Nissan is in a bit of a pickle. The company is cutting 20,000 jobs, shuttering seven factories, and pausing development of several models. It’s all part of the “Re:Nissan” plan to stop the financial bleeding after losing a staggering $4.5 billion in just one year. While cost-cutting is currently the top priority, one executive is eager to talk product, specifically, the revival of the Xterra.
Nissan Americas Chairman Christian Meunier told Automotive News there’s a gap in the lineup for an Xterra-like vehicle. He argues that while rival brands chase high-end SUVs, a more affordable, utilitarian model could attract buyers looking for something simpler and easier on the wallet: “People desire a sense of freedom. There’s a return to authenticity and simplicity—not having all the gizmos and gadgets. People want a comfortable, functional, and affordable vehicle.”
At the New York Auto Show last month, Nissan USA's head of product planning, Ponz Pandikuthira, told Motor1 the company is actively working on bringing back the Xterra. He also noted that Vinay Shahani, Nissan’s local head of sales and marketing, is on board with reviving the moniker, which was retired a decade ago. Since 2018, Nissan has been selling the Terra, a similarly named body-on-frame SUV in other markets, though it’s a much larger vehicle.
The Xterra isn’t the only model Meunier wants to bring to the U.S. lineup. He’s also pushing for a range-extending version of the Frontier, with a gas engine serving as a generator to charge the battery. His projection? Around 100 miles of electric-only range, with another 500 miles courtesy of the range-extender.
Nissan has already electrified the Frontier, just not the version sold in America. China's new Frontier Pro is heavily related to the Nissan Dongfeng Z9 and serves as the brand’s first traditional plug-in hybrid and its first electrified pickup. It pairs a turbocharged 1.5-liter gas engine with an electric motor to deliver a combined 402 hp and 590 lb-ft (800 Nm) of torque. It can travel up to 84 miles before the gas engine kicks in. That said, the odds of the Frontier Pro making it stateside are slim to none.
Still, Nissan has a few new models headed for the U.S. It recently previewed a Leaf crossover, a next-gen Sentra, and a plug-in hybrid Rogue, which is expected to be a rebadged Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. A fully redesigned Rogue with E-Power range-extending tech, a conventional plug-in hybrid, and a standard gas model will follow. Also on the way: an electric “adventure-focused” SUV with styling influenced by the original Xterra.
What about the Altima? It’s still being discontinued without a direct replacement. Meunier explains the next-gen Sentra is bigger “than an Altima from two generations ago,” so there’s no need to have both sedans anymore. According to a Nissan supplier cited by Automotive News, production of the Sentra could move from Mexico to the U.S. to dodge the Trump administration’s tariffs.
Source: Automotive News
