AUSTIN - Sooner or later, we all arrive at that fork in the road where we make the trade: a teaspoon of youthful idealism for a pound of realistic goals, mature stature and accomplishment.

Ah, but not all of that youth is swapped. The essence of who we are may flicker from time to time, but it never actually extinguishes. And for all the actors and poets who litter the road well traveled, our style and desire becomes part of the evolution of our values. Our choices, then, are based on changing needs and a foundation of expression that evolves with time. Few things better represent this convergence than the things we buy, and fewer still express it better than the cars we drive. The gulf between impractical roadsters and minivans may seem to be a thousand miles - but it's surely amazing how fast one can travel that interstate.

How nice it is when something from then keeps pace with who we are now.
Like us, the 2005 Nissan Xterra has grown up, gotten better, more serious, but still has that fun-in-the-sun side to its character that makes it - and us - unique. The Xterra has more power, more room and better capability on-road and off, while retaining that look-at-me style that attracted us to it in the first place. Make no mistake: when first introduced in 2001, the Xterra was mostly about off roading, and the expression of a tough and ready to go image. In 2005, the Xterra keeps the attitude but adds the grit, with more interior room, a proven, 265-horsepower engine, and an interior versatile enough to meet our needs.

No one ever said that growing up meant getting dull.