Back in my college days, I spent a few summers working at the local mill doing odd jobs, scrubbing bathrooms, cleaning the trenches (literally) – basically whatever was asked of me in return for $8.50 per hour – a generous union wage given my thin resume and the local economy. My co-worker, Jim, was a hard-working family man who was all about bass fishing. He supplemented his income by selling hand-crafted wooden replicas of prize-winning fish, and spent much of his free time on his bass boat. When I asked about that vessel, Jim would always comment on how fast it was. Bass fishing is about sitting around trolling, so I wondered, why the need for speed? Jim replied “I always want to beat the other guy to the best spot. Plus, it’s fun.”

Maybe the folks who created the 2005 Nissan Xterra also cast an occasional lure for the famous Big Mouth.

Whereas the previous version was focused almost entirely on the U in SUV, the new Xterra, like a good bass boat, aims to add some excitement to the points between destinations. To that end, behind the new, more familial front end is an engine that offers significant gains in horsepower and torque. It may not be bringing home any blue ribbons from the races at the local fair, but this new powerplant finally addresses the S in SUV. And if the old Xterra was lacking significantly in any one area, giddy-up was definitely it.

Along with the revised look and new engine come an assortment of aesthetic tweaks, fancy packages, and standard features that soften what has been one of the most unapologetically basic utility vehicles since the first Jeeps. It’s on a fine line that Nissan engineers have chosen to dance, safeguarding the Xterra’s simple success while keeping it fresh and appealing.

For bass fishermen, they’re surprisingly good on their feet.