Nissan Xterra--The Straight Scoop On Its Future...

OK...OK...all you Xterra fans (myself included) you can come in off that ledge now. Recently there was a post on The NewX.org website detailing a meeting between some Nissan dealership GMs and Nissan management in which it was said that the dealerships were told that the decision had come down to cancel the Xterra and that there would actually not even be a 2010 model. Needless to say, this caused quite a kerfuffle (love that word) amongst the offroad loving segment of Nissan owners. As one of the last true, body on frame SUVs with the toughness to tackle a real adventure the Xterra has a special place in the heart of many an American.

Well, your intrepid reporter here at NismoStuff got to the bottom of this story and here it is:

100% UNTRUE...In speaking to Scott Vazin (Head of Product PR at Nissan), who was very gracious in taking the time to speak to me after I basically spammed all of Nissan management with an email expressing my displeasure in hearing that the Xterra was cancelled I learned quite a bit that gives me hope for the Xterra's future. First and foremost, the Xterra has not be cancelled in any way shape or form. Scott stated that after receiving my email that he gave a call over to the head of Nissan's head of product development to make absolutely sure that there was nothing he had not become aware of and was told the Xterra is currently scheduled to run its full life cycle through '10 and '11, continuing to be produced at the New Smyrna, TN plant alongside its other F-Alpha brethren (Frontier, Titan, Armada, Pathfinder). When I asked how Nissan's plans to also produce its upcoming line of Electric Vehicles at this same plant would impact these plans, I was informed that there is more than sufficient capacity at the New Smyrna plant to produce both the EVs and all the body on frame Xterras, Frontiers, etc. and that ramping up production of the EVs would not have a negative impact on their ability to produce our favorite petrol burning trucks. Let me be crystal clear here--Nissan WILL produce the Xterra through its full life cycle until 2011. Period. Kill the rumors...

Now...all that being said...Scott was also frank with me in regards to the fact that no decision on the future of the Xterra BEYOND its current life cycle has been made. The decision to build a 3rd generation of Xterras has yet to come to a head and will obviously also involve similar decisions in regards to the future of the Frontier, Pathfinder, Armada and Titan. Scott was also candid in stating that the Titan is obviously the one they are looking at with the most scrutiny right now, though even if the Titan were to be cancelled today, the Armada would continue in production. The future of all these vehicles is understandingly dependent upon economic conditions and consumer preferences. This makes these decisions so difficult given that what is true today almost certainly not be true in 2 or 3 years when the fruits of today's decisions will finally be seen. Though we have no assurances at this point on a 3rd generation of Xterras, we have through 2011 at a minimum and perhaps we as fans of the vehicle and consumers can help shape what the future Xterra could be (a mini Patrol?) if it is to continue ...

On a slightly separate tangent Scott shared with me that what the GM who told his employees COULD have been referring to is the 2nd generation Rogue. A decision HAS been made at this point to produce a 2nd generation Rogue for U.S. consumption, meaning the current Rogue will be phased out in the near future. This means that any sights of our Canadian neighbors Xtrail vehicle is exceedingly unlikely that we Americans will continue to see them with Canadian plates.

Lastly, I also inquired about Nissan's EVs which are getting so much press lately. While GM and others are focusing on Hybrids and "kind of" EVs like the $40K Chevy Volt, Nissan will be introducing its line of 100% EVs beginning in VERY late 2010 to fleet customers and then to the consumer market near the 2nd/3rd quarter of '11 and will be staggered to accommodate the the markets most likely to have a high demand for them--meaning if you live in Minot, ND, you are not likely to see a Nissan EV anytime soon...

So there you have it...the straight scoop (from the head of Nissan PR and head of Nissan product planning no less) on the current state of Nissan's thinking regarding our beloved Xterra. Feel free to shoot down rumors of the Xterra's imminent decline wherever you see fit.