The Xterra has been dead for a decade, but Nissan execs haven’t let go of the brand’s popular off-road SUV. At this year’s New York International Auto Show, Nissan’s head of product planning told Motor1 that the automaker wants to revive the Xterra, saying, “We’re working very closely on it.”
Ponz Pandikuthira told Motor1, “Xterra stood for something, and that’s why it was so successful. Everything that you need, nothing that you don’t. It’s got to be rugged, it’s got to be capable, and we think there’s a very good way to do this, and it’s probably not ideal to bring an EV to replace that.” There it is: An Xterra revival would almost certainly come with gas engine options, though Nissan recently teased a new EV that looks a lot like the defunct SUV.
The brand is paying attention to potential buyers’ sentiment on social media, and executives said the question about the Xterra’s return is one of the most common things people ask the automaker online. Only a potential GT-R return has drummed up more interest.
While some on Nissan’s leadership team are excited about a new Xterra, nothing is guaranteed or confirmed. That means that any potential new model could be years away, which makes the internal combustion powertrain decision even more interesting. Either way, it certainly seems that Nissan is seriously considering a new off-road SUV for the U.S. market, so let’s hope it’s as good as the desert sand dune-bashing models it sells in the Middle East.
[Images: Nissan]
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