Nissan is still trying to navigate choppy waters as the troubled Japanese auto giant attempts to right a sinking ship caused by falling sales and other factors. Recent launches like the revamped Armada and Murano SUVs are providing some of the first pieces in this turnaround plan but these two models alone cannot save the company outright.
Nissan is preparing to go back to the past for its next new model with a new report suggesting the company is preparing to bring back the Xterra as a rugged hybrid SUV to go trailbusting once again against potential rivals like the Toyota 4Runner.
Xterra would bring familiarity back to Nissan’s SUV lineup
The last iteration of the Xterra first appeared back in 1999 and was designed to be a simple rugged SUV for trail warriors with its old-school platform and impressive capability allowing it to build a following with buyers. This formula worked well but Nissan was forced to axe the Xterra in 2015 as the company refocused its plans and moved to take advantage of the strong demand in unibody crossovers.
A new report cites several unnamed executives who see a revived Xterra as an opportunity to add some new energy into Nissan and allow the company to potentially reach out to Xterra owners and new buyers looking to add some trailready capability into their daily commute. This move would also please dealerships who are begging Nissan to bring it back.
Nissan Americas Chairperson Christian Meunier and Nissan Americas’ product planning chief Ponz Pandikuthira, acknowledge the increasing consumer demand for SUVs capable of rugged outdoor adventures with the two execs seemingly being key backers of such a project. Their theory is not unfounded either with other companies like Ford, Jeep, and Toyota all taking advantage of the popularity in off-road vehicles with their own rugged entries. “If I could bring a car tomorrow, that would be Xterra,” said Meunier, speaking to Auto News. “We’re working on it. We’ll find a way.” It’s also likely that a reimaged Xterra would move up a class, from compact SUV to the midsize segment.
Revival plan is not as concrete as it seems
While reviving the Xterra may seem like a simple task, the actual act of doing it is much more complicated. Nissan has been on a spree of cost-cutting and developing a new model will not only be a pricey venture, but will also use resources that the company simply cannot spare including resources allocated towards the BEVs Nissan is gambling on to help save the company.
As such, look for a potential Xterra revival to possibly straddle the middle ground with the SUV appearing as a hybrid versus an EV. The hybrid powertrain would also mark a departure from the pure ICE engines that once defined the Xterra but with hybrids seeing a new surge in popularity from buyers looking for a cheaper way to go green, a hybrid Xterra would give the company an SUV that can appeal to a proverbial sweet spot in the market while also pumping much-needed profits into the company’s coffers.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.