During the Nissan Vision Event held in Japan, the Japanese automaker laid out its next global development plan, and unveiled the Rogue e-Power hybrid. But that’s not all; Nissan also confirmed the return of the Xterra and shared a few snippets of information about it.
Rumours of the Xterra’s return have been intense and widespread for some time, but the automaker has now announced that the model will indeed be back.
Launch is scheduled for late 2028, so patience is in order.
Here’s what else we learned: The new Xterra will be built on a body-on-frame chassis. It stands to reason that it will rival the Jeep Wrangler, Ford Bronco, and Toyota 4Runner. The next-generation Xterra could even face off against the potential Hyundai Boulder, unveiled earlier this month at the New York Auto Show.
2028 Xterra: Made in the USA
At the same time, Nissan also confirmed that the future Xterra will be built in the United States, possibly at its Smyrna or Canton plant. The manufacturer stated that this “further strengthens Nissan's manufacturing footprint and its capability offerings for North American customers”. Recall that Nissan, as well as the brand's dealers and loyal customers, are being hit hard by the impact of counter-tariffs imposed by Canada.
Indeed, after a long hiatus in importing U.S.-built vehicles into Canada, Nissan is restarting the process for 2026. On the other hand, the Canadian market will only be getting two versions of the Pathfinder, a single version of the Murano and a meager sampling of the Frontier this year.
By the time the future Xterra arrives, Nissan will have to ensure that the plan is viable for the United States, yes, but also for Canada.
A series of body-on-chassis models
In presenting details about the future Xterra, Nissan also shared its plan to develop a set of five models that would all sit on a body-on-frame chassis. This new range could include everything from pickup trucks to multi-row SUVs, under both the Nissan and Infiniti banners. It would therefore not be surprising if Nissan attempts a re-entry into the full-size pickup segment or carves out a place for itself in the compact pickup niche.
In the same vein, Nissan also mentioned that this new family of vehicles could be powered by hybrid or gasoline V6 engines.