Nissan is preparing a new family of body-on-frame vehicles that will include five models, starting with the return of the Xterra SUV in 2028. The lineup also includes a next-generation Frontier midsize pickup truck, a Pathfinder-sized SUV, and two- and three-row SUVs under the Infiniti brand. Company executives describe the project as one of their most important efforts in years.
Nissan returns to body-on-frame vehicles
The decision to revive the Xterra and build a full family of rugged, truck-based vehicles wasn’t simple. CEO Ivan Espinosa said they had been considering it for a while, but emissions compliance kept getting in the way. Meeting corporate average fuel economy standards made the math difficult. “We could technically do it, but you have to sell an additional 200,000 [fuel-efficient] units to comply with regulations,” he said.
Then the Trump administration changed the regulations. “The moment the compliance rules were adjusted we could see the opportunity was there,” the CEO added.
That change opened the door.
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Nissan will now build five vehicles on a common body-on-frame platform. All will be compatible with the same V-6 and V-6-powered hybrid powertrains. The company sees economies of scale as a key benefit. But the family does not include a full-size pickup truck. “There is no intention of doing that at the moment,” Espinosa said. “We will have frame vehicles in areas where we are strong and have a good customer base.”
The Xterra returns with a modern twist
The Xterra will be the first model out.
It ran from 1999 to 2015 and still has a loyal following.
Espinosa said the challenge is creating a modern interpretation that satisfies both older fans and younger buyers. The vehicle needs fresh technology without straying from its original appeal.
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Affordability is central to the plan. Nissan Americas chairman Christian Meunier said the company lost its way by adding too much technology for the sake of it, driving up costs. “We’re gonna stop doing it. Xterra will be the symbol of this,” he said. The target price is below $40,000. He revived the slogan from 2002: “everything you need, nothing you don’t.”
Meunier noted that previous buyers of the SUV were young and cost-conscious.
Those people are now 15 years older, have more money, and may want a third row. He said Nissan is already wondering if such a variant should be considered later.
Nissan will not offer an electric version on the frame platform. The company also confirmed it won’t build a full-size pickup on this architecture. Espinosa said the focus is on segments where it already has a strong customer base. The new Frontier will arrive alongside the Xterra and the other SUVs.
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Some analysts remain cautious.
Future regulatory shifts could again complicate Nissan’s plans. The company’s bet depends on keeping fuel economy standards favorable for larger vehicles. If rules tighten again, the math could change. Meunier called the body-on-frame project the most exciting he has ever worked on. But he also warned that vehicle prices in the U.S. are getting too high. The average transaction price approaching $50,000 is not sustainable, he said. “We need to find a way to keep product, even exciting product, affordable.”
Nissan hasn’t given exact timelines for the Frontier or the Infiniti models yet.
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