Nissan is now selling Xterras at a rate of 80,000 a year. And the model's Gen X appeal is enabling Nissan to tap into a pool of younger car buyers. Eighty percent of the buyers have never bought a Nissan before. The X in Xterra is no accident. The TV commercials for Xterra certainly reflect what Nissan wants the name to embody.
Automotive ads are generally the least liked by consumers.
So the ads are not meant to be all things to all people. Nissan might be the victim of a consumer backlash against gas-guzzling SUVs in general, Schwartz says. Some people are saying, 'Enough, already' when it comes to SUVs. But Schwartz says that's not completely accurate. Nissan has built a truck around the needs of athletes.