Nissan axes Juke and Pathfinder as struggling Japanese brand seeks new models from China

Nissan Australia is discontinuing the Juke compact SUV and Pathfinder large SUV as it switches focus to China-sourced vehicles to meet both customer needs and tightening emissions regulations.

The Pathfinder’s future has long been in doubt, with no news forthcoming on the arrival of the facelifted fifth-generation model unveiled last year. 

The funkily styled Juke has consistently struggled in the highly popular small-SUV segment, where Nissan has had greater success with its more conservatively designed Qashqai (formerly Dualis).

Both the Juke and Pathfinder are now in run-out mode with no immediate successors.

“There’s a bit of noise around small volume [Nissan products],” said Nissan Oceania’s outgoing managing director, Andrew Humberstone, who is taking up a senior role in Europe. “So things like Juke, we cancel. Things like Pathfinder, we cancel. [Pathfinder] we’ve cancelled because of [the] US exchange rates, and no future HEV [hybrid] solution.” 

The North America-sourced Pathfinder utilises an emissions-heavy 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine no longer considered suitable for the Australian market, where car makers now face financial penalties for sales of inefficient vehicles. 

“[The Pathfinder] doesn’t make sense… Not without technology that works for us,” said Humberstone.

Neither vehicle has contributed significant volume to Nissan’s local sales, which fell 22 per cent in 2025 and are down 45 per cent in 2026 so far, to the end of February.

Large SUVs are one of Australia’s biggest segments, reaching nearly 140,000 sales in 2025. 

Nissan says for it to be competitive, a successor is more likely to come from the company’s Chinese JV partner Dongfeng than long-time alliance partners Renault and Mitsubishi.

“To me, [the Pathfinder successor] is more of a Dongfeng solution,” said Humberstone. “Given this market, the cost base of this market, the competitiveness in this market, it’s more likely to be that.”

Considering Nissan’s growing dependency on emissions efficient vehicles, likely Dongfeng-sourced successors to the Pathfinder include the Dongfeng-Nissan NX8 medium-large SUV and MHERO 1 off-roader. 

The Nissan NX8 is a 4870mm long conventional-styled SUV which offers both dedicated EV and plug-in hybrid drivetrain options. It offers 800V electric architecture, a range of 18 to 20-inch wheels, and five seats – two less than the outgoing Pathfinder.

The MHERO 1 is a 4987mm long off-road vehicle which again offers dedicated EV and plug-in hybrid powertrain options. The five-seater weighs more than 3 tonnes, though produces more than 600kW and 1000Nm in either guise. 

More information on the MHERO 1 can be viewed here.