Nissan Xterra might return to tackle Toyota 4Runner

Trademarks for the Nissan Xtrerra name are being renewed, hinting at a possible return of the rugged SUV.

Nissan filed trademark renewal applications for “Xterra” and “Nissan Xterra” in the U.S. Dec. 23, 2024. Both trademarks apply to “motor vehicles, namely automobiles, sport utility vehicles, and structural parts thereof.”

Trademark filings can be an early hint that an automaker is looking to revive a name from its past. The Honda Prelude trademark was renewed in the U.S. in 2023, and Honda has since confirmed that the coupe will return as a hybrid. But sometimes these filings don’t lead anywhere, at least, not right away. We still haven’t seen a new Ford Thunderbird, for example.

The Xterra name doesn’t have as lengthy a history as the Thunderbird or Prelude, but it was a distinctive model in its own right, focusing more on off-road capability than other Nissan SUVs of its time. It was introduced to the U.S. for the 2000 model year and was redesigned for 2005. That second-generation Xterra lasted all the way until 2015, when the model was discontinued.

Strong SUV sales could provide the impetus for a new Xterra, something Nissan has hinted at since at least 2017. And it’s already brought back the name, sort of, in the form of the Middle Eastern-market X-Terra, a version of the Terra body-on-frame SUV that launched there in 2020. The Terra arrived in 2018, fueling speculation that it would serve as the basis for a new U.S.-market Xterra, although some updates may be required at this point in its lifecycle.

It’s unclear how much of a priority a new Xterra would be as Nissan moves to merge with Honda by next year. The two automakers confirmed merger talks last month, potentially providing a needed lifeline to Nissan. In November, an insider warned that the automaker had only 12-14 months to survive.