Nissan took the stage at Auto China 2026 in Beijing to unveil two NEV SUVs: the Urban SUV PHEV and the Terrano PHEV Concept. The latter brings back the nameplate first used in 1999 for the large-terrain SUV, also known as the Pathfinder. Good news for fans: Nissan is promising a production version within one year.
Nissan has been struggling to regain its momentum, with global sales down by over 40% from peak levels around 10 years ago. To attract more customers to its showrooms, the Japanese manufacturer is betting on a more outspoken design. The next-generation Juke EV came as somewhat of a shock a couple of weeks ago, and now Nissan is flexing its off-road muscles with the Terrano PHEV.
Terrain vehicle with daily usability
The Nissan Terrano PHEV concept brings back the rugged look of the first couple of generations of the model, based on the Navara/Frontier pick-up. The model later evolved into the unibody Pathfinder, which is still produced in the U.S. today.
Under the hood, a plug-in hybrid drivetrain provides a balance between urban commuting comfort and outdoor adventure capability. Nissan is not yet spilling the beans on exactly what this means, but the obvious advantages are a usable electric range, while a combustion engine provides more go-anywhere capability without relying on charging infrastructure.
China first, export after?
The good news is that Nissan is already promising a production version of the Terrano PHEV (and the Urban SUV PHEV) within the next year. The ‘bad’ news is that this will be a model made in China, for China. After that, global export markets are also being considered, but will likely be focused on Asia and the Middle East, where these types of terrain vehicles are sought after.
