US production of Nissan’s new “adventure-focused SUV” will commence in the first quarter of 2028
- Nissan has teased an “adventure-focused SUV” with an electric powertrain for North America.
- While the name has yet to be confirmed, the EV could signal the return of the Xterra moniker.
- The model is scheduled to debut by Q1 2028, and will be produced in the Mississippi plant.
Among the many models teased by Nissan during its recent product roadmap presentation, one caught our attention: a mystery electric SUV heading to North America. And while the details are still sparse, it sounds like a perfect candidate for a modern-day reincarnation of the Xterra.
This SUV appeared in a group teaser alongside the facelifted Pathfinder and new versions of the Rogue (X-Trail) SUVs. Nissan described it as an “adventure-focused SUV” while confirming that it’s an electric vehicle.
More: Nissan To Offer Four Different Midsize Pickups Globally By 2027
Nissan revealed that the “all-new” electric SUV will be produced at the Canton, Mississippi plant, with production set to begin at the end of the Japanese fiscal year 2027, which wraps up on March 31, 2028.
From the official (darkened) photo, the SUV appears to feature a boxy shape, bulky roof rails, and a fully covered grille with integrated LED graphics and an illuminated Nissan emblem. The rear shoulders are nicely toned, while dynamic lines grace the hood, and plastic cladding around the wheel arches adds a rugged touch. It’s a design that hints at the vehicle’s adventure-oriented nature.
According to Car and Driver, design prototypes they’ve seen lean into an off-road aesthetic, further fueling speculation that this could be a spiritual successor to the Xterra.
The yet-unnamed EV appears to be smaller than the Pathfinder and the Rogue, positioning it closer to the compact SUV segment.
While Nissan didn’t reveal any specifications, chances are it will ride on a unibody architecture. This would distance it from the ladder-frame Xterra models of the past, although a beefed-up suspension, a dual-motor AWD powertrain, and clever off-road tech could still give it respectable off-road capabilities.
The Story Of The Nissan Xterra
The Nissan Xterra was introduced in 1999, with the second generation following in 2005. Both rode on ladder-frame underpinnings from the Nissan Frontier pickup, and came in RWD and 4WD versions. In 2015, the off-roader was axed from the lineup without a successor.
In 2018, Nissan unveiled the Terra – a Navara-based SUV for Asian markets. In 2020, an updated version of the model was introduced in the Middle East, adopting the X-Terra name, but it was never intended to reach North American shores.
Last year, Ponz Pandikuthira, Senior Vice President and Chief Planning Officer for Nissan Americas, said that a new generation of the Nissan Xterra was “very actively considered”, describing it as an “authentic and serious truck” with a relatively affordable price point. More recently, it was reported that Nissan could be working on a modern Xterra study for the 2025 SEMA Show, dubbed “Project X”.
We’ll have to wait a little longer to learn about Nissan’s plans for reviving the Xterra, but an affordable boxy SUV with an electric powertrain, like in this teaser, should do the trick.
