Nissan Confirms Xterra Revival for 2028 With Hybrid V6
During a visit to Quebec at the end of June, Nissan Americas President Christian Meunier spoke to us about the need to bring back emotion to the lineup while maintaining strong profit margins and solid production volume.
Reviving the Xterra, which was discontinued a decade ago, is one of his priorities, especially with adventure-ready SUVs and the outdoor lifestyle continuing to grow in popularity across the industry. Now, we know when it will arrive and what powertrain will be featured under the hood.
- Also: Nissan and Roush Unveil Brawny 2026 Frontier PRO-4X R
- Also: 9 Vehicles That Could Help Save Nissan
In an interview with Bloomberg this week, Meunier confirmed the Xterra will return in 2028. Better late than never, as the saying goes.
"The dealers are super excited about it because it's going to be a great example of Nissan coming back," he said, adding that production will take place in Canton, Mississippi, where plans for a new EV have been shelved.
That's not all the head of Nissan Americas had to say about the upcoming Xterra. He revealed that a hybrid system built around a V6 engine will be used (contrary to previous reports about an electric SUV), which could be a first in the segment. The Jeep Wrangler and Toyota 4Runner/Land Cruiser are other direct competitors with an available hybrid powertrain, except that theirs uses a turbocharged four-cylinder.
Will it be a conventional hybrid or a plug-in hybrid? Time will tell. What we do know is that this new Xterra will share its chassis with the next Frontier.
In addition to the models listed above, the Nissan Xterra will go head-to-head with the Ford Bronco (a hybrid variant of which is expected before the end of the decade) and the Honda Passport, not to mention a possible body-on-frame SUV from Hyundai. The Korean automaker recently announced that it plans to launch a midsize pickup truck in North America by 2030 and that an SUV body style could be part of the mix, too.
An Infiniti equivalent of the Xterra is also under consideration, according to what Christian Meunier suggested to Bloomberg.
