We're looking for a new vehicle

So my wife is in love with the Xterra. She is 4'11".

She has NEVER been able to see very well in any vehicle she's ever driven..station wagon, suv, car, etc.

Until she sat in the Xterra. Her grin was ear to ear.

And she sat farther away from the steering wheel in the Xterra than any other vehicle I've ever seen her drive, yet she had complete reach to the levers.

Can anyone explain why this is in the Xterra

we're really close to getting one, but I'm waffling because of the mileage and the fact that this will be the vehicle used for all long trips.

thanks

Could it be that the Xterra seats are more chair-like then a car? i.e. sitting in a kitchen chair vs. sitting on a floor?

Also, the Xterra is pretty nice for long rides - IMHO.

I think the Xterra has an ass-down, legs-out seating position - the seats are a weak point, imo. In comparison, the seats in my wife's Jetta are far superior from a comfort standpoint and you sit more upright.

Have no clue. The X seats are low to the floor like a car seat for a legs out driving position. I guess that would explain her sitting back more from the wheel, but makes no sense for being able to see out? One of the biggest complaints by "car" magazines has been the low seats in the X. Lucky for me, that's one of the things that sold me on it. I hate sitting up high off the floor like in a chair with my legs too bent...it makes my knees hurt really BAD!

I'm also vertically challenged so I added a 2" seat cushion under the neoprene seat cover just to increase my driving height.

I'm 5'7". With the other adjustments on the side of the seat, I can raise it up real high. Not sure if it's limited to year or model.

I am 5' 4" I added 3 inches of foam under my seatcover for my back not for height. I felt the bottom of the seat was too long to bend left knee to a 90 degree angle. Overall I think the seat is only fair for long trips.

2000-01 models don't have seat height adjustments. The seats are fairly comfortable and I drive a lot of long trips but to make it really comfy, I use a neck pillow!

My X gets between 21-23 MPG on long trips, but it is only a 4x2. In one year it has been Back and forth from OK to WV 4 times, OK to Chicago, and from OK to New Symrna Beach FL. Getting ready to go back to WV again next week. Yeah my other car gets better gas mileage but only 7 more miles to the gallon. Forget that I will take the X everytime. I have a 2 year old and we have so much more room in the X. Pop in a DVD and down the road we go. Plus you look really good!
Good Luck!!!!!

On the other side of the scale - I'm 6"7' and I fit just fine in there. However the low roofline up front makes it hard to see street lights above when I'm the first one at the line. So I have to look at the stop lights on the side of the road.

I don't know who made the post or where it was (brent may know) but someone has placed washers under the mounts for the drivers seat and and raised it up a bit.

That really might not be so safe in an accident.

I believe it was Xcanuk. To slightly adjust the angle of the Drivers seat he added a couple washers under the front seat mounts. PM him and he can send you a pic or two !!!

As to the Vertically challanged... The X is great, and I being one of these Challenged people, I can see a lot.

Being a little shorter also allowed me to create a nice overhead console for some extra storage !!!

I have the opposite problem. I'm 6' tall but have a long torso so that my head almost touches the top if i'm sitting up straight. So I'm forced to lean the seat back and slouch a bit. But not too uncomfortable..

My wife is 4'11½" and she doesn't have any problems driving the X. She hates the manual trans tho so avoids it if she can. Plus when I (6'2") try and get in after she has driven it I cuss until the seat is right again.

Wait a minute, that's my story, only my wife is 5'8" and I'm 6'6". I hate getting in a car after some midget has been driving it.

Who you callin' a midget!!!

You should drive with your head out the sunroof

I wanted the sunroof but, at 6-3, it wouldn't have been prudent at that juncture. I hate driving after the 5-2 midget I sleep next to has been in there. I don't like her driving it anyway so usually, she doesn't.

I'm 8'4"... I'm also a lier...

Seriously guys... I have no problems with the seat, only with the pedals, to close to the seat I think.