionately higher price (by more than $5500).

But beyond that, Pathfinder and Xterra are separated by attitude: The luxurious Pathfinder seems more suburban and settled, while the bare-bones Xterra almost demands youthful, outdoor adventure of the kind that Generation-Y so loves to misspell "Xtreme." Xterra continues to offer a manual transmission; that's increasingly rare in SUVs, and that alone may sway the buying decisions of some enthusiast drivers. And don't look for leather, even on the options list. Nissan has kept the Xterra true to its original concept as the rugged outdoors type with everything you need, and nothing you don't.