Second generation (N50)

2008–2009 Nissan Xterra towing capacity

Max towing, 20085,000 lb

Maker2,268 kg

Every 2008 Nissan Xterra is rated to tow 5,000 lb, per the 2008 Nissan Xterra Owner's Manual.

Nissan rates the 2008 and 2009 Xterra the same in every configuration.

2008 Nissan Xterra Owner's Manual

Configurations: 12
GCWR: 9,658 lb
Tongue: 500 lb

2005 Xterra Off-Road 4x4 4.0L V6 6MT, drawn to scale from its published dimensions.

01 / Ratings

Every 2008–2009 Xterra configuration

12 configurations Nissan sells, each with the ratings Nissan publishes for it. A package that changes a rating gets its own row. All have the 4.0L VQ40DE V6.

2008 Nissan Xterra

Makerin pounds

2008 Nissan Xterra towing capacity, GCWR, payload and tongue weight by configuration, in pounds
Configuration	Max towing lb	Max tongue lb	GCWR lb	Tow check
X · S4x2 · 6-speed manual	5,000	500	9,658	Check load →
X · S · SE4x2 · 5-speed automatic	5,000	500	9,658	Check load →
X · S · Off-Road4x4 · 6-speed manual	5,000	500	9,658	Check load →
X · S · Off-Road · SE4x4 · 5-speed automatic	5,000	500	9,658	Check load →

“Not published”: the maker doesn’t print it. —: not in the documents we hold yet. Scroll the table sideways for every rating.

SourceMakerEvery figure above is Nissan’s, from this document.

2008 Nissan Xterra Owner's Manual · Nissan North America

How Nissan rates towing: base vehicle with driver and the options required for the rating; weight-distributing hitch recommended over 5,000 lb.

Documents last checked Oct 9, 2026. How we read them and what the marks mean: how we source the numbers. A figure doesn’t match its document? Report a wrong number.

The 2008–2009 Xterra belongs to this generation; every configuration, its clearance, angles and weights are on its page.

Nissan Xterra N50 (2005–2015): full specs

02 / By year

Xterra towing by model year

The highest rating each model year, from that year’s documents. Years rated the same in every configuration share one page.

03 / Next

Check it against your load

Towing calculatorPut your trailer and cargo against a 2008 Xterra’s ratings and see what’s left.Check my load GVWR, GCWR & payloadWhat each rating limits, and why the trailer number alone isn’t the answer.Read the guide Xterra specsClearance, angles, weights and the rig builder for every configuration.Open the spec plate Xterra tire sizesStock tire and wheel sizes by trim, and what bigger tires change.See tire sizes All towing capacitiesEvery truck and SUV we cover, side by side, sortable.Compare vehicles

04 / FAQ

Questions people ask

Does every 2008 Xterra tow the same?

Yes: all 12 configurations Nissan lists for 2008 are rated 5,000 lb.

What is the max tongue weight of the 2008 Nissan Xterra?

500 lb for every configuration that publishes it. Tongue weight is the trailer’s downward push on the hitch; it counts against payload.

What is the GCWR of the 2008 Nissan Xterra?

9,658 lb for every configuration that publishes it. GCWR is the most the loaded vehicle and its loaded trailer may weigh together.

Has the Nissan Xterra’s towing capacity changed by year?

Highest rating by model year: 2015, 5,000 lb; 2012–2014, 5,000 lb; 2011, 5,000 lb; 2010, 5,000 lb; 2008–2009, 5,000 lb; 2005, 5,000 lb.

Does four-wheel drive change the 2008 Xterra’s towing capacity?

No: Nissan rates each configuration the same with either drive (5 pairs in its table).

These are Nissan’s published ratings, not a weighbridge. Your own vehicle’s GVWR and axle ratings are on its certification label, and only a scale tells you what your loaded rig weighs. Found a figure that doesn’t match the document? Tell us.