- Nissan gave us dealers an early look at the revived Xterra.
- The styling is claimed to be a modernized version of the original.
- A luxury version is also badged as the Infiniti.
Selling cars in today’s fiercely competitive market isn’t easy, but it comes with tasks. Automakers typically get access to new products years before launch, giving them plenty of time to prepare for the arrival of fresh metal. Such is the case for Nissan dealers, who have been given an early look at a long-awaited nameplate revival: Xtra.
This week in Las Vegas, Nissan showed off the new Xtra behind closed doors during the North American Automotive Dealer Show (NADA) session. Automotive News Scott Smith, president of Smith Automotive Group near Atlanta, said the hotly anticipated SUV will be worth the wait. The two-row outside rudder is described as “radical-looking”, with design cues inspired by the original model but modernized for the late 2020s.
According to Charlie Hicks, CEO of Hicks Automotive Group in Texas, the revived Xtra is expected to ride on a newly developed body-on-frame platform, with a design that has “an aggressiveness to it.” Those who have seen it say Nissan aims for an aggressive look, featuring an elegant grille and an overall emphasis on toughness.
Photo by: Nissan
According to the company’s senior vice president Michael Sauter, the third-generation Xtra should launch in the second half of 2028 and should cost less than $40,000. one According to reports, the car won’t arrive anywhere alone, as a more luxurious Infiniti counterpart is also planned, presumably. With a high price.
Nissan has a busy agenda ahead, as the new architecture is expected to underpin the next Pathfinder, Frontier and QX60 as well. All of these models are said to offer “electric” powertrains, meaning hybrid and/or plug-in hybrid options. Meanwhile, the next-generation Rogue should break cover later this year and hit the market in 2027.
While the NADA meeting mostly revolved around SUVs and trucks, Nissan also mentioned a car. Dealers learned that the seven-year-old Altima is coming to an end, but the midsize sedan will essentially bow out at the end of summer 2027. There’s no mention of a successor, leaving the new Sentra as the only surviving car after the entry-level Versa’s recent pivot.
Take Motor 1: A new Xtra can’t come soon enough, because SUVs with grooves are all the rage in North America. A revival of the once-popular nameplate and a tilt at off-road capability with a two-speed transfer case (including low range) should appeal to buyers looking for an alternative to the Toyota 4Runner.
However, the Infiniti version may face an unexpected competitor by the time it reaches the market. BMW is reportedly planning its rugged SUV to lure buyers away from the Mercedes G-Class and Land Rover Defender.
