The Nissan Xterra is a truck-based compact SUV that Nissan Motors produced and marketed for two generations, from 1999 to 2015; the first generation (1999–2004) shared a platform with the Nissan Frontier pickup, as well as its front bumper, hood, A-pillar, windshield, and front doors; the second generation (2005–2015) did the same.
Although the two Xterra generations differed greatly, both made body-on-frame construction and underbody skid plates a priority while putting price and toughness ahead of luxury. Both iterations also featured a two-box design with rear door handles situated on the c-pillar, an asymmetrical rear window, a bump-out in the tailgate for a first aid kit that could be accessed from the inside, and a noticeable two-tiered roof that allowed stadium seating in the second row. The sloped roof allowed for the installation of a normal roof rack at the back and a lower, removable gear basket roof rack at the front.
Nissan produced the SUV at Nissan’s Smyrna Assembly as well as at Canton, Mississippi, and licensed the Xterra moniker from the XTERRA off-road triathlon race series. Additionally, variations were produced in China and Brazil.
The Xterra was the first Nissan car entirely conceptualized, developed, and manufactured in the United States. It was designed by NDI Director of Design Tom Semple and developed at Nissan Design America in La Jolla, California. The goal of the Xterra designers, according to Jerry Hirshberg, president of Nissan Design International (NDI), “was to build an economical, tough, and high-quality piece of equipment.” In a later statement, he called it “a garage tool that says, “Treat me tough” – it’s supposed to look better dirty than clean.”
The Xterra is a “honest SUV that doesn’t strive to be a luxury car alternative or try to hide its truck underpinnings,” according to Road & Track.
It was described as a “knockoff of the Land Rover Discovery” by Jalopnik.
It was described as “rugged without bluster” by The Washington Post.
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Subaru Xterra
The Nissan Frontier truck and the Nissan Xterra, a small SUV built on the Nissan F-Alpha platform, are very similar vehicles. Nissan’s lineup places the Xterra underneath the Pathfinder.
Currently, Smyrna, Tennessee and Sao Jose dos Pinhais, Brazil serve as the factories for all Xterra models. Other than the X-Trail marketed in Canada and Mexico, the Xterra is Nissan’s smallest SUV in North America. In Iran, where it is also manufactured, under license from Pars Khodro, it is known as the Nissan Roniz.
The XTERRA series of off-road triathlon competitions inspired the naming of the Xterra. Nissan has now taken over as the main sponsor of the racing series.
With the tagline “Everything you need, nothing you don’t,” the Xterra was initially presented in North America for the 2000 model year as a straightforward but capable SUV. Nissan targeted the Xterra’s marketing mostly at the outdoor and adventurous consumer, despite the vehicle being acceptable to a wide range of ages, economic levels, lifestyles, and genders. Many advertisements show someone loading or unloading mountain bikes from the rear, packing up surfing gear, or driving the truck through muck.
NISSANXTerra
Nissan debuted the second version of the X-Terra in 2005 and made improvements to it in 2009. This is one of the oldest techniques in the SUV book.
The X-Terra was built on the same body-on-frame platform as the majority of SUVs. The form of the rear doors indicated that it had a chassis in common with the Frontier pickup. Since the automobile manufacturer designed the chassis to support huge loads, transporting just ju…
It would be fantastic if the new Frontier served as the basis for a modern Xterra SUV.
Off-road SUVs are currently somewhat popular. In other words, the incoming Ford Bronco will provide the Jeep Wrangler with some direct competition for the first time in years, and automakers are scrambling to add capability to crossovers and SUVs of all shapes, sizes, and price ranges. However, there are certain gaps in the field of play: Both Nissan’s rugged Xterra 4×4 and Toyota’s retro-inspired FJ Cruiser were discontinued long ago. And even though Nissan recently debuted a totally updated Frontier truck, the same pickup that shared parts with the previous Xterra, neither Japanese SUV is now due for a comeback. That caused us to reflect.
What might the new Nissan Xterra look like if it were unveiled right now? In order to create a rendering of the Nissan Xterra that does not now exist and most likely never will, we turned to our wizard of speculative art, Abimilec Arellano.
Whoa, why? Nissan has stated that it won’t be producing a new Xterra, at least not anytime soon, despite widespread speculations to the contrary. A new Xterra would be a great addition to the market given how obsessed consumers are with 4x4s right now. It’s understandable that the automaker might not have the time or resources to pick up the Xterra mantle six years after the SUV was discontinued in 2015. This is because the automaker has a large new-model push that includes the new Frontier as well as the recently redesigned 2022 Pathfinder three-row SUV, updated Armada SUV, refreshed Kicks, all-new Rogue crossover, and a new Z sports car.
The Xterra is still envisioned as a four-door, two-row SUV. We believe a new Xterra would use a scaled-down version of the Frontier midsize pickup’s frame in order to maintain the original’s off-road prowess and credibility. Low-cost models might come standard with rear-wheel drive, but the majority would be built with four-wheel drive and available low-range gearing.
The 4.0-liter V-6 engine was the only option for the previous-generation Xterra when it went out of production, an outdated lump of an engine that was nevertheless used in the Frontier for many years. If the Xterra were to reappear today, it would take on the 2022 Frontier’s new 3.8-liter V-6 engine and nine-speed automated transmission with 310 horsepower.
We’ve outfitted our fictitious Xterra in the same Pro-4X styling as the 2022 Frontier because a Pro-4X ultimate-off-road trim would be a given. Nissan now has all it needs to reintroduce the SUV to service after the inside upgrades to the Frontier have been added. We’d be happy to see a new Xterra, if only to offer some price competition to the ever-expensive Jeep Wrangler and the eagerly anticipated new Ford Bronco, which is expected to be sold out for years.
Nissan is once again urged to bring the Xterra SUV back.
- According to Automotive News, dealers are pleading with Nissan to bring back the Xterra since consumers are snapping up all the new off-road-oriented cars.
- After a makeover in 2005, the Xterra’s sales began to decline significantly, and it was terminated in 2015.
- A tough SUV with all-terrain tires, skid plates, and a rear locking differential was the Xterra, especially the Pro-4X model.
Fans of the tough off-roader have been clamoring for the Nissan Xterra to come back ever since it ceased manufacturing in 2015. Nissan’s North American vice president hinted that the Xterra would return in 2017, giving those supporters some cause for optimism. As buyers demand capable, adventure-focused models, Nissan dealers, according to Automotive News, are now pleading with the manufacturer to bring back the tiny body-on-frame SUV.
These complaints come at a time when other automakers are bringing back classic SUV nameplates for tough new models. Even many crossovers have gotten in on the off-road craze, as Ford recently brought back the Bronco and Land Rover recently brought back the Defender. For instance, the Kia Sorento now provides an X-Line aesthetic option, while the Toyota RAV4 now has a TRD Off-Road specification.
Following the launch of the Xterra’s second generation in 2005, sales in the United States gradually decreased. In its final model year, 2015, the Xterra sold 10,672 units overall, whereas the Jeep Wrangler, one of the most well-liked cars in this market, sold 202,702 units. Ford said that as of October 2020, it has received 190,000 reservations for the new Ford Bronco, which hasn’t yet been put on sale. J.D. Power predicted that in 2020, sales of new vehicles would account for 79 percent of SUVs and trucks.
The Nissan X-Terra is a contemporary global vehicle that only shares the name with the Xterra that was discontinued. It is based on the Frontier pickup’s international model, the Navara. We believe the Nissan Xterra would continue to be based on the Frontier in the US if it were to return to the market there. After receiving a new powertrain for the 2020 model year, the U.S. Frontier is scheduled to undergo a facelift in 2022.
An off-road variant called Pro-4X, which is now available on the Frontier and Titan pickup trucks, would probably be offered on this fictitious new Xterra as well. Previously, this model included all-terrain tires, Bilstein shocks, a locking rear differential, and skid plates as standard equipment. All Xterras were equipped as standard with a bulky-looking roof rack, a roof storage area, and a plastic-lined cargo area.
However, it is expensive to launch new automobiles, thus Nissan might not be able to do so. The brand’s sales declined 10.6% globally in 2019 and 33.2 percent in the United States in 2020. (global sales for 2020 are not yet available). Nissan forecasted losses of more than $6 billion for the fiscal year 2019, and a similar outcome for the fiscal year 2020.
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Nissan replaced the Xterra with what?
Successor. After Nissan pulled the Xterra from the American market in 2015, it started developing an SUV based on the D23 Navara. Early in 2018, the SUV made its debut in Asia under the name Terra, and the facelifted model debuted in the Middle East in late 2020 as the “X-Terra.”
Was the Xterra produced there?
Beginning in 1999, Nissan’s Smyrna, Tennessee, plant produced the Xterra SUV; however, in 2012, production moved to Canton, Mississippi.
Nissans are produced in Japan?
Six factories located in Mexico, the United States, and Japan together produce the vast majority of Nissan vehicles: Plant in Tochigi (Japan) Plant Oppama (Japan) Kentucky Plant (Japan)
How dependable is a Nissan Xterra?
With a reliability rating of 4.0 out of 5, the Nissan Xterra is ranked 18th out of 26 compact SUVs. It has lower ownership costs than the national average due to the $514 average annual repair cost. When compared to all other vehicles, the frequency and severity of repairs are both about average.
Nissan Xterra: body-on-frame or not?
Fans of the Nissan Pathfinder’s Xterra sister don’t have to be concerned that vehicle will also turn into a soft crossover with the arrival of the new, car-based Pathfinder. The Xterra will continue to be a body-on-frame truck for a considerable amount of time, according to company engineers.
Nissan introduced the Xterra in 2000 as its entry-level ute with the goal of keeping the price of a fully equipped car below that of the Pathfinder. Since then, the Xterra’s cost and feature set have grown, but the Frontier-based SUV has kept its tough, truck-like appearance and the associated off-road prowess. Customers who want five doors and higher seats but don’t want a truck’s abuse may now purchase a Rogue, and they do so in large numbers. We anticipate that the Xterra will be more than adequate for their needs, even though a tiny percentage of die-hard off-roaders (and individuals who are hard-core about dressing like they go off-roading) may be frustrated that the Pathfinder is no longer equipped to handle remote locations.