2026 Nissan Xterra Guns for the New Toyota 4Runner in Fantasy Land

A report dating back to March states that the Nissan Americas Chief Planning Officer and Senior VP, Ponz Pandikuthira, hinted at a possible return of the iconic model by saying that it is "very actively considered." The exec said such a vehicle would need to be a "serious" and "authentic truck," as well as relatively affordable to make sense.

While that is hardly official confirmation, it is simply enough to make off-roading enthusiasts hope for a brand-new Nissan Xterra. This model hasn't been around in our market for nearly a decade, with the second generation's production ending in 2015 at the Mississippi factory. This ride shared its underpinnings with the era's Pathfinder and Frontier and featured V6 firepower.

The 4.0-liter engine was good for 261 horsepower (265 ps/195 kW), and it produced 281 pound-foot (381 Nm) of torque. Transmission options included a six-speed manual and a five-speed automatic, and the top-of-the-line grade, the Pro-4X, came with a whole bunch of goodies, from the Bilstein shocks and electronic locking rear differential to the underbody skid plates, 16-inch wheels shod in A/T tires, and improved departure and approach angles.

For the final model year, Nissan asked almost $24,000 for the base Xterra, which is some $5k less than today's Rogue. A hypothetical third-generation Xterra would also need to keep the pricing in check if it wants to steal some customers away from the stiff competition, including models like the latest Toyota 4Runner. Thus, it should be very good if it wants to make a difference in this class, so we reckon the automaker will spend a lot of time developing it if it is indeed in the making.

We wouldn't hold our breath for a possible new Nissan Xterra, even if some of the 4x4 crowd would likely favor it over its rivals. First, it likely wouldn't be a best-seller, given that new car buyers these days would trade just about anything for a fresh-off-the-lot crossover, with the occasional (partially) electric twist. Second, Nissan has to take the math seriously if it wants a new Xterra in its lineup, as it might turn out to be a failure.

Now, while we have started debating whether a brand-new Nissan Xterra would be feasible, the rendering crowd has already given it a few shots at imagining its design. The latest came from Digimods Design on YouTube, and between us, we're fans of this styling, albeit with a few tweaks here and there. Would you buy one if it looks like this over a new 4Runner?