Nissan is resurrecting the Xterra as a hybrid SUV

In recent months, Nissan has been mostly making the headlines for turning their financial troubles around. Those included restructuring plans such as plant closures, downsizing of workforce, and even offloading their ownership stakes from other manufacturers.

But while that is the case for their business condition, Nissan is still intent on bringing fresh products to the market. The Patrol, Leaf, and Sentra are a nice start, now adding to that is the return of its popular SUV nameplate – the Xterra.

Yes, it’s confirmed. Nissan Americas chairman Christian Meunier shared the news with Bloomberg and was even happy to share a few early details about the upcoming model that hasn't been seen in dealership showrooms since 2015.

For starters, the Xterra will still be based on the Frontier platform. Before the Navara-based Terra was even born, the Xterra had been existing in the US market since 1999 as a ladder-frame, pickup-based SUV. Its stepped roof design became a staple throughout its generations, while its ruggedness won the hearts of many SUV enthusiasts in the US.

Meunier said the body-on-frame construction will continue, and the model will be built alongside the Frontier pick-up at Nissan’s Canton plant in Mississippi. For the first time, though, the Xterra will be electrified as it will feature a V6 hybrid powerplant. The Nissan Americas chairman went on to say there could even be a more upscale Infiniti version.

Considering the rugged off-road nature of the Xterra and its positioning in the lineup, the model could be Nissan’s answer to the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado / Lexus GX. However, we’ll have to wait a few more years, as Nissan says the Xterra will come out by 2028.