New patent filing suggests Nissan is preparing to revive the Xterra as the company continues its fight for survival.
A new patent is fueling rumors of a global revival for the rugged Xterra SUV.
It’s no secret that Nissan is in need of some good news and a potent distraction from some of the turmoil and various problems that have plagued the company in recent years. A planned merger with Honda potentially threw it a valuable lifeline while the Nissan Z is finally morphing into a serious threat to the Toyota GR Supra. Things are slowly looking up for the Japanese auto giant.
A new report appears to confirm that things are moving in such a good direction for the company that it might be looking to revive the axed Xterra in a possible attempt to expand its presence in the off-road vehicle market.
New patent fuels the latest round of Xterra rumors
The Xterra hasn’t been seen since 2015 and it was Nissan’s answer to the Toyota 4Runner.
The latest round of Xterra rumors comes from a patent Nissan filed back on December 23rd which indicates the company has plans to bring in one more SUV which would revive the Xterra nameplate. The patent itself doesn’t reveal too much beyond the nameplate and separate statements indicating that the nameplate will be used on a vehicle.
If the production version of the Xterra is indeed in the pipeline, it will have some very big shoes to fill with the last Xterra enjoying a 16-year production run before it was axed in 2015. That version of the Xterra was powered by a 4.0-liter V6 and when combined with its back-to-basics approach, it helped the model create a potent following with enthusiasts. It doesn’t hurt either that the Xterra is a bargain in the used car market which is in stark contrast to the Toyota 4Runner.
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Will it appear in the U.S.
If the Xterra is brought back into production it will have to adjust to all the changes that have occured during its absence.
While the Xterra has been absent from the U.S. for a long time now, it has still managed to cling to life in the Middle East where it’s based on the Terra SUV. If Nissan wants to build a new Xterra model for the U.S. it would have to potentially adjust to some of the things that have changed since it was last seen. Unlike the old one, a V6 would be seen as antiquated so look for any potential revival to embrace turbocharged four-cylinder power and more fuel saving technology to boost its fuel economy.
Nissan didn’t reveal any official comments on the matter, but look for more information to emerge in the not-too-distant future especially if Nissan feels it’s ready to spill the beans on what it exactly has planned for the Xterra.
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