We’ve already heard the Toyota 4Runner TRD, Jeep Wrangler, Ford Bronco and friends all shake their way.
Well, if you had any doubts about Nissan updating its Xterra, you can put that to rest. The Japanese automaker recently teased a revival of the compact SUV during its latest Vision Strategy conference.
Among the long list of updates from the brand was the official confirmation from CEO Ivan Espinosa that a new Xterra is on the way. And to top it all off, the company unveiled its first official 4-by-4 tea.
Needless to say, we’re not too happy about it, even if it’s just a play on words.
First new Xterra in almost 20 years
The last time Nissan gave the world a rugged Xterra was almost 15 years ago. There is no doubt that the four-wheeled community has been missing out on one of its cult favorites.
The Xterra, born in 2000 from the car that was popular at the time, the Xterra became a hit and a winner among critics. It just didn’t work MotorTrend’s Sport Utility of the Year award, but also swiped the North American Truck of the Year cup.
And it won other awards for the second generation model until it took the same MotorTrend again North American Truck of the Year winning in 2006.
Many agreed that the Xterra stood out as a rugged, capable, and reliable SUV that wasn’t pretentious in any way.
But as fuel economy and safety regulations became more stringent over the years, sales declined for the second generation. Until Nissan pulled the plug in 2015.
The new Xterra will get V6 and hybrid V6 power
As a moment of humor, Nissan did not reveal the details. However, the company has confirmed that the next generation model will be one of five new models built on its body frame.
Nissan also said it will come with a V6 and V6 hybrid powertrain. But which specific V6 will be used remains to be determined.
The Yokohama automaker still has two V6s in its portfolio. The first is the old, tried and true V6 naturally-aspirated VQ from the 2000s. In its latest form, it still powers the current Frontier.
Nissan also has a new turbocharged VR-based V6, from the GT-R. The last Xterra used the old VQ 4.0-liter, known as the “VQ40DE” and produced around 270 horsepower and 286 pound-feet of torque.
The original Xterra used Nissan’s old VG V6, which debuted in 1983. The second-gen Xterra only came with the “VQ40DE,” while the first-gen had three options: the base 2.4-liter “KA24DE” inline-four, the aforementioned 3.3-liter VGly6-Aspicharge naturally aspirated VGly6 and the 3aspired VG33E. The “VG33ER” version of that V6.
Do you want to stay up to date with the latest product news and releases? Add Gear Patrol as a favorite source to ensure our independent journalism comes to the top of your Google search results.
