In his recent interview to The Drive, Nissan Americas VP Ponz Pandikuthira made one thing clear: the Xterra SUV is coming back to the market, and it won’t be burdened with a measly four-pot, however eco-friendly that powertrain might otherwise be.
According to him, the target audience of the off-roader appreciates powerful and torque-happy V6 engines. They are considered more “prestigious”, as well as more “emotional” and “engaging” than their four-cylinder counterparts. As for the emissions, a simple mild-hybrid system should be enough to get them back in line. Pandikuthira stressed the “mild” part to imply that the next Xterra won’t turn out a plug-in hybrid with a heavy battery pack on board, either.
Just a few years ago, reports came in that the Japanese company was seriously considering making the SUV fully electric. If the latest interview is any indication, there are no such plans left on the table. The new Xterra is scheduled for debut in 2028 and is expected to start just below $40,000. Toyota 4Runner, Ford Bronco and Jeep Wrangler are considered its main rivals in the segment.
The last – second – generation of the Nissan Xterra dropped out of production in 2015 (see video).
