Forget everything you know about the Nissan Xterra. It’s receiving some incredible upgrades that may come to the states in 2021. This popular little SUV has been missed since it was discontinued and now gets to delight fans by returning with a boom! 

What To Expect With The Return Of The Nissan Xterra 

The Nissan Xterra first debuted in 2000 as a powerful compact SUV with a V6 engine. They were available in 2×4 and 4×4 options.

This five-passenger door lived up to its Xterra title, which was licensed from the Xterra off-road Triathalon with the ability to go anywhere.

Even though the Xterra borrowed parts from form the Nissan Frontier, it was a unique, powerful SUV with a bump-out space in the tailgate for a first aid kit, stadium seating in the back row, and stepped roof for a lower front roof rack with a removable basket. 

Over the years, the Xterra was upgraded to be safer, more powerful, and more modern. It received interior updates, USB ports, child seat anchors, Bluetooth connectivity, smartphone integration, more horsepower, and much more. The Xterra also received two face-lifts to keep the headlight style fresh and modern. 

However, this wasn’t enough to keep this beloved SUV in production. In 2015 the Xterra was discontinued due to not being very fuel-efficient. It was also unable to meet new emission standards and faced declining sales. 

The Anticipated 2021 Nissan Xterra 

While Nissan has been primarily focused on larger trucks in the U.S. market, China, Japan, and South America has benefited from the Nissan Navara and Terra. 

This Nissan Navara is a popular compact truck that fills a niche market for small working trucks overseas. With the Frontier and Tacoma doing well in America, we probably won’t see this truck in the U.S. market. 

However, the Terra may give us some clues on what to expect. By eliminating the need to dig up old school titles such as Ford did with the Bronco, Nissan can import the Terra that’s already in production for cost savings. 

The Terra is sportier and only slightly smaller than the Nissan Pathfinder. It has a 112-inch wheelbase with a total length of 192 inches. 

We can also probably expect the Nissan VC-Turbo variable-compression turbocharged 4-cylinder engine with the Xterra in the North American market with only an automatic transmission available. 

As the Terra enters the U.S., it’s probably a safe bet that it will lose the third row of seats to make room for more cargo space as well. 

We’re unsure if the Xterra will keep its famous title or not. It could be marketed as the Terra moniker or Xterra moniker to build brand recognition at a global level. 

It will most likely fit in between the Murano and Pathfinder for sales, even though those two models are more suited for staying on the pavement. 

As far as price goes, the new Xterra will probably be listed with comparable prices to the Toyota Forerunner, around $40k for the base model. Sadly, we will have to wait until the fall of 2020 or the beginning or 2021 for updates or a release.