1991 Nissan Vanette Reviews

A cut-price 'badass' new four-wheel drive is drawing near.Nissan has confirmed its new Xterra 4WD, which Nissan America boss Christian Meunier labelled “badass” on social media.Word is the Japanese brand is targeting a sub-$40,000 price tag in the US, or circa-$56,000 in Aussie dollars.Nissan has promised the Xterra will be a no-nonsense 4WD, which will be underpinned by a ladder frame to boost off-road performance.“The Xterra represents the DNA of Nissan: affordable, durable and high quality,” Meunier told Automotive News.“We don’t want to over-engineer it and make it overly complicated or expensive.“We’re going to give our Nissan customers everything they need, nothing they don’t,” he said.It’ll likely use V6 petrol or V6 hybrid power. This will be different from the brand’s 'e-Power' hybrid technology found in the Qashqai and X-Trail SUVs, which use the engine purely as a generator to charge the battery while electric motors drive the wheels.Bad news is it will be built in the US for the North American market, at least for now.It is based on the US-market Frontier ute, which is different from our Navara and the coming China-sourced Frontier Pro dual-cabs.But that’s not the end of the story. CarsGuide understands the Chinese-market Frontier Pro will feed a similar 4WD SUV for Asia-Pacific markets.This means Australia should still get a chunky off-roader to challenge the Toyota Prado and incoming Mitsubishi Pajero.It would pack plug-in hybrid punch, with a 1.5-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine and an electric motor combo producing 300kW and 800Nm.This would put it on a collision course with BYD’s new Denza B5 4WD.

Nissan is edging closer towards installing solid-state batteries in its electric vehicles, according to reports. The brand is apparently targeting mass production of the batteries by the end of the 2028 financial year. Solid-state batteries are seen as the next big breakthrough for electric vehicles, offering significantly higher energy density than conventional batteries. They can achieve far greater driving range in a smaller package, making them the perfect technology for electric cars. They are also expected to be less fire prone and have faster charging capacity.Nissan’s solid-state battery is said to have 23 layers of cells, highlighting further development on its 2025 announcement that its prototype had reached the performance needed for commercialisation. There are no details yet on the specifics of the battery, but it is anticipated to be in line with other rivals, which boast driving ranges of more than 1000km. The brand also unveiled its new bidirectional charging infrastructure, which is expected to be made available to market in 2028. Bidirectional charges enable the power to be transferred from an electric car to the owner’s home, and that electricity can be pushed back into the grid.According to Nissan, its example “can be supplied at a very low cost”, with ambitions to facilitate owners selling the surplus power to the grid as soon as 2030. Nissan will develop a specialist platform to accommodate this technology. It still remains unclear whether solid-state batteries will take over the EV landscape, with some brands more receptive to the technology than others.One of the key roadblocks to commercial uptake of solid-state batteries has been the costs of producing the batteries.  Chinese brands have been leading the way on solid-state technology, with both BYD and Chery announcing recent developments. BYD aims to have small-batch production of its batteries by 2027, while Chery is planning to release two models under its Exeed sub-brand before the end of next year.

Nissan is still on the road to financial recovery and it’s looking for ways to strategically beef up its model line-up, especially as emission regulations crunch, without adding more complexity and cost.The Japanese carmaker already has a long-standing relationship with Dongfeng to produce Nissan models for the Chinese market.Highlight models include the Frontier Pro plug-in hybrid ute, N7 large battery electric (EV) sedan, N6 plug-in hybrid (PHEV) sedan, as well as the recently launched NX8 EV and range-extender (REEV) SUV among others.As a result, Nissan is looking to export these Chinese-produced vehicles to a number of markets and Australia could very soon be on the menu. For our market the Frontier Pro and N7 have been earmarked, followed by the NX8.Nothing is confirmed, but we got the chance to drive the Chinese-specification Nissan N6, N7 and NX8 on a closed test track in Japan.First let’s discuss the NX8, which is the newest of the bunch. While it’s offered with EV and REEV (Range Extender Electric Vehicle) powertrains in China, we were only able to sample the former.It’s powered by a single, rear-mounted electric motor that produces 250kW and 310Nm that’s fed by an 81kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery. It’s worth noting a smaller 73kWh battery pack is also offered.Claimed range in the model tested is up to 630km, according to lenient CLTC testing. The battery operates on an 800V electrical architecture, allowing a 10 to 80 per cent charge in only 12 minutes.While the NX8 is around the same size as the Pathfinder, which has been axed locally, it only offers five seats. This means there’s plenty of space inside including a sizable boot.A main focus of this large SUV is tech. There is a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster that is complimented by a dual 15.6-inch touchscreens – one in the centre and another for the front passenger.There’s also plenty of flashy bling on the outside, highlighted mainly by the bold lighting signatures that are dynamic and can change. It’s a cool touch but I doubt this would be offered in Australia.While it was hard to get a proper read on the NX8’s driving dynamics on our one-lap test drive, it’s clear this car is aimed at China. It has an isolated cabin feel with soft suspension and light steering.However, Nissan claims this car is focused on offering dynamics and with 250kW/310Nm it has enough punch to get along at a decent pace.Next up is the N7, which was the first model to be based on the so-called 'Tianyan' architecture. Compared to the NX8, however, the N7 is powered by a single, front-mounted electric motor that produces 200kW and 305Nm.This is fed by a 73kWh LFP battery that allows for a claimed range of 625km, according to lenient CLTC testing. A smaller 58kWh LFP battery and less-powerful motor combination is also offered in China.Like the NX8, the N7 has a clean design with flashy tech inside and out. It’s clearly identifiable as Chinese due to the ultra-minimal look and lack of physical switchgear.Driving this electric sedan it similarly feels isolated inside the cabin and even on middle undulations requires a number of body movements to settle. If the N7 does come to Australia it will likely require some form of suspension re-tune to handle our rougher roads.Lastly there’s the N6 PHEV sedan which is arguably the ugly duckling of the trio. It’s the most affordable model of the trio in China. Its starting price is ¥94,900 (~A$19,400) – and it looks like it from the outside.While the N7 and NX8 have at least some form of edge and presence in terms of design, the N6’s silhouette is rather plain with no defined character. One element that adds to this is the small wheels not filling the wheel arches properly. It cheapens the look.From a driving perspective, the N6’s focus is efficiency. It features a PHEV powertrain marrying together a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with an electric motor that’s fed by a 21.1kWh LFP battery.Nissan claims this allows for up to 180km of electric range and once you run out of charge you’ll achieve 2.79L/100km, both according to lenient CLTC. We’ll have to wait and see whether these figures are accurate in the real world.The majority of driving in the N6 is done by the electric motor, however from around 50-60km/h in hybrid mode, the petrol engine turns on the assist. While you can’t feel it turn on, its presence can be heard in the cabin.Like the N7 and NX8, the driving experience in the N6 is floaty and distinctly Chinese-feeling. It’s made worse as the skinny Linglong tyres screech easily in the bends.While Nissan hasn’t officially confirmed any of these Chinese-made models for Australia just yet, they can’t come soon enough.The Japanese carmaker currently only offers one EV in Australia, the Ariya mid-size SUV. It has indefinitely delayed the introduction of the new-generation Leaf small electric SUV and there are no plans to launch the new, European-focused Juke EV.This leaves Nissan stuck between a rock and a hard place as the brand is already facing fines of over $10 million thanks to the Australian government’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES), which penalises carmakers for selling vehicles producing emissions in excess of CO2 targets which become stricter every year.Hopefully Nissan can make a decision on whether to introduce at least some of these EV or PHEV models soon as many legacy carmakers are ramping up their EV and PHEV offerings Down Under to reduce their fleet CO2 emissions.If these Chinese-made Nissans do launch locally, pricing will be a key factor as many Chinese brands are highly competitive in this space.For now, however, watch this space.

Nissan is pledging 'badass is back' with its new Xterra 4WD, with the V6-powered off-road-ready SUV pledging a return to pared-back simplicity in the segment.That's the word from the Chairman of Nissan Americas, Christian Meunier, who posted a teaser image of the new Xterra to socials with the simple caption "badass is back."Launching as a proper ladder-frame SUV that will share its ute underpinnings with the Frontier ute, the Xterra would promise to offer a real point of difference in the 4WD space, with the brand expected to roll out a choice of V6 petrol or V6 hybrid, and no four-cylinder option. That's the engine line-up in the States, at least.In Australia, the vision is a little more clouded. While not officially ruled out, the Xterra is being built in the USA, where it will also underpin the next-generation of America's ute, which means getting this game-changing 4WD in Australia might prove challenging.But hope is not lost. CarsGuide understands that, while the Xterra will feed a Frontier in the USA, the Chinese-market Frontier Pro will feed a similar 4WD SUV for Asia-Pacific markets, which suggests a version of the Xterra, or something similar, is on the cards for us.And despite the fact that a V6-powered anything is unlikely in Australia these days, power in our China-derived version won't be a problem. The vehicle it will be based on, the Frontier Pro ute, combines a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine with an electric motor to produce a total 300kW and 800Nm. It should also prove something of a bargain, given the cheapest PHEV variant of the Frontier Pro will be offered with launch pricing of just 219,900 yuan in China, or the equivalent of just over $47,000 AUD.The new vehicle is being developed under the code name S20 PHEV SUV, and given Nissan Australia's deepening relationship with the brand's Chinese joint venture, that model is a much better chance to launch in our market.Confirmation of the Frontier Pro ute for Australia is expected imminently, while reports suggest the SUV version is being specifically developed for international markets.

Nissan has teased a new off-road SUV to be built in China as a new global model, essentially confirming an SUV version of its well-received Frontier Pro plug-in hybrid ute.

Nissan has officially teased two new vehicles following the reveal of the new-generation X-Trail and Juke EV.These new vehicles are a new-generation Nissan Skyline sedan and Xterra body-on-frame Toyota Prado-smashing SUV. These models will be focused at the Japanese and North American markets, respectively. This therefore makes an Australian launch for both unclear.The Nissan Xterra has traditionally been an SUV version of Navara and Frontier utes.Despite the very brief teaser video, this new Xterra appears to be a different beast altogether. We only get a brief look at the grille which has ‘Nissan’ scripture and three slashes.Power will come from a V6 or V6 hybrid. The displacement, or exact power and torque figures haven't been detailed yet.Nissan has made a point of saying it’s reducing its model count and is strategically grouping model families together to reduce complexity and costs. This therefore opens the door for more variations of vehicles, meaning more body-on-frame vehicles based on the Xterra are likely.Similarly with the new-generation Skyline, it’s understood an Infiniti version will be offered in due course.According to the short teaser video, this new Skyline will have design touches that are inspired by the original model. This includes ‘Skyline’ badging on the rear three quarter panel, as well as quad circular tail-lights.It’s worth noting this new Skyline is unrelated to the GT-R and will likely remain a four-door sedan.The current-generation Skyline sedan hasn’t been offered locally as a Nissan model but it was as the plusher Infiniti Q50 from 2014 to 2020.Nissan has confirmed there is a new GT-R in the works but what form it will take and when it will launch is still up in the air.No further details on the new-gen Skyline have been confirmed yet, however it’s expected the 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine from the current model will carry over.More information on both the new Skyline and Xterra, including when they will be fully revealed, will be announced in due course.

Nissan has revealed a re-booted version of its Juke small SUV, as a purely electric vehicle.The next-generation Juke is described by Nissan as a core model for the European market and was revealed as part of Nissan’s new long-term direction strategy announcement.This announcement also saw the introduction of the next-generation X-Trail mid-size and Rogue small SUVs, both primarily as e-Power hybrid models.Aside from its size-category, the new Juke is a total departure from the previous model, debuting a new distinct design direction which separates it from the rest of the mainline Nissan range.Up front, this includes blocky light fittings and an LED light bar with an illuminated Nissan logo, as well as chunky rhomboid design motifs. Powertrain details are yet to be announced and the interior is yet to be shown.The Juke will live alongside the next-generation Leaf in Nissan’s fully electric line-up, although as they overlap significantly with the Leaf morphing into a crossover, both cars won’t be offered in every market.To that end, Nissan confirmed the new-generation Juke would not be offered in Australia, following its earlier announcement that the existing combustion car will be culled from the line-up.The outgoing Renault Captur-based Juke was one of the least popular options in the small SUV segment, moving just 90 units year-to-date, outselling only the Alfa Romeo Junior and Jeep Avenger in its category.It seems Australia may not even receive the next-generation Leaf for the time being either, with the brand also confirming it has put its plans to introduce the next-gen crossover to our market on hold as Nissan struggles for competitiveness of its electric models in the face of cut-price Chinese rivals.The new Leaf wasn’t all-out cancelled, with the car being described to CarsGuide previously as “indefinitely delayed.”According to the brand the scaling-back of its EV ambitions in Australia is to focus on hybridising its passenger car line-up, where it says 75 per cent of all registrations are, in order to “future-proof” its local line-up.However, with the nameplates being cancelled, this sees Nissan’s line-up reduced to six models for the time being, including the Qashqai small SUV, X-Trail mid-sizer, Patrol off-roader, Navara ute, Ariya mid-size electric SUV and the Z sports car.The future may have more in store for Nissan as it globally re-focuses, and brings more of a spotlight on its thriving range of Chinese joint-venture models, which are imminently earmarked for export across the world.This includes the N7 sedan, but more interestingly for Australia - the Frontier Pro plug-in hybrid ute as an electrified alternative to the Navara and NX8 large SUV, which could serve as an electric and hybrid replacement for the outgoing Pathfinder.Nissan is embattled on two fronts in Australia - facing hefty fines under the recently-introduced new vehicle efficiency standard (NVES) which burdens it with up to $10.76 million in potential fines if it doesn’t buy emissions credits or sell less polluting vehicles before the end of this year.The brand is also facing a sales down-turn as it struggles to find footing with its increasingly expensive range in a more-competitive-than-ever Australian market.Nissan is down 31 per cent year-on-year to the end of March while more value-focused rivals like GWM (up 28.5 per cent), Chery (up 93.8 per cent), and BYD (up 100.1 per cent) and other newcomers like Geely and its Zeekr premium arm, as well as Omoda Jaecoo eat into its market share.Stay tuned for more on Nissan’s plans for the remainder of 2026.

A new hybrid family SUV war is heating up.Nissan has revealed its new X-Trail e-Power hybrid mid-size SUV to challenge the existing Honda CR-V and new Toyota RAV4 which is due to land in showrooms imminently.The Japanese brand lifted the lid on the new family-hauler during the company’s announcement of its global strategy today.Nissan has flagged the X-Trail as a core product for the brand and will heavily promote its 'e-Power' hybrid tech.The e-Power system works more like an extended range hybrid, where the engine is used purely as a generator for the battery and electric motors drive the wheels only.This means it drives in similar fashion to an electric car, but without the range anxiety and mimics the fuel use of conventional hybrids such as the Toyota RAV4.Nissan revealed images of the updated X-Trail, which brings it inline with newer vehicles such as the updated Qashqai small SUV.It features a large lattice work grille with dynamic headlights and lots of label creases down the side.The makeover gives the X-Trail a more modern look compared to the ageing design of the current version.Nissan hasn’t provided any mechanical details of the next-gen X-Trail yet.The current X-Trail e-Power has been on sale in Australia for several years and has found success, but a new design and increased tech could catapult it up the sales charts.It is also likely the next-generation X-Trail will be hybrid only, with purely petrol-powered versions deleted.Carmakers will soon face fines for selling purely petrol powered cars in Australia due to the federal government’s New Vehicle Efficiency Scheme (NVES), which requires cars to emit CO2 below a certain threshold. This threshold gets lower every year until 2030.

Nissan’s long-awaited NX8 large SUV has gone on sale in China, where it is built as part of a joint-venture with Dongfeng.The NX8 is 4870mm long, making it larger than the Kia EV6, but smaller than the EV9. On the Australian market, it is closest in size to the Polestar 3, which is also a large five-seater. In the near future, it would also compete with the Subaru Trailseeker and Toyota bZ4X Touring.Unlike those dedicated EV rivals though, the NX8 is offered in both full EV and range-extender hybrid forms, making it a potentially unique offering if it were to reach our shores.The NX8 looks to be significantly more affordable than its rivals. Its Chinese price-tag starts at around A$35,000 for the base 150 Pro hybrid version, reaching to around A$45,000 for the top-spec fully electric 650 Max. If it were to follow the usual roughly 20 per cent extra price conversion from most Chinese models, you could expect to see price-tags sitting in a $45,000 - $60,000 span in Australia.The most affordable version of the Kia EV9 starts at $97,000, meaning the NX8 could compete with cars a size-bracket below it, whilst also offering a range-extender hybrid alternative to the just-announced Subaru Trailseeker EV, which starts from $67,990 before on-roads.There are effectively five main variants across three trim levels of the NX8 in its Chinese home market. There are two range extenders, which are equipped with a 1.5-litre turbo engine and a battery providing either 150km or 310km of range and two fully electric versions, offering either 580km or 650km of range. These are then split into the base Pro, mid-spec Max, and top-spec Brand Master trim levels.Only the 650 Max and Brand Master grades with a more powerful 250kW motor are offered with an 800-volt 81kWh CATL battery, which can fast charge on a DC unit at up to a claimed 463kW for a 10 - 80 per cent charge time in as low as 12 minutes.Meanwhile the lesser 400-volt 580 versions are offered with a 73kWh LFP battery from Sunwoda and the range extenders are both LFP batteries, with either a 20.3kWh or 43.2kWh capacity.Total range for the hybrids is set at either 1320km for the 150km battery, or 1450km for the 310km battery. All variants have vehicle-to-load, able to output at an impressive 6.6kW.Interestingly, all variants of the NX8 are rear-wheel drive, with the range-extender variants producing 195kW/310Nm, the electric versions producing 215kW/310Nm, and only the top-spec 800-volt versions producing 250kW/310Nm.As it is only a five-seater, the NX8 offers a larger-than-usual boot capacity of 773 litres, while electric versions also get a 95 litre frunk.Interior kit includes dual 15.6-inch multimedia panels spanning the dash, and a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster for the driver.There is a non-zero possibility of the NX8 making it to Australia, as Nissan executives have actively opened the door to the idea of the brand’s Chinese built range coming to Australia, although this is likely to start with the sought-after BYD Shark 6-rivalling Frontier Pro as a plug-in hybrid alternative to the recently-launched next-generation Navara.Globally, Nissan executives have also leaned into the idea of making Chinese joint-venture models more international propositions in order to make Nissan more competitive again.In addition, the end of production for the previously-American-sourced Pathfinder leaves an NX8-sized space in Nissan’s line-up somewhere above the X-Trail.

The Nissan Qashqai is among several models to learn their safety fate as part of the latest batch of Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) ratings.The updated Qashqai family SUV has received a four-star rating, down from the five-star rating awarded in 2017.The Qashqai maintained a high child protection rating of 91 per cent, but it saw substantial drops in the Adult Protection, Vulnerable User Protection as well as Safety Assist categories.The 78 per cent Adult Protection rating was in significant part due the front structure of the car presenting a moderate risk to occupants of oncoming vehicles in the frontal offset test.Its Vulnerable Road User Protection rating was at 68 per cent, while its Safety Assist rating was 62 per cent.The incoming Suzuki e-Vitara was also hit with a four-star rating.The e-Vitara was the first Suzuki to be tested by ANCAP since the Fronx compact SUV. The Fronx was subject to a major recall following its one-star rating, with ANCAP urging people to not travel in the rear seats of the car.With a 77 per cent Adult Protection rating, the e-Vitara had marginal protection for the driver’s chest and adequate protection for the passenger’s chest, with good protection elsewhere.The car was also marked down due to the lack of a centre airbag, according to ANCAP.The safety regulator’s Chief Executive Officer Carla Hoorweg acknowledged the safety improvement from Suzuki.“It’s encouraging to see improvements in safety performance across the market, this latest rating achieved by the e-Vitara is evidence Suzuki can produce a model that offers sound levels of safety performance,” Hoorweg said.There were new five-star ratings for the revamped Audi A3 hatchback and the Q3 compact SUV. The A3 was awarded 86 per cent for Adult Protection and 80 per cent for Child Occupant Protection, while the Q3 got 87 per cent and 86 per cent, respectively.The other car to earn a five-star rating was the updated Cupra Leon hatchback. It received 88 per cent for Adult Protection and 86 per cent for Child Protection, with 82 per cent each for Vulnerable Road User Protection and Safety Assist.