Overlanding and off-roading have never been more popular in the United States, and Nissan’s newest SEMA concepts suggest the Japanese automaker plans to invest heavily in those lifestyles. Appearing alongside the Frontier Ronin Concept pickup truck is the Nissan Pathfinder XE-V6 Concept, which takes a 2027 model-year Pathfinder Rock Creek SUV and adds the ingredients to make it a proper off-roader.
The Pathfinder XE-V6 concept blends retro-inspired styling with a 295-horsepower, 3.0-liter V-6, but the real focus of the build lies elsewhere. A lifted suspension, new wheels and tires, and massaged bodywork make this current Pathfinder more capable than ever.
More specifically, Nissan added a custom four-inch suspension lift kit along with cradle spacers to the Pathfinder. The automaker didn’t specify how much suspension travel or ground clearance the Pathfinder XE-V6 Concept offers, but the lift and prototype Nismo 18-inch AX-5 wheels likely increase clearance across the board. (For reference, factory-spec Pathfinder Rock Creek models offer 7.7 inches of ground clearance.) Yokohama Geolandar all-terrain tires round out the off-road upgrades.
The XE-V6 Concept also looks much more exciting than your usual Pathfinder—and the retro-inspired Nismo graphic livery only scratches the surface. A custom high-clearance front bumper with two six-inch Nismo Off-Road lights is the star of the show, adding a hardcore attitude and increased approach angle. The rear bumper gets the same high-clearance treatment, with recovery points and an integrated hitch to boot. Bespoke rock rails, a rear swing-out tire carrier, skid plates and underbody protection, while rack-mounted MOLLE panels round out the build. There’s even a RotoPax gas can strapped to the side of the SUV, for adventures way off the beaten path.
But Nissan didn’t stop there with its off-road commitment: the automaker is also bringing a roofless, safari-ready Nissan Armada to SEMA. Officially known as the Nissan Armada Jungle Patrol, the convertible concept is meant to for harsh outdoor conditions. The concept features a widened track, custom CJD long-travel racing suspension, and special high-performance adjustable coilovers with remote reservoirs and bypass. 37-inch Yokohama all-terrain tires are mated to prototype Nismo 18-inch Axis beadlock wheels. The open-roof concept offers a tubular roll cage, inwards-facing seats, custom steel bumpers, and fender flares.
“Capability, confidence and off-road excitement have been core parts of the Nissan brand for decades, from rugged daily drivers to iconic desert racing victories and beyond,” said Kim Less, vice president of aftersales and customer loyalty at Nissan
Americas. “As we look toward a future of even more capable trucks and SUVs,
including an all-new Xterra, these SEMA Show concepts allow builders to unleash
their creativity, while also exploring ideas and innovations that can help inform the
direction for accessorizing future Nissan trucks and SUVs.”
A New York transplant hailing from the Pacific Northwest, Emmet White has a passion for anything that goes: cars, bicycles, planes, and motorcycles. After learning to ride at 17, Emmet worked in the motorcycle industry before joining Autoweek in 2022 and Road & Track in 2024. The woes of alternate side parking have kept his fleet moderate, with a 2014 Volkswagen Jetta GLI and a BMW 318i E30 street parked in his Queens community.
