i agree that many people buy SUV's because they are cool. I would suspect that is less the case with Xterras cause they are real 4X4's. I bought mine because I wanted to go off road, and for the added bonus of being able to pull a trailer. I also think that 16 in town and 21 on the highway is pretty good for an SUV with this kind of power. My first 4X4 was a Chevy pickup with a 454. It got 6 mpg loaded or unloaded, in town or on the road. That truck really sucked literally.