Magazine Chooses 2006 Sport/Utility of the Year From Diverse Field of Contenders Defines the Modern Classification of an SUV

LOS ANGELES--Oct. 2, 20055, 2005--MOTOR TREND, the world's number one automotive authority and part of PRIMEDIA's Consumer Automotive Group, today announced it has selected the Nissan Xterra as MOTOR TREND's 2006 Sport/Utility of the Year.

"The MOTOR TREND awards have become a staple in the automotive industry and we are pleased to award Nissan for stepping up to the plate with this impressive vehicle," said Angus MacKenzie, editor-in-chief of MOTOR TREND. "Our audience depends on us to honor the new model that best demonstrates overall superiority, significance and value, and the Xterra stood out in each of those categories for its outstanding engineering, impressive on and off-road ability and clear focus on its target customers."

MOTOR TREND's editorial staff selected this year's winner from a field of 12 vehicles after comprehensive evaluations, which included off-road, street and track testing. Eligible vehicles were new or substantially redesigned sport/utilities scheduled to be on sale by January 1, 2006. This year's contenders included Ford Explorer, Hummer H3, Hyundai Tucson, Jeep Commander, Kia Sportage, Mercedes-Benz ML, Mercury Mountaineer, Pontiac Torrent, Range Rover Sport, Subaru Tribeca, and the Suzuki Grand Vitara.

After many days of grueling testing, the MOTOR TREND editors agreed the Nissan Xterra raises the bar in terms of engineering, design, performance and safety. This vehicle delivers amazing 'bang for your buck,' thanks to clever product development that ensures versatility and value.

The Xterra's value continues in the interior where savvy technology and electronics add functionality, while passengers experience comfort, space and support. Special attention was paid to the cargo area with an easy to clean cargo floor, rubberized rear seats, ten utility hooks throughout and two adjustable channels in the floor, which make it easy to secure gear and bikes.

"The Xterra is not a truck trying to be a car, or a car trying to be a truck or a minivan trying to be anything else," said MacKenzie. "It is a sport/utility in the purest sense of the term. No matter where the driver decides to go, through a country side road, hauling gear up a mountain, or simply from point A to point B, the Xterra will get them there quickly, quietly and in style."

About the Testing and Evaluation Process

Each year since 1949, the editorial staff of MOTOR TREND has evaluated eligible vehicles based on three key categories: Significance, Superiority, and Value. Significance refers to innovation in engineering, technology, design, safety and packaging. Superiority levels the playing field and looks for class-leading levels of vehicle dynamics and performance, build quality and execution, and how well the vehicle performs its intended function. Finally, the all-important Value question asks, "What does this vehicle deliver in relation to what the consumer has to pay to purchase and own it?"

The complete report on the MOTOR TREND 2006 Sport/Utility of the Year testing and selection will be published in the December issue of MOTOR TREND, available on newsstands November 1, 2005.