Why Nissan’s Betting Big on Xterra and FriendsNissan - MotorTrend (Nissan - MotorTrend)Nissan executives see the company’s forthcoming family of new body-on-frame vehicles as one of its most important and exciting projects.Nissan will have five models on its new frame platform: the Xterra SUV, the next-generation Frontier midsize pickup truck, a Pathfinder-sized SUV, and two- and three-row SUVs for Infiniti. They start rolling out with the Xterra in 2028, and in some cases will also have similar cabins. All will be compatible with the same V-6 and V-6-powered hybrid powertrains for economies of scale and the associated cost benefits.While the common base will serve under vehicles that meet a variety of customer needs, the family does not include a full-size pickup truck. “There is no intention of doing that at the moment,” says Nissan CEO Ivan Espinosa. “We will have frame vehicles in areas where we are strong and have a good customer base.” Nor will there be an electric vehicle on the frame platform.2012 Nissan Xterra.MotorTrend - MotorTrend (MotorTrend - MotorTrend)Why Bring Back the Xterra?So why bring back the rugged Xterra and a lineup of body-on-frame vehicles? “We’ve been thinking about this for quite a while,” said Espinosa. The problem was emissions compliance. Meeting corporate average fuel economy standards made it more difficult to execute and threatened to kill the idea. “We could technically do it, but you have to sell an additional 200,000 [fuel-efficient] units to comply with regulations.” The team was still figuring out how to do it when the Trump Administration changed regulations. “The moment the compliance rules were adjusted we could see the opportunity was there.”AdvertisementAdvertisementIt was easy to execute with a legacy nameplate like Xterra which still has large amount of fans awaiting its return, Espinosa said. It was a matter of executing a modern interpretation of the SUV with fresher technology to appeal to two sides of the customer base. It must meet the expectations of older buyers who remember the previous Xterras that went out of production after spanning two generations from 1999 to 2015. It also must have the right technology to appeal to a new, younger customer.A next-generation Nissan Frontier will come from new body-on-frame platform.MotorTrend - MotorTrend (MotorTrend - MotorTrend)Xterra Priced Below $40,000Affordability is also key, says Nissan Americas chairman Christian Meunier. Nissan lost its way a bit, putting a lot of technology in vehicles for the sake of it, adding features and cost. “We’re gonna stop doing it. Xterra will be the symbol of this. We will bring it in for below $40,000, ‘everything you need, nothing you don’t,’ which is the slogan from 2002 that we believe is right for the brand, where it should go.” The previous Xterra attracted younger buyers who didn’t have or didn’t want to spend the money on extras they didn’t need. Those buyers are 15 years older now, have more money, and their expectations are different. They might want a third row of additional space, for example, and Meunier is already wondering if such a variant should be considered in the future.But even that must still be reasonably priced. An average transaction price approaching $50,000 for a new vehicle in the U.S. is not sustainable. “It’s too much money. We need to find a way to keep product, even exciting product, affordable,” Meunier says, calling the models on the frame platform the most exciting project he has ever worked on.Nissan Americas chairman Christian Meunier brings experience from time at Jeep.MotorTrend - MotorTrend (MotorTrend - MotorTrend)Lessons Learned From JeepMeunier’s career included time overseeing Jeep. What does he bring to the Nissan table from his Jeep experience? You would think it would be something about hardiness and off-road-readiness. But no. His answer: powertrain solutions. It is important to develop vehicles that comply with regulations, instead of paying for credits to avoid paying penalties for not meeting emission standards. “Make them succeed,” he says. “Invest in your own powertrain solutions.”AdvertisementAdvertisementThe other lesson learned: Use common platforms, something Stellantis was not good at in the past (it is now moving future models to one of three platforms.) Jeep was using a different platform for almost every model from Renegade to Grand Wagoneer. There was too much complexity, Meunier says.Our artist’s rendering of what the next Nissan Xterra could look like.MotorTrend - MotorTrend (MotorTrend - MotorTrend)Multiple Powertrains KeyThe Xterra will be available in the second half of 2028 and be assembled at the Nissan plant in Canton, Mississippi, which has a capacity of 400,000 vehicles a year on three shifts. It will pack a V-6 available with and without hybrid assistance. The Xterra has a boxy shape, potentially will offer up to 35-inch tires from the factory, and have the ability to fit 37-inchers. It will also have proper off-roader ground clearance and a spare tire on the back. A lift kit will also be available, either as an accessory or from aftermarket partners.Overall, Nissan plans to reduce the number of cars in its global lineup to yield more volume per model, with more diverse powertrains, with an internal combustion engine, hybrid, plug-in hybrid potentially on same car. Click here to read more about Nissan’s plans.