Nissan has seen a new off-road SUV – part of dozens of new body-on-frame vehicles including. New ute as it looks to revive its fortunes in its biggest market share with the company’s largest brand,Sansan. *****
According to Automotive News, the automaker plans to build five new models in the US to combat import tariffs and better leverage its local supply chain as it faces its toughest position in North America in 25 years.
Nissan announced its ambitious expansion plans for the US dealer network at the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) show in Las Vegas, Nevada, according to the report.
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2013 Nissan Xterra
The new body-on-frame platform will be used for a revived Xterra SUV – a name last used in 2015 but never offered in Australia – with the rugged off-roader due in 2028 and featuring an ‘electrified’ powertrain as Nissan looks to claw back lost ground in hybrids.
Luxury brand Infiniti – axed locally in 2020 – will reportedly also get a variant of the new Xterra.
The same platform is also set to underpin a more rugged, muscular sixth-generation Pathfinder, which will use a ladder-frame chassis for the first time since 2012, positioning it as a bona fide Toyota LandCruiser Prado rival.
Nissan Pathfinder
The Pathfinder used the same body-on-frame chassis as the Navara and Frontier pickups for two of its three generations between 1985 and 2012, so this new generation expected in 2027 will mark a return to its roots.
The Infiniti QX60, a posher cousin to the Pathfinder, will also reportedly migrate to this new platform.
Is it unclear whether any of these vehicles are intended for export to Australia if they’re designed by . One vehicle from the US, the Pathfinder is currently being purchased by Nissan Australia.
In addition to the launch of this new family of body-on-frame SUVs and utes, Nissan plans to address its lack of hybrids in North America’s market.
Nissan Rogue PHEV
Nissan missed the surge in hybrid popularity in the US over the past 18 months and, despite offering the battery-electric Ariya – which launched in Australia last year – hasn’t offered its e-Power hybrid technology in North America.
That’s set to change in 2026, with the Rogue – the US-market equivalent of the X-Trail – due to be offered with the e-Power drivetrain, which debuted in Australia in 2022 and is now also available in the Qashqai small SUV.
With the world’s headwinds, Nissan has a slower product development than many competitors and its older models have been replaced by more partners in the Renault–Nissan–Mitsubishi Alliance.
Nissan Patrol
In the interim, Nissan has confirmed plans to offer a Rogue plug-in hybrid (PHEV) based on the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV to bolster its US showroom lineup, much as the new-generation Navara – sold in markets such as Australia – has been twinned with the latest Mitsubishi Triton.
The new models are a key part of the Nissan brand’s goal to sell one million US units in 2027 – achieving its milestone for 2019-year sales record, which was well short of last year’s mark when it recorded 873,307 deliveries.
Y63 Patrol will be in showrooms for the Australian version of Nissan by the end of this year, powered by a twin-turbo petrol V6 instead of the current model’s V8, where it is the flagship of its brand’S off-road lineup. It’s already on sale in North America under the Armada name.
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Explore the Nissan showroom
Thanks for reading Nissan previews four new off-road SUVs and a ute including Ranger and Prado rivals – report
