Nissan: No Plans to Bring Terra SUV to U.S.

Countering ongoing speculation, Nissan Motor Co. officials say the company has no plans to offer its new Terra midsize SUV in the U.S.

The body-on-frame vehicle, which was launched this year in China and southeast Asia, wasn’t designed to meet U.S. safety standards, Hironori Awano, the Terra’s chief engineer, tells Automotive News. He adds that American customers have higher performance expectations for SUVs than were incorporated into the Terra.

The Terra was developed mainly for emerging markets, adds Masato Takahashi, who led the Terra’s design team.

The new model, which is based on Nissan’s NP300 Navara/Frontier pickup truck platform, replaces the Paladin in China (known as the Xterra in other markets). The Xterra was discontinued in the U.S. two years ago.