- New body-on-frame Nissan Pathfinder arrives in 2029.
- It will be offered with gas and hybrid powertrains.
- Unibody variant will be updated and sold alongside it.
Nissan and Infiniti are embracing body-on-frame construction as the brands are reportedly working on five new trucks and SUVs. These are said to include the Frontier, Pathfinder, and Xterra as well as luxury variants of the latter two models.
Little is known about the upcoming vehicles at this point, but a new report suggests the body-on-frame Pathfinder could arrive as early as mid-2029. That would make sense as the current model debuted in 2021 and was recently given a facelift.
More: Nissan And Infiniti Plotting A Massive Body-On-Frame Revolution
While it would be natural to assume the unibody variant would be going the way of the dodo, that doesn’t appear to be the case. Quite the opposite as Auto News reports the model will stick around and be sold alongside the body-on-frame SUV.
This could confuse some people, but the two Pathfinders would appeal to very different consumers. The unibody variant would be aimed at families looking for a comfortable ride, while the new body-on-frame version would be pitched as a capable off-roader.
The two Pathfinders will look completely different and the unibody version will reportedly receive a second facelift in 2028 or 2029. This would keep the model fresh, although it remains unclear how long the unibody and body-on-frame variants will be sold alongside each other.
However, this is said to be “flexible” and based on “sales performance.” As a result, if the street-focused version remains popular, it could presumably stick around for awhile.
The body-on-frame Pathfinder is expected to be more expensive than the unibody variant, which currently begins at $39,900. It’s also said to have a boxier, more truck-like design. We can also expect a gas engine at launch, while a hybrid variant could be added later on.
