Nissan Plans To Bring Back the Xterra Name By 2028

Off-roaders rejoice, the Nissan Xterra will make its triumphant return to the North American market by 2028. The revived model will feature a hybrid V6 powertrain and is said to be based on the Frontier pickup, just like it was in the past.

The upcoming Xterra will also be the basis for a new Infiniti model, according to Christian Meunier, chairman of Nissan Americas, per Bloomberg. That decision would give the luxury brand a dedicated off-roader for the first time.

Currently, Nissan's pickup truck is not available as a hybrid, and its only powertrain is a 3.8L V6. Given the timing of the incoming Xterra — around seven years after the current Frontier went into production (in 2021) — it is likely that the new off-road model will coincide with the introduction of the next-generation of the pickup.

The Xterra will be manufactured at Nissan’s plant in Canton, MS., alongside the Frontier, which is already produced at that facility. Nissan is also considering relocating production of the Armada and QX80 to the Canton plant, likely due to the additional costs associated with tariffs, as these models are currently produced in Japan.

This move is all part of Nissan’s plan to regain profitability, as the brand has reported pretty severe financial losses over the past few years. With the revival of the Xterra, Nissan announced a halt to its plans to produce a fully electric model in Mississippi, attributing the decision to slowing demand for electric vehicles (EVs). This follows Nissan’s recent decision to remove the fully electric Ariya SUV from its US lineup due to poor sales.

The Xterra was cancelled in 2015 due to stricter emission regulations, and with large boxy off-roaders declining in popularity in favour of crossovers. However, in the past few years, off-road capable SUVs based on mid-size pickup trucks, such as the Ford Bronco and Toyota Land Cruiser, have exploded back into popularity, making it the right time to revive the Xterra name.