Prepare for new SUVs to arrive with true rugged capabilities. Two different automakers are taking aim at the Toyota 4Runner by building body-on-frame options to tackle any terrain. Plus, one revives a classic nameplate. 

Two body-on-frame SUVs will challenge the Toyota 4Runner 

Someone better warn the Toyota 4Runner not to get too comfortable. Two automakers are ready to swing at its success by building body-on-frame SUVs. 

The first has a familiar name, as the Nissan Xterra is set to return. At first, it was going to be a fully electric SUV. However, things have changed, and it will now have a hybrid powertrain, like the 4Runner. A V6 engine is expected to be used. 

It could share components with the Nissan Frontier. Also, rumors suggest that it will be built in America. Most excitingly, the Canton, Mississippi, plant will be scaled to get the costs at the right level. This means that this off-roader should be affordable. 

The other body-on-frame SUV is being developed by Hyundai. It doesn’t have a name yet and will follow in the tracks of its upcoming rugged truck that will battle the Toyota 4Runner. 

Like the 4Runner and the new Xterra, it’s expected to have a hybrid powertrain. According to Car and Driver, it may borrow the hybrid setup from the Hyundai Palisade. The turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine is paired with two electric motors to generate 329 hp and 339 lb-ft of torque. 

But unfortunately, these SUVS come with a catch. It could be a while before we see either option or learn more. The new Xterra is expected to arrive by 2028, while the Hyundai SUV could arrive by 2030.