For anyone who’s into SUVs, they know just how capable a car the Nissan Xterra was in its prime. A proper body-on-frame chassis, four-wheel drive, and a solid overall build quality to take on anything you’d throw at it … a proper SUV indeed.
Now, Nissan has just confirmed it is indeed looking at bringing back the Xterra, sending enthusiasts into a frenzy. The announcement was made as part of a larger product strategy announcement that also featured the new Juke EV and the next-generation Rogue e-Power.
Nissan has confirmed the vehicle will be powered by a gas-only V6 and a hybrid-powered V6, but perhaps even more importantly, the automaker will likely price the car under $40,000. That puts it firmly in Ford Bronco and Jeep Wrangler territory.
All we have as of now is a 13-second teaser by Nissan that doesn't reveal the car in its entirety:
In the short video, we can spot the front fascia with a Nissan wordmark and a horizontal amber light bar that closely resembles the Frontier Pro plug-in hybrid from China. The hood looks chiseled, and the whole silhouette gives a very boxy feel.
Last year, Nissan revealed that the Xterra would share the same platform as the new Infiniti QX65, which itself is based on the QX60 – it, by the way, is based on the Pathfinder. If that does turn out to be true, we might be looking at a 3.5-liter V6 producing 284 horsepower and 259 lb-ft (351 Nm) of torque powering the Xterra.
"Nissan is exploring a family of five U.S.-built models on a new body-on-frame platform, including the all-new Xterra, with potential expansion to pickups and multi-row SUVs across Nissan and Infiniti brands," the company said.
For the Xterra, that means a true return to its origins. You can expect purpose-built off-road equipment and the same level of mechanical durability that distinguished the original model. It's coming at a time when more buyers are searching for hardcore SUVs that are ready for adventure.
Speaking of which, how about a launch timeline? Well, this one’s a bummer. Because we won’t see the Xterra before two whole years, at the very least. It won’t hit the showroom floor until late 2028, likely as a 2029 model. That's a long time in the automotive world.
Nevertheless, I’m stoked with this news. Especially after Nissan Americas CEO Christian Meunier admitted that the company had lost its way by "adding a lot of features and cost" for little return in its cars. He declared, "We're going to stop doing [that]."
"Xterra, I believe, is going to be the symbol of this. [Nissan] is going to bring an Xterra with everything you need, nothing you don't, which is the slogan that was used in 2002, which we believe is right for the brand."
As of today, the Toyota 4Runner starts at $41,870, the Ford Bronco at $39,995, and the Jeep Wrangler at $39,040. If Nissan does indeed find a way to price the Xterra in the same range two years from now – when the competitors would have become significantly costlier – it would be a huge win.
What’s your take?
Source: Nissan LinkedIn
