- 2028 Nissan Xterra will launch with a naturally aspirated V6 option.
- A V6-based hybrid will follow, but timing remains undecided.
- Nissan ruled out a turbo’d four-cylinder for the new model entirely.
Nissan is bringing the Xterra back to production, and today, we’re getting more good news. No, it won’t be available with a manual, but perhaps more importantly, it will come with a straightforward gas-burning V6. A hybrid will come online later, and serious off-road capability is still a major part of the DNA.
Speaking at the New York Auto Show, Nissan Americas chief product and planning officer Ponz Pandikuthira revealed that the reborn Xterra, due in 2028, will be offered with both a pure gasoline V6 and a hybrid version based on that same engine.
Read: Could This Mystery Nissan SUV Be The New Xterra?
“We’ll have a pure ICE,” he said as reported by Car And Driver, adding that Nissan has no interest in using a turbocharged four-cylinder in the Xterra. Instead, the gas-only model is expected to use an updated version of the 3.8-liter V6 currently found in the Frontier.
“Then we can build a hybrid off that,” Pandikuthira continued. “What that hybrid execution looks like, when it debuts, how many months after the ICE version? Still a work in progress at this point.” So from those statements alone, it looks like Nissan is prioritizing simplicity over fuel economy. That should connect with what most Xterra fans want most.
Perhaps just as important is that this isn’t a watered-down crossover by all accounts. “I was in Japan two weeks ago and I saw the car in the first foam full mock-up, it literally takes your breath away,” Pandikuthira said. “Super imposing, it’s got a lot of those very tough, in-your-face design cues.”
No doubt, Nissan will want to include plenty of features that clearly harken back to the original Xterra. That design throughline will be key in a market that includes the Toyota 4Runner and Ford Bronco.
Speaking of the Bronco, Nissan won’t be offering the Xterra with a manual as Ford does with its off-roader. Pandikuthira dismissed the idea for trucks and SUVs, arguing that buyers care more about suspension tuning, steering feel, and powertrain calibration than rowing their own gears.
He also pointed out that a shifter eats up valuable storage space in the center console. You’ll have to decide for yourself if that argument holds water.
