It’s go-time for Nissan. The automaker hasn’t been especially secretive about its recent troubles, posting its first quarterly operating loss in years, and while dances with Honda added speculation to a potential lifeline, the only way out is product. Thankfully, a car Nissan desperately needs is said to be on its way. The Nissan Xterra is reportedly coming back in 2028, and all early signs point to it not just living up to expectations, but potentially being offered as a range-extender hybrid.
To understand why this matters, let’s hop in the time machine back to Y2K. The new millennium was a wild era, full of extreme sports, nu-metal, and edgy reality TV. In this context, the Xterra was born. More than just a Frontier pickup truck with an SUV body on it, the Xterra featured a chunky roof rack with a storage box for dirty gear, a bump on the liftgate molded around a first aid kit, and enough off road gear to get way out there. It was instantly cool, a rugged rig for weekend warriors and people who do awesome stuff, and it stayed that way throughout two generations and a 16-year production run.
We don’t know exactly what the next Xterra will look like, but it sounds like Nissan is sticking with a successful formula. According to Automotive News:
[Nissan Americans Chairman Christian] Meunier announced the Xterra’s return to dealer applause, attendees said. Images of a blocky, adventure-ready design study featuring an upright grille and squarish headlights briefly flashed on the screen.
Blocky is so hot right now, from the Lexus GX to the Honda Passport. From this description, don’t be surprised if the next Xterra is immediately identifiable as an Xterra, as if the last decade-ish we spent Xterra-less was only a bad dream. However, blocky styling isn’t the only hallmark of a rugged machine, so what’s being planned under the skin?
As Automotive News claims, “The Xterra is expected to have a V-6 hybrid powertrain, potentially with a range extender that could deliver about 75 miles of electric-only driving.” If the range extender layout does happen, it would be a big deal because the only other thing coming to the midsize SUV segment playing with that sort of powertrain setup is the Scout Traveler. At the same time, pairing a high-voltage battery pack with a combustion engine could be a cheat code for overlanding, offering an onboard battery bank to run appliances with the fast fuelling of gasoline. Oh, and you better believe this won’t be some crossover.
Executives didn’t reveal product specs at the meeting, but people familiar with the plan said the two-row SUV will ride on a new body-on-frame platform designed to support five models, including a redesigned Frontier pickup. The Pathfinder and Q60 crossovers also will switch to the new platform.
Huh? Forget the little typo because nobody can keep track of Infiniti model names, the big story here is that the next Pathfinder may be body-on-frame. If this happens, the Pathfinder will have switched over the course of its nameplate’s life from body-on-frame to unibody, back to body-on-frame, back to unibody, then back to body-on-frame. That would be nothing short of bonkers, especially since three-row unibody crossovers sell well.
Still, the Xterra is an absolute no-brainer. Bringing it back would give the fans what they want, give the Toyota 4Runner its closest competitor on form yet, and sell by the trainload so long as pricing stays reasonable. Of course, a lot can happen in three years, but given that Nissan Americas Chairman Christian Meunier has been bullish on the project, a new Xterra sounds like a relatively safe bet.
Top graphic image: Nissan
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As long as it comes in that signature yellow, I’ll be pleased to see them on the road.
My X never got about 20mpg , even going downhill, with a tailwind and in Neutral with extra 5psi in the tire and a fresh oil change.
I’m sure the hybrid will help, but the thing needed more than just an electric engine as it began to age and become horribly unreliable.
vaporware at best, too late to matter at worst
Where’s that cautious optimism now?
Nissan’s fate is not something about which I am cautiously optimistic, nor their reliability
If those stats hold up… Would.
What took so f ing long?
Nissan and Toyota took very different approaches with their first SUVs. Both Toyota and Nissan made very off-road focused, simple SUVs with their Pathfinder D21 and 4Runner N120/130.
Then Nissan diverged from the formula, slowly transforming the Pathfinder into a Mallfinder as SUVs became more popular with city dwellers. Toyota did the right thing by keeping the 4Runner true to its roots and they made a new model specifically for the city, the Highlander.
The X-Terra was a stopgap solution because Nissan realized they lost their serious off-roader as the Pathfinder got more minivan-like.
Model consistency is important. Nissan didn’t learn what Toyota has known for ages.
The 180 4runner (3rd gen) is when the 4runner went from good to great! They softened the styling on the 210 (4th gen) but we forgave them due to offering the 2UZ (V8) option.
Side note: speaking of 4runners, I’d kill for a Trekker.
I think Nissan made the right choices all things considered. Carlos Ghosn screwed nissan over and embezzled a shit ton of money and it left Nissan in a really bad spot. Also the Renoult-nissan allience heavilly favored Renoult and it crippled Nissan’s ability to manage their business.
Nissan has always had a lot of technical expertise and business strategy they just do not have the large influx of cash and capital. ” if only they just copycat the number one automaker” is just some captain hindsight shit that only makes sense if you don’t really think about it.
That’s not the Nissan I know. They had a peak in the late 90’s and early 00’s but the rest can be best described as Japan’s GM. Even before Jatco CVTs became a thing, they started with this controversial design that nobody liked (Quest, B16 Sentra, Altima, etc.). Plus as I said, they have never been consistent, Ghosn or not.
The decision to switch the Pathfinder platform from BoF to unibody predates Ghosn arrival as CEO.
if you look at sales numbers the pathfinder went from 25k sales in the us to nearly 90k sales when they switched to the uni body in 2011.
The first several years of the 5th-gen 4runner, I thought it was going to end up going the way of the Pathfinder. Before the TRD Pro version came out with the facelift, most of the 5th gen 4runners I saw were very much street-oriented, with lots of chrome and all season tires. Many came with large wheels that I always thought looked strange on a 4runner. After the TRD Pro came out, things changed, and after a few years it was like the street-oriented 4runners all disappeared.
I’m extremely excited about this announcement. If they manage to keep pricing in check I will absolutely be first in line.
I am seriously confused as to why they would switch Pathfinder and QX60 to a body on frame platform though. Clearly buyers in this segment would prefer better fuel economy and on-road manners, no? Also seems like it would encroach on Armada/QX80? They’d be smaller, I get that, but who’s asking for this? Toyota sold more than twice as many Highlander/G. Highlanders than they did 4Runners in Q2 2025.
Also, they mention 5 new products going on this new BOF platform. So far we have Frontier, Xterra, QX60, and Pathfinder. What are the odds that the fifth product will be something from Mitsubishi?
Fingers crossed for a Mitsubishi (or Izuzu) truck.
That’s where I’m at too. I can understand Infiniti getting some kind of variant of the BOF variant for a 2-model approach, like GX and LX. But not to replace the QX60, and certainly not the Pathfinder which is a volume segment. Toyota’s lineup may be crowded with their SUV offerings but they also have brand equity.
Are they simply not developing a larger/electrified platform that would follow up the next-gen Pathfinder/QX60, so this will have to make do?
Nissan have been messing with the Pathfinder formula since its inception.
It’s such a mess and that’s what’s made the Pathfinder a flop while the 4Runner remains a success. Consistency.
Which begs the question why they would switch yet again. Pathfinder in its current form is a solid entrant within its segment (and by no means a “flop”). To turn it back into BOF and not replace it with a CUV in an era where seemingly every shopper in this segment just wants a hybrid Grand Highlander seems short-sighted to me.
Toyota has a Highlander and a 4Runner. Nissan has been going back-and-forth with the Pathfinder trying to compete with both and failing terribly.
I agree with you that the Pathfinder as a serious off-roader is ruined. Nissan should focus on making the Pathfinder compete with the Highlander and bringing back the Xterra to fill the 4Runner niche.
The new R53 Pathfinder is far from a sales success. I am a member of the Pathfinder subreddit (I own an R50) and trust me it’s as dead as they get. They may be selling, but there’s little enthusiasm about them.
As another fellow R50 owner, there is definitely a Nissan fanbase, and the reason everyone clamors for the Xterra back is because the Pathy as it currently exists is a dud…as is much of Nissan.
While I agree that making the Pathfinder BOF is a bad idea – it is only selling 50K a year vs 160K for the Highlander / Grand Highlander.
Plug in Hybrid? Naw. Give me the NA V6 with a 6 speed manual, preferably painted in bright yellow.
While it’s nice to have options, “One drivetrain to rule them all” is Nissan’s philosophy with it’s models these days. Which is part of what keeps them cheaper than competitors. The Frontier being a prime example.
I would have considered a Frontier over a 4th gen Tacoma if it were available with a 6 speed. They even came out with the retro wheel option! So close to being really good.
Eh, I used to share this mentality and owned a P4X 6-speed. I traded it in for a 4Runner and don’t miss the manual.
Way to bury the lede there. Having a PHEV pickup with that kind of electric only driving would be a fantastic daily driver as well as great for the park, beach, and overlanding.
Are you listening Ford? Where is the Ranger PHEV that is available overseas?
The BYD Shark PHEV 4×4 pickup has entered the chat.
I loved the Xterra when it was announced, and almost bought a leftover 2012 in 2013 (brand new Pro4X for $25k? hard to resist. Someone beat me to it though). Its definitely a market they jumped out of right before it heated up.
Also if the Pathfinder and QX60 are going back to BOF it sounds like they’re being set up as Land Cruiser/GX550 fighters. I’d be willing to bet if that happens the Murano grows to a 3 row unibody to take up the current Pathfinder’s position, and it gets an Infiniti version as well (unless of course they give us a new FX based on the new G35 replacement).
I have to assume you’re right, because it would be nuts for Nissan to abandon the 3-row crossover segment now.
I wonder if Nissan would be in the mess they are now, if they had just kept the Xterra a few years longer. Or brough back a redesign on the same chassis a few years after killing it. They really messed up with the timing on popularity of BoF off-road SUVs.
It’s amazing to me how badly they dropped the ball on the X-Terra, especially considering the 2nd gen Frontier soldiered on for another 5 years.
I’ve said this before but it bears repeating. Despite the shit everyone gave Nissan about platform this and platform that, there’s something to be said about a vehicle that was relatively unchanged, minus some tech upgrades, for 16 years. The biggest being that parts are cheap and interchangeable, which encourages use for their intended purpose. Something that I really appreciate.
If the new one is as good as the 2nd gen X-Terra, I’ll be in line for one. My only complaint with my current second gen is that it gets 20 mpg on a good day and 15 the rest of the time. A hybrid with decent electric only range and a REX would be really sweet if they’re not just going to go full BEV.
It’s exactly the same formula of the 4Runner. Make an understressed power train with middling power and MPG but make it extremely durable. Then don’t change it for 15 years. Nissan went a step further by making the Frontier and Xterra essentially the same, forward of the firewall, unlike the 4Runner and Tacoma which had less part interoperability.
Yes! I have a 2015 Frontier, I keep it maintained, and the few times I’ve need to replace something the parts are cheap. I love my little rugged truck. But oh my yes, the mileage is absolutely the worst, and if it wasn’t for the fact I’m extremely fortunate to have a remote job, I’d have had to trade it in for something cheaper to actually drive
This is why the Xterra went away. US Sales:
2002 – 79,779
2003 – 67,799
2004 – 66,690
2005 – 72,447
2006 – 62,325
2007 – 51,350
2008 – 33,579
2009 – 16,455
2010 – 20,523
2011 – 18,221
2012 – 18,679
2013 – 17,766
2014 – 16,505
2015 – 10,672
Probably worse. They stopped making them in the US because of the shift in consumer preference towards car-based crossovers, poor fuel economy, and the need for costly safety and emissions equipment upgrades to meet changing regulations.
The interesting thing might be if they pull a Buick on us and maybe have Dongfen Build Hero’s to export to the US as Nissan Xterra’s https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e8/Mengshi_917_005.jpg/1920px-Mengshi_917_005.jpg
That looks like a copy of the Rezvani Tank. I’m not sure how I feel about this.
Wow! Between this and the Leaf announcement Nissan seems to have their finger on the pulse of underserved segments.
GIMME DA EREV.
Hopefully a scout fighter. I hope a 6ft person can sleep in the back strait and flat.
If not, a rooftop tent can easily be had on your local FB marketplace for cheap.
they are not cheap, they take too long to set up and at my age I do not want to deal with a ladder in the middle of the night and they are loud heavy and kill mpg. My tent goes up way faster.
Unless your tent is triggered by an airbag explosive, I fail to see how it’s faster to set up than a rooftop that literally just pops or folds open.
Cheap is a relative term, I can find them under $500 all day long in my area. The rest of your points are very valid.
My tent is a gazelle t4 and it is faster than the tent style rtt not the hard pop up style. They are still thousands used near me.
Seems like they are going for the jugular here, an actual V6 motor and Hybrid seems to punch way above my recollection of the Exterra. I would say Jeep is not the only thing in the crosshairs here. Ford needs to make a Bronco Hybrid as well it seems.
I think the idea that people shopping in this class don’t care about fuel economy is a dated one
I think if they are advertising the V6, it is to indicate they are providing something people in this category prefer. regardless of whether it helps at all int he EREV category. Certainly if it were simply and ICE model/variant, the V6 would be a standout in this arena for some. Again, even if on paper say a 2.0 Turbo has better performance numbers. I think it is about perceived reliability over time versus a high strung turbo motor.
The 2nd gens VQ40 is an anvil that’s reasonably easy and affordable to work on.
As much as I love high strung turbo hatchbacks, my daily being one, but I hate the engine packaging. I absolutely would not want one in something like this.
Key word is perceived. A lot of people shopping in this class are, you know…morons. I also find it hilarious that we now have people white knighting commodity V6 engines like there’s anything special about them. Hell, I’m in my mid 30s and I remember a time when V6s were considered invalid and got shit on constantly as not being “real truck motors”.
Now they’re incredible? Give me a fuckin break.
DURRRRRRR GIMME THE HALCYON DAYS OF 13 MPG AND 180 HORSEPOWER FROM MUH V6
The thing about gas DI turbo engines is that with EPA Tier 4 they need gasoline particulate filters. Not new tech – Europe and China have been using them for years but why bother with that when you can get the same HP and more low end torque from a NA engine and electric motor?
Plus there’s the sweet instant electric torque that would be stellar off-road.
I’d love a hybrid off roader in whatever form I can get it…other than the Stellantis 4Xe shit that needs to be fired into the sun.
You’re assuming this will be better than 4Xe, which given Nissan’s recent powertrain history is not a given. 😛
Nissan has a history of decent to good electrified vehicles that gives me hope
Seeing as Nissan’s current E-Power system has no connection to the drive wheels, I have hope for a reliable Nissan EREV system since it would fundamentally be their current E-Power setup just with a bigger, plug-in-able battery.
Being better than Stellantis usually *is* a given 😛
“Usually” being the key word. 🙂
If there’s another car company in as bad a shape as Stellantis, it’s Nissan.
I’d still trust a Nissan over any Stellantis product.
Finally! Nissan doing something correct for the first time this decade.
Stop, I can only get so EREVct.
I am always amazed that Nissan was in such a deep pit for a while, and now it seems to be finally climbing out..and creating interesting vehicles again! I am cheering for them even though I have never owned one.
There’s a long lag time in heavy industries like this. I’m glade that Nissan seems to have done what was necessary after all the damage Ghosn did to them. On paper they appear to have made a lot of correct and excellent choices. How that pans out remains to be seen but I’m really excited by this announcement.
Just another reminder that Nissan already sells a modern Navara-based Xterra in the middle east
https://ymimg1.b8cdn.com/uploads/car_model/7198/pictures/7425507/02.jpg
China as well, though it is a lot more Jellybean styled than most US Exterra lovers would prefer I imagine.