With the Nissan Xterra returning by 2028 and the company confirming more body-on-frame (BOF) SUVs are on the way, speculation has increased regarding what other rugged utility vehicles we’ll see from it. Now, a new report says Nissan will make a 2029 Pathfinder on the same platform used for the Xterra. But today’s unibody Pathy isn’t going away, at least not in the immediate future, if the report proves true.The story of Nissan selling two different Pathfinders at the same time isn’t new.
Back in 2004, the company sold two versions of its popular SUV. One was a smaller model that was built on the same platform as the second-generation N50 Xterra, and the other was larger and dubbed the “Pathfinder Armada.” The latter shared its frame with the A60 Titan. That’s essentially what’s being proposed for the 2029 Pathfinder, but the split is between unibody and BOF variants, according to a report from Automotive News.
The split will be differentiated beyond just the frame designs, as the BOF-type will have a more rugged look and carry the “Pro4X” badge. As far as powertrains are concerned, it will feature an internal combustion engine as well as a hybrid model due to come later during the first production cycle, and both it and the 2028 Xterra will be built in Canton, Mississippi.
Yes, Nissan will continue to sell the unibody Pathfinder, but at a much lower price point compared to the BOF version. How long Nissan will offer these two distinct Pathfinders for is unknown, but we can’t imagine it doing so for an extended time period. If it does, we expect a similar outcome as happened with the Armada in 2005, where one version will drop the “Pathfinder” name but both will be sold. Our bet is on the unibody model getting a name change. That is, if Nissan doesn’t axe it due to reduced sales thanks to the more rugged BOF version.
We reached out to Nissan to confirm that there is, indeed, a BOF Pathfinder in the works and it wouldn’t confirm or deny such a report. “We always evaluate our plans to offer the most compelling product portfolio based on consumer trends and market opportunities. We are excited for the potential to bring the iconic Xterra back to the Nissan lineup as early as 2028, followed by four other frame-based vehicles on the same all-new platform,” a spokesperson told us by email. “For any other future product programs, decisions will be made in alignment with consumer demand to maintain the strongest lineup possible for our brands, but no decisions have been made at this time.”
