mmarshall

Rising CAFE requirements and slow sales may (?) spell the end to one of the Jeep Wrangler's few truly lower-priced off-road competitors...the rugged Nissan XTerra. Though this is clearly not a vehicle for me (its ride is much too stiff), I have a lot of respect for its durability and rugged construction...it is based on the Frontier ladder-frame pickup truck, not a car-based "Cute-Ute". In fact, one of my neighbors bought a new one even though she does mostly commuting/grocery-shoping, etc... on hard pavament.

I know the decision has not (yet) been cast in stone, and I hope I'm not jumping the gun for posting this, but it sounds like Nissan is serious...and one thing we have found out in the last few years, in the auto industry, is that if it doesn't sell, it goes.

http://wot.motortrend.com/6680014/we...les/index.html

http://www.trucktrend.com/features/n...rra/index.html

We liked it enough to name it our 2005 Sport-Utility of the Year, but rising Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) pressure and slow sales may prompt Nissan to drop the Xterra SUV from its lineup.

According to a Ward's Auto report, the Xterra may be a victim of the declining midsize SUV segment. In 2009, automakers sold 211,042 midsize SUVs. By contrast, at the beginning of the decade, they managed to move close to 1.65 million out the door. Nissan is also in the throes of balancing its larger, thirstier SUV portfolio with its small-car offerings, to offset a negative CAFE profile, according to Larry Dominique, Nissan vice president of advanced product and product planning and strategy.


"Xterra’s in a tough segment; the segment’s falling apart," Dominique said. "Xterra’s going to be a tough vehicle to keep around."

He attributed the lagging sales to a market moving away from traditional, body-on-frame SUVs, but confirmed that the Nissan's pickup lineup and its Pathfinder sport-ute are not going anywhere. The Frontier currently holds third place among compact pickups in the United States, behind the Ford Ranger and Toyota Tacoma.

Fizzboy7

This happens often when an SUV nears the end of it's life cycle. Of course it's not selling well, it's not been updated or freshened in a long time. What do they expect!? This is a tough segment and needs constant attention if you are to keep sales going. If they poured in some money into it, it would be successful. It's a clever package at an affordable price and sold well when it was new.
I love it when companies cry, "OMG, it doesnt' sell," when they need to look into the mirror and realize it's because they left the car for dead (cough cough Ford Explorer).

IS-SV

It was easy money (low cost, decent margin) for a while, but agreed it's dated.

Threxx

I've seen a couple of Xterras where the owners were apparently so annoyed with them that they rebadged them 'Xterrible'. Never heard great things about them. I guess their niche was supposed to be to the Pathfinder what the FJ is/was to the 4runner?

I did not until recently realize that Nissan used the same basic platform in all their trucks and BOF SUVs. From the Frontier, Xterra and Pathfinder to the QX56 and Titan. I guess in this day and age platforms are so modular that it really doesn't mean much anyway. But driving around in a QX56 I think it'd kinda bother me to see a Frontier next to me and think they 'shared' their platform. heh

mmarshall

It's true that the SUVs/trucks you mentioned are BOF, but that doesn't necessarily mean the same BOF platform. The QX56/Armada/Titan platform, for example, is significantly larger than that of the Frontier/XTerra/Pathfinder. It may, though, be simply a stretched version of the smaller platform....which other automakers sometimes do.

A lot of people aren't aware of this, but the Frontier/XTerra platform is also avalable with the Suzuki Equator, essentially a rebadged Frontier.

Equator sales must be very low, though. Even in the auto-rich D.C. area, I have seen very few, if any, on the road. I suspect it will not be on the market much longer, either.

mmarshall

It's certainly not as dated as one of its chief competitors (and perhaps its only BOF, off-road-capable, competitor in this class...the Jeep Wrangler. The Wrangler, of course, ultimately dates to the 1940's....though it is today a far more civilized vehicle than back then. The Suzuki Vitara/Grand Vitara was body-on-frame (and off-road-capable) for years, but it now shares the GM unibody-small-SUV platform with the Chevy Equinox and the now-discontinued Saturn VUE and Pontiac Torrent.

Yet the Wrangler soldiers on (no pun intented). Of course, it is a classic cult-vehicle, an American icon, and has what is probably a more-dedicated fan base than its competitors.

Threxx

Right, but in this case they do all share the same platform.

Yes, it's stretched both in length and width. Pretty easy to do with BOF. Nissan also does it with their unibody cars and SUVs which largely share one of two platforms... a RWD and FWD platform. Though some parts are modular and interchangeable. Just like on their BOF platform... some suspension components are meant to be able to be swapped, as are dimensions.

I read about the equator but to this day I don't think I've ever seen one.

IS-SV

"Dated" meaning length of time between redesigns and new hardware, which the current Wrangler has both in current version. It was not meant to be length of product line in terms of number of years. The Wrangler is not more dated, it's just designed to be primarily geared more for offroad use than onroad (which of course results in mediocre on road perfomrance by modern criteria). The Wrangler is more offroad capable (which comes as no surprise given the dedicated hardware such as solid front axle and choices of transfer cases, etc.).

Note: last Xterra redesign was 2005, last Wrangler redesign was 2007.

mmarshall

OK....I'll agree. An interesting point, because the 2007 Wrangler redesign brought a crucially important addition...the 4-door (Unlimited) model. Discounting the 4-door Jeep Wagon of the 1940s and 50s (which we discussed in the Suburban thread), the Unlimited model was the first true Wrangler 4-door in its history. It gave the Xterra some real Jeep competition in the 4-door category (The XTerra, of course, never equalled the Wrangler's popularity to start with, and the 4-door Jeep Liberty/Grand Cherokee are in another class). I know you don't like speculation, but some strong hindsight shows that the Wrangler Unlimited may (?) have been the start of the XTerra's declining popularity. I personally know of only a couple of new or potential XTerra customers in the last several years...a neighbor of mine and her financee (now married), and another neighbor who ALMOST bought one, settling for a Toyota Highlander (and its more civilized road manners) instead.

mikemareen

the exterra and pathfinder's are equivalents to domestic junk.

given the price and the mpg u get, there are much better and cheaper alternatives out theres.

these are usdm models made here in the USA, I'm not sure about where the exterra was made but I know the path is made here and is a horrible hunk of useless metal.

mmarshall

By so-called domestic "junk", are you including the Wrangler? There are some things you could say about it that are "junk" .............others, definitely not.

And Consumer Reports (IMO the best reliability-source available) does not agree with you about the Pathfinder. It is on their Recommended-New-Vehicle list, with an average repair record. They also recommend the XTerra, which, likewise, has an average reliability record.....but they do note its stiff, uncomfortable ride.

IS-SV

IMO, all of above are valid points. The 4 door Unlimited Wrangler is successful by any automakers business standards, so based on those factual sales results, speculation about impact on a product that claims to compete is interesting.

Note: The Hummer H3 was Rubicon-tested but is now officially extinct, therefore doesn't matter today.

LexFather

Damn I've never seen that. Hilarious. Yeah they aren't doing well either, the Titan was to be co developed with Chrysler next go round. Only the QX does well as its the Japanese Escalade.

As for the Xterra, I really don't care about it and shame on me posting

LexusChris

iTrader: (1)

The problem with the Xterra is when people go to the Nissan dealer and see the MPG versus they'll buy the Pathfinder, it's almost the same so they will go with the Pathfinder, also, there is the Rogue. The Rogue is everywhere here in NYC.

speedflex

Therein lies the problem for Xterra. Nissan has other offerings which are more useful, more comfortable and more attractive. Pretty soon the Juke will be eating into Xterra sales as well.