During Nissan’s presentation of its next global long-term vision this week, the automaker publicly confirmed its plans to introduce the next-generation body-on-frame Nissan Xterra in the United States and Canada.
The new mid-size two-row Xterra will be built on a frame chassis, the same as the previous two generations. The first generation SUV was offered for the 2000 to 2004 model years, while the second generation was sold for the 2005 to 2015 model years. The upcoming Xterra will be built in the US and will also be offered in the Canadian market.
Details are slim at this point, but the Nissan Xterra’s powertrain will consist of a V6 engine, with a V6 hybrid available as an option. Currently, the Japanese brand offers a 3.5L naturally aspirated V6 engine in the three-row Nissan Pathfinder, which produces 284 horsepower and 259 pound-feet of torque. The Pathfinder Rock Creek Edition gets a slightly more powerful variant, producing 295 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque, but requires premium fuel.
Nissan plans to develop five body-on-frame models for North America, including the Xterra. This platform could serve to produce the next generation Frontier midsize pickup and three-row SUV, while adding a more rugged utility vehicle to Infiniti’s lineup. The new Xterra will launch in late 2028, perhaps as a 2029 model.
GMC Jimmy renderings
Meanwhile, GM still doesn’t have a body-on-frame rival GM Authority has exclusively learned that such vehicles are back in stock after being discontinued as automakers have decided to shift to electric vehicles while fuel economy and emissions regulations are getting stricter. The upcoming GMC Jimmy is a midsize two-row SUV that will rival the Xterra alongside the Toyota 4Runner, Jeep Wrangler, and Ford Bronco. It might even be available with a V8 engine, which would outperform the Nissan, Toyota and Ford from a chest hair thickness standpoint. The GMC Jimmy will be built on the same platform as the GMC Canyon, updated to the 31XX-2 for the current generation midsize pickup.
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