The Nissan Pathfinder has been around since 1986, and over the years, it has evolved from a compact SUV (1985-1995) to a mid-size SUV (1995-2012) and, most recently, into a mid-size crossover SUV with five generations under its belt.
Curiously, it has gained a cult following in various regions of the world and even spawned the first SUV from Infiniti back in late 1996 – following Acura's introduction of the SLX and Lexus' bigger LX, the Japanese automaker proceeded to create its own contender in the mid-size luxury SUV sector. Dubbed Infiniti QX4, it was also available in Japan under the Nissan Terrano Regulus moniker with two V6 gasoline engines and two inline-four turbo-diesel powertrains.
For America, it survived during model years 1997 to 2003. During that time, it was marketed as a luxury SUV with bespoke styling and a more upscale interior compared to the Nissan Pathfinder. Alas, its stint was short-lived because it was discontinued in 2003, and its position was fulfilled by the new FX35/45 crossover SUV series. It was also succeeded by the larger QX56 in 2004 – the full-size luxury SUV is now known as the QX80, and its Z63 third generation was previewed as the QX Monograph Concept last year and introduced as a production model in March for the 2025 model year.
Interestingly, this probably brought back memories for some people – including across the imaginative realm of digital car content creators. More precisely, Dimas Ramadhan, the virtual automotive artist behind the Digimods DESIGN channel on YouTube, has taken up the task of CGI-revealing the return of the Infiniti QX4 as a revived mid-size luxury SUV counterpart of the current Nissan Pathfinder. However, even if the same underpinnings would be used, the returning QX4 would look nothing like the Pathfinder.
At least from the front and rear because the pixel master overlayed the distinctive new look of the 2025 Infiniti QX80 on top of the body of the current R53 generation of the Nissan Pathfinder, with the front getting the waterfall grille and the slim headlights while the rear packs the new full-width LED taillights. It's not bad if you think about it, but there is one major problem – the Infiniti lineup already contains a counterpart for the $36,650 Nissan Pathfinder, and it's called Infiniti QX60 (starts from $49,650).
Well, no worries; Nissan has big plans for the namesake brand and the Infiniti luxury subsidiary. So, who knows, maybe they will bring back a nameplate or two from the past. In fact, it would be interesting to see a return of the Infiniti QX4 moniker on a dedicated luxury off-road SUV – maybe it would be capable of taking one-on-one the recently introduced 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser, which just returned with a fresh mid-size lifestyle in mind. What do you think?
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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