another prediction that XTerra is finished

[haven]

Ward's Automotive web page has an article that says the XTerra's days are numbered. Xterra sales in the first 7 months of 2010 amounted to 1700 a month. The Jeep Wrangler sells 10,000 or more each month.

Poor sales is one reason to kill the XTerra. Another is the federal Corporate Average Fuel Economy target, which will be 34 mpg in 2016. Nissan must balance its SUVs and pickups with poor fuel economy against small cars that have high mpg ratings.

Nissan does plan to sell the XTerra in 2011.

http://wardsauto.com/ar/nissan_xterra_out_100827/

 

[RonapRhys]

A quote from the article:

Nissan sold 88,578 Xterras in the U.S. in 2000. In comparison, deliveries through July of this year tallied just 12,186, still good for a 42% increase over year-ago.

Sales are increasing, which is a good thing. That's what keeps a model in production.

 

[kmroxo]

Jeep seems to have a larger following, and they make a good product, but I think their sales are better mostly on the name and not the vehicle. Of course, the Jeep does have a much larger aftermarket world as well. You can't beat the Xterra for functional use in my opinion. If you want a do-it-all daily driver that can do some pretty good off road without a lot of modification then you really come down to three vehicles: The Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, the Toyota FJ Cruiser, and the Nissan Xterra Off Road (or PRO-4X).

The FJ and Xterra seem so similar with just a cursory look, but the Xterra has much more cargo room, which is also more versatile. The FJ also has some serious visibility issues as well for me. As for the Jeep, the ability to remove the top is very cool, but I would rather have an integrated roof rail system that the Xterra has. I also have no idea why Jeep hasn't jumped on board with the non-carpeted cargo area and tie down system. I have two labs and the Xterra also provided more room for them in the back cargo area (without folding the rear seats) than the Wrangler Unlimited, never mind the dog hair in carpet issues I don't have to worry about with the Xterra. With the Unlimited I would have had to fold at least one rear seat down.

For me the Xterra is perfect, but it also seems like they haven't been running as many ads as much over the last year or two. Maybe that is also because I DVR everything so I just don't see them. Most people aren't as analytical when they choose their car, but looking at all the features and the 2008 Xterra Off-Road I just bought was the ideal choice for me.

 

[drbandkgb]

The model is old... Gen 2s have been here since 05 thats a long time with out a redesign. My issue with the Gen 2 was it looks like the Pathy and frontier.. A quick look and you wouldnt know which was which. I wish the next (if there is)
Xterra would go back to the round lights.. The Gen 1.5s had a very different look. Nissan is like all the other car companies.. They rushed to the SUV thing in the late 90s and now they have to many.. If it were me id kill the pathy or turn it in to the Murono (how ever ya spell it) Go back to simple with the Xterra.. Radio seats and some Hp. Over all I think every company is down on sales.. So I wouldnt take this too seriously yet.

 

[Strizzo]

The model is old... Gen 2s have been here since 05 thats a long time with out a redesign. My issue with the Gen 2 was it looks like the Pathy and frontier.. A quick look and you wouldnt know which was which. I wish the next (if there is)
Xterra would go back to the round lights.. The Gen 1.5s had a very different look. Nissan is like all the other car companies.. They rushed to the SUV thing in the late 90s and now they have to many.. If it were me id kill the pathy or turn it in to the Murono (how ever ya spell it) Go back to simple with the Xterra.. Radio seats and some Hp. Over all I think every company is down on sales.. So I wouldnt take this too seriously yet.

i agree, sorta.

if you look at the early pathfinders, they were the basic SUV, just like the xterra. look at the lines of a early-mid 90s pathfinder, and they have the long front door, with the almost hidden rear door, so they look like a 2-door. they were also available with a 5-speed up until the xterra came out.

the pathfinder has moved upmarket, to compete with the more luxurious 4runner that came out in 03. hopefully nissan will see fit to re-up the xterra for another run, but it doesn't look very promising. if there was a new, redesigned xterra in the wings, we should have heard about it by now, instead of hearing how the whole thing is doomed. it really is too bad though, since the xterra is still winning magazine comparison tests even though the overall design is nearly 7 years old.

 

[mcm4090]

The model is old... Gen 2s have been here since 05 thats a long time with out a redesign.

5 years is old? Really I don't think a vehicle should be redesign till 7 years. That seems like a good life for a vehicle.

 

[4Rescue]

With the New 4Runner now being out, I personaly think Nissan would be nuts to not have a competetior for it. The new Pathy sure isn't it. While certainly not a huge Nissan fan I've always really respected the brand and liked that they made a truck like the X along with all the up-scale garbage (to me anyways) they make. I need a Luxo-barge SUV like I need another woman in my life Here's an idea for Nissan... DUMP the fugly as hell Pathy "armada" ,whatever that is, and keep the Xterra. THat would help your average combiled line fuel econo. wouldn't it?

Cheers

Dave

 

[RonapRhys]

Dave - it might not. The X gets rated for 17/22, IIRC, which isn't all that hot. The thing is it's heavy, shaped like a brick, and 4wd.

The problem here is there's a niche for bare bones off-road SUVs and the X does a good job of filling that niche - but a niche market is still a niche market. The only way to take greater levels of marketshare within that is to offer a significant advantage over the other performers. In all honesty, the FJ and Xterra both do so when compared to any of the current Jeeps. Obviously I think the X wins overall, but that's more of an opinion based on what I need it for. The things I think would make the X more appealing and get greater marketshare would be to make it even more off-road capable and focus on that again with the adverts. The problem with that strategy is potentially losing some of the more active soccer moms that buy them.

 

[AZ-Ted]

If the Xterra is discontinued, Nissan would be wise to build a true Offroad Pathy. Otherwise people that are brand loyal will switch to another manufacturer.

 

[Strizzo]

i used to think that i was brand loyal, but the last three cars i've bought have been from different manufacturers, acura, mazda, and now nissan. i will go to the company that makes the vehicle i want to buy. unfortunately, i'd rather not pay 40k for a 4runner, and the FJ just doesn't have quite the space that i want (if i wanted and extended cab pickup, i'd have bought one). so if the X goes away, i'd either be looking at something significantly older, like a 3rd or 4th gen 4runner, or a double cab tacoma, even though i don't really need/want a pickup... the only other vehicle that comes close would be the wrangler unlimited, but those look funny imo, and i hatehatehate the 3.8 v6 in that thing.

maybe if/when there's a diesel wrangler

 

[drbandkgb]

Dave - it might not. The X gets rated for 17/22, IIRC, which isn't all that hot. The thing is it's heavy, shaped like a brick, and 4wd.

The problem here is there's a niche for bare bones off-road SUVs and the X does a good job of filling that niche - but a niche market is still a niche market. The only way to take greater levels of marketshare within that is to offer a significant advantage over the other performers. In all honesty, the FJ and Xterra both do so when compared to any of the current Jeeps. Obviously I think the X wins overall, but that's more of an opinion based on what I need it for. The things I think would make the X more appealing and get greater marketshare would be to make it even more off-road capable and focus on that again with the adverts. The problem with that strategy is potentially losing some of the more active soccer moms that buy them.

If you do this the price will go high! I think its a less is more.. Seems like Nissan has got on a high horse.. The Gen 2 of Pathy Frontier and Xterra look lazy.. I had a 06 Fronty Loved it... But I want my fronty to not look like a X or Pathy... The Xterra is very boring right now.. And yes 5 years is old and really its 6 years old now... The last Gen 1 made it 4 years... Give me that Gen 1.5 front end and more curves. If you pull both front and back bumpers off and look at the body lines.. Very boring..

 

[mcm4090]

With the New 4Runner now being out, I personaly think Nissan would be nuts to not have a competetior for it. The new Pathy sure isn't it.

It's Pathfinder vs 4Runner.

FJC vs X.

 

[4Rescue]

Yeah sort of. By alot of acounts, the FJC might just go Bye Bye, and the 4RUnner is now truly a "mini-Landcruiser" with ALOT of capability built back into it (not that the 4th gen was bad truck by any means) So it's actualy more like:
Pathy -v- uh... LX470, maybe Sequoia
And X -v- FJC AND the 4Runner

I sort of agree with some of the previous posts, it's like Nissan thought they didn't have to make a truly unique truck. I def. like the newer motors in the Gen 2's, but I definatly prefer the Gen1-1.5 styling alot more. Nissan sorta just made all the same front ends and added whatever back body you decided on, P/U or 4dr Wagon. I like the newer Frontiers alot too. ANd truth be told I've seen some gorgeous Gen 2 X's eh. There's one on here with Black rims and BFG-AT's that just looks awesome (not to mention having a good photog taking pics of it) so I guess there are exceptions to everything eh

Sorry to hear the X might go.

Having competetion in the market place drives alot of innovation amongst the different brands. Now if only SOMEONE -AHEM- would step up and give the Wrangler RUbicon a run for it's money here in N.America. I know Nissan WAS (although it looks as though the Patrol is going to -to me- die soon too ) building a great truck elswhere in the world as was Toyota and to some degree Suzuki. We just don't get them. Bummer eh.

Cheers

Dave

 

[Strizzo]

i really think that the xterra could challenge the wrangler, but nissan is sorta barely keeping its head above water for the last 10-15 years, so they are not going to dump loads of development money into another niche vehicle like they did with the GTR. it seems that the only competitor to the rubicon is, well another jeep. the grand cherokee is now available with front, rear, and center lockers and has an offroad traction management system that automatically selects the lockers that are needed for a given situation.

if nissan were to make a version of the xterra that came with a 4:1 low range, beefed up front diff with a locker, and maybe a little better approach and departure angles, it could be a serious competitor for the rubicon, and put some good distance between itself and the FJ. even with just the lower low range, it could probably do 90% of what a stock rubicon could

 

[JIMBO]

:sombrero: I've hadem both an '06 Xterra off-road and now an '08 JKU Rubi-

The Xterra was a dreamboat on the freeway with 265 hp/20mpg/fingertip steering and off-road with relative instantaneous 4wd H/L and we could sleep in or pull my trailer, but

The rear locker-only/needed a little more throttle application in 4lo and aftermarket equip.--almost non-existance-front diff aluminum and "fragile"-solid rear axle and IFS front-so

I got the jeep and my ONLY real downer is the loss of the 265hp V6- that was so sweet !!

I'd probably get a new one (OR) if they offered the solid axle F/R and lockers, I don't NEED the removable top, but most of my 4wd's have hadem !!

Dodge/IH/jeep/Bronco--

We'll have to wait and see !!

:costumed-smiley-007:bike_rider: JIMBO