- Nissan has filed a trademark for the “Xterra” name in the U.S.
- Huh—strange, since that model left our market in 2015
- We will note the Frontier pickup truck is in production today
Just in time for it to be taking commands from Honda, it seems Nissan may be getting ready to apply the rough-‘n’-ready “Xterra” nameplate onto a new four-wheel-drive rig. Spotted by some eagle-eyed redditors, the patent application was filed just before Santa Claus arrived in town and was plunked under the category of “Motor vehicles, namely, automobiles, sport utility vehicles and structural parts therefor.” Yes, that last word is spelled correctly. There isn’t much more information on which to speculate — but that won’t stop us from doing so with reasonably informed abandon.
The last time we saw an Xterra on North American shores was in the 2015 model year, after Nissan, as it is wont to do, starved the second-generation model of meaningful updates until it became non-competitive — which justified its cancellation in what can only be described as a self-fulfilling prophecy brought on by suits in a corner office.
The original model showed up at the turn of the millennium and served the brand well by offering a square SUV based on a mid-size with the appropriate amount of chops for off-roading (or at least the image of such for those who mall-crawl).
If you’re looking around competitive dealer lots and thinking Nissan cancelled the old Xterra at the colossally wrong moment, you’re not alone. Fans of the model have been clamouring for its return since the nameplate vanished a decade ago, while dealers likely feel they could sell scads of the thing if given the chance.
Certainly, the same approach as taken 25 years ago – use the bones and styling of a Frontier pickup truck and equip it with a V6 engine – would likely be very popular. It’d probably steal sales from rigs like the 4Runner, even if that was originally the mission statement of the Pathfinder until that model was neutered some spell ago.
We will be optimists and suggest Nissan won’t pull a GM and cynically slap the Xterra name on a milquetoast crossover like Chevy did with the Blazer. Nissan has been busy applying the Rock Creek trim to most of its wares, so it is also unlikely “Xterra” will be a simple trim package. Hopefully. Given the (perhaps forced) tie-up with Honda, we’ll also put it out there there’s an off chance it’ll be applied to a rebadged Passport Trailsport. Stranger things have happened.
It is useful to remember that automakers frequently trademark names and ideas which never see the light of day, either to block competitors from getting laying a claim or guarding the trademark for future use.
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