A Pathfinder That’s Never Quite Picked a Side
The Nissan Pathfinder has changed its stripes more than most SUVs. When it launched in the mid-1980s, it was a true truck, built tough on a body-on-frame chassis. Over the years, though, it shifted toward a softer, more car-like unibody setup, switching the two body types in between generations.
The current Pathfinder sticks with the unibody formula, focusing on comfort, space, and easy driving, but Nissan isn’t done with the story. The company has been working behind the scenes to bring back a body-on-frame Pathfinder.
Here’s the twist: Nissan isn’t planning to swap out the current Pathfinder for the new one. Instead, both versions will be sold side by side. When the next-gen, body-on-frame Pathfinder lands later this decade, buyers will get to choose between two Pathfinders – one built for comfort, the other for real off-road work.
Two Pathfinders, One Nameplate
This new information came from Automotive News, citing an unnamed source. According to the report, Nissan plans to keep the unibody Pathfinder in showrooms even after the new body-on-frame model arrives, possibly as early as 2029. The two will be completely different in looks, capability, how they drive, and how much they cost.
The unibody Pathfinder will stick to what it does best: offering families a comfortable, affordable SUV that drives like a car. It’s set for a refresh around 2028 or 2029 and will keep its gasoline engine, so no big surprises there.
The new body-on-frame Pathfinder will go in the opposite direction. It’ll look boxier, tow more, and come with real off-road gear. It starts with a gasoline engine, with a hybrid version coming later. Nissan might even give it the Pro-4X badge to make its adventure focus clear.
Nissan will reportedly build the truck-based Pathfinder in Canton, Mississippi, using a lot of the same parts as future Nissan and Infiniti trucks and SUVs. It’ll cost more than the unibody version, thanks to its tougher build. Nissan also expects that over half of buyers will check out both Pathfinders before picking one.
The Bigger Comeback Behind the Plan
This two-Pathfinder approach is just one piece of Nissan’s bigger plan to get back into the truck and rugged SUV game – a segment where other brands have pulled ahead lately.
A big part of that push is the return of the Xterra, set to come back around 2028 as a budget-friendly, body-on-frame SUV built for real off-roading. Bringing back the Xterra shows Nissan is betting on old-school toughness, especially now that more buyers want adventure-ready vehicles.
Nissan is also working on new versions of the Frontier pickup and some Infiniti SUVs, all using the same truck platform. The body-on-frame Pathfinder will slot right between the Xterra and the bigger Armada.
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