2018 Nissan Navara SUV spied and leaked in China
Images of a Nissan Navara-based SUV have been posted on Chinese automotive websites ahead of its rumoured debut next year.
The studio shot of the car's front was found by a reader of BurlappCar, while the image of the car's rear was taken at a Zhengzhou Nissan factory and posted on Auto.syd.com.cn.
The new Navara-based SUV is expected to make its debut in February 2018 at the Beijing motor show.
In China, the car might be badged as the Paladin and serve as a replacement for the D22 Navara-based SUV. If the new SUV is sold in North America, it might be known as the Xterra, the name previously used for Navara/Frontier-based wagons.
Compared to the current Navara, the new SUV seems to feature a new set of headlights, as well as the company's V-motion grille design, and a different front bumper.
Everything aft of the B-pillars looks to be new. Unlike the now discontinued Xterra, the current Paladin, and earlier iterations of the Pathfinder, the new SUV doesn't sport hidden rear door handles.
It's likely the new Navara-based SUV will be sold in markets, such as Asia and South America, where ute-based SUVs are popular. As such, it will be a competitor to the Hilux-based Toyota Fortuner, the Ranger-based Ford Everest, and others.
Whether the new Nissan SUV will go on sale in Australia is still a matter of some debate. In May, Richard Emery, then-Nissan Australia CEO, told CarAdvice the SUV is under consideration, but was "not a key focus" and "might not suit Australian circumstances".
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