Nissan Xterra's Future Uncertain: V6 Hybrid Powertrain and New Platform Under Consideration

Daily Car

·

12/12/2025

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Nissan is looking at multiple ways to build the next Xterra SUV. A strong V6 engine is a priority and a hybrid system is under review. The company must decide whether to use a new body-on-frame structure so that performance rises and the vehicle can hold larger, more efficient batteries.

Key Points

Nissan plans to keep a V6 for the next Xterra, which will set it apart from rivals.
Instead of shrinking to a four cylinder, the firm will gain efficiency through hybrid tech.
Work is under way on a new body-on-frame platform - it may be a smaller version of the Armada/QX80 frame or an all new design.
Assembly is scheduled to start in Canton, Mississippi, around 2028. If demand rises production can also be added in Smyrna, Tennessee.

A Strong V6 Core

Nissan intends to keep a V6 in its body-on-frame models - Xterra, Pathfinder besides Frontier. This choice separates them from competitors that use small four cylinder engines. Efficiency gains will come from hybridization. Executives say the company already has multiple V6 engines available.

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Hybrid System y nuevo chasis

For large 4×4 vehicles that tow, engineers are studying a parallel hybrid. The V6 could drive one axle while electric motors drive the other. The larger body leaves room for a heavier, costlier battery. The final powertrain and frame are not yet fixed because the body-on-frame architecture is still being finalised. The success of the bigger Armada or QX80 gives the company confidence to move its D-segment vehicles to this strong frame. The new structure might be a scaled down version of the current frame or a completely new platform. Some parts of the aging Frontier frame could survive, but the next generation must be lighter and accept electrification something the current frame cannot handle.

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Manufacturing and Timeline

Nissan expects to build those body-on-frame models at the Canton, Mississippi, plant. The Xterra is scheduled to start production around 2028, with other models following by 2030. The Canton plant once built the discontinued Titan full size truck and now builds the Frontier. If demand increases, Nissan can also produce the vehicles in Smyrna, Tennessee.

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