Nissan executives revealed plans for a new Xterra at the New York International Auto Show
Just a few weeks ago, Nissan confirmed that an Xterra-inspired EV is heading to production. But what about reviving the real thing? Since the Xterra ended production in 2015, rugged, off-road SUVs have surged in popularity—and Nissan has taken notice. Now, the automaker is working hard to bring back its beloved off-roader, and this time, not as an EV.
“We want to bring an Xterra back—we’re working very closely on it,” said Ponz Pandikuthira, head of product planning for Nissan USA, in an interview with a known automotive media outlet at the New York International Auto Show. He also noted that Nissan’s head of sales and marketing, Vinay Shahani, is just as enthusiastic about the idea.
“Vinay is a huge fan, I’m a huge fan—we’re trying to find a way to do it,” Pandikuthira added.
The team wants the next Xterra to live up to the rugged legacy of the original. “Xterra stood for something, and that’s why it was so successful,” Pandikuthira explained. “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.”
The Xterra-inspired EV, he says, is aimed at urban adventurers—people who live in the city but head out for weekend camping trips. “For the one who wants to relive the old Xterra, but they’re older, they have more money to spend, maybe want a slightly bigger car—we’ve got a plan in place. Stay close to us, and we’ll make it happen.”
For Shahani, who once served as the Xterra’s brand manager, the project hits close to home.
“If I look around and see where other OEMs have gone into that space, I feel like that’s our rightful place,” Shahani said. He believes a new Xterra would fill a meaningful gap in Nissan’s current lineup. “It’s just an iconic vehicle, and when you add it to what we have today, it kind of rounds us out.”
Shahani also keeps tabs on public sentiment. He says the second most common question he sees online is, “When is the Xterra coming back?” (The first? “When is the GT-R coming back?”)
“[Pandikuthira] and I are very aligned on where this brand needs to go, what we need in the lineup, and we’re excited about the idea of bringing it back. We just have to build the business case.”
If the pitch is successful, it’ll still be a few years before a new Xterra hits the road—but the passion is clearly there.
