Nissan North America has announced that its 2008 Xterra SUV will start at $21,835 for the base 4x2 X model with a 4.0-liter V6, reflecting a $1,080 price increase over the previous base model. Price includes a $705 destination charge. The '08 Xterra is on sale now.

Nissan also announced pricing on its 2008 Frontier Crew Cab and Frontier King Cab pickups. The 2008 Frontier Crew Cab starts at $21,605 for the base SE V6 4x2 model, reflecting a $100 increase. The 2008 Frontier King Cab starts at $16,855 for the base XE 4x2 model, which is a $100 price increase over the outgoing model.

Profits at Nissan Motor Co. fell 16 percent to $764 million in the April-June period as demand for its largest and most lucrative vehicles slumped in the United States

Nissan, Japan's third-largest automaker, also was hit by higher taxes in the first quarter of the Japanese fiscal year, which begins on April 1, and lower sales in the anemic Japanese market.

The results, marking a third consecutive drop in Nissan's quarterly profit, illustrate the risks Japanese automakers face as they expand their U.S. model ranges to include more trucks and SUVs.

Continuing the traditional of the original Xterra, the 2008 model again offers drivers “everything you need, and nothing you don’t.” Xterra is powered by a standard 261-horsepower 4.0-liter DOHC V6 and features 10 cargo hooks, an Easy Clean cargo area, a tie-down channel system similar to the Utili-track system on the Titan and Frontier and a built-in first-aid kit.

Nissan North America has a warning for customers: placing your electronic key too close to your cellphone could leave you stranded.
"The automaker is asking customers driving new models of two of its flagship sedans to keep their car keys and cellphones at least an inch apart to avoid disabling the "intelligent keys."

Cellphones kept near Nissan's I-Keys—wireless devices designed to allow drivers to enter and start their cars at the push of a button—can erase the electronic code on the keys, rendering them unable to unlock or start the cars."

Nissan North America Inc. said Tuesday its U.S. auto sales fell in April on drops in demand for both its cars and trucks.

Nissan (nasdaq: NSANY - news - people ) sold 71,124 vehicles in April, down 18 percent from 86,720 in the same month of 2006.

Sales of light trucks dropped 22.3 percent to 30,410 units from 39,178. Nissan Frontier sales fell 30.9 percent to 5,230 and sales of the Xterra dropped 38.4 percent to 3,045.

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/05/01/ap3672989.html

Big praise for small SUVs:

The Subaru Forester Sports XT, the Forester X ($23,420) and the Honda CR-V EX ($24,645) join previously tested versions of the RAV4 ($30,328 for the top-rated Limited V6 and $23,163 for the four-cylinder Base version) as recommendations for all-around competence. A good bet for serious off-roading is the Nissan Xterra. (The S version CR tested cost $28,000.) Its strong V6 and truck-based platform also allow it to tow 5,000 pounds.