Automotive News Daily Drive · Automotive News

Feb. 25, 2026 | Nissan's dual Pathfinder bet; Why Chinese automakers face a U.S. brick wall

·22 min·1 clip

Molly Boygon says the Trump administration could create exemptions, or even scrap the Commerce Department rule.

1. Automotive News Daily Drive on Feb. 25, 2026 centers on Nissan’s dual Pathfinder plan and the U.S. barriers facing Chinese automakers. 2. Kellen Walker hosts from Las Vegas, Urbash Kakaria reports on Nissan, and Molly Boygon explains the Commerce Department rules on Chinese vehicles. 3. The episode asks whether Nissan is expanding its three-row utility strategy and whether Chinese automakers can ever break into the American market. 4. Nissan plans two Pathfinder-like vehicles starting in mid-2029, with an updated unibody version and a new body-on-frame version. 5. The unibody Pathfinder is described as an affordability play with family-friendly, plush driving characteristics. 6. The body-on-frame Pathfinder is described as more rugged, more boxy-looking, and aimed at adventure seekers. 7. A person with knowledge of the plan says the truck-based version may wear the Pro 4X badge and launch with a gasoline engine before hybrid power later. 8. Nissan intends to build the body-on-frame Pathfinder at Canton, Mississippi, on a new Nissan-developed platform. 9. Kakaria says the platform will support up to five models, beginning with the revived Xterra in 2028. 10. Kakaria says as much as 70% of parts may be common across those five models, with everything forward of the B-pillar shared. 11. Nissan, Stellantis, and Mercedes-Benz are investing in Wave, a UK self-driving startup, in a $1.2 billion round valuing the company at $8.6 billion. 12. Wave’s AI does not rely on high-definition mapping, and CFO Max Warburton says that makes it faster to deploy than traditional autonomous systems. 13. Nissan plans to launch Wave software in next-generation ProPILOT systems in late 2027. 14. Nissan also plans robo-taxi trials with Uber in London this year. 15. Aston Martin is cutting another 20% of its workforce, about 600 jobs, after a brutal 2025 and a loss of nearly half a billion pounds. 16. Adrian Hallmark says U.S. tariffs were a big part of the problem, and he also cites extremely subdued demand in China. 17. Boygon says the Commerce Department rules ban hardware and software tied to China and also reach completed vehicles tied to Chinese entities. 18. She says the rules extend to companies influenced by Chinese-government ties through board representation, proxy voting, shares, and contractual arrangements. 19. The discussion is reported in a newsroom interview style, with Kellen Walker, Jake Neer, and direct explanation from the reporters. 20. Listeners interested in auto policy, Nissan product strategy, and EV regulation will get the most from this episode, while listeners wanting only one brand story may skip the regulatory segment.

As heard by us

A compact auto-industry briefing with real teeth on product strategy and trade policy.

Nissan's two-Pathfinder plan gives the episode a clear business spine: one mainstream, comfort-first version and another body-on-frame model for buyers who want tougher utility.

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Why you'd press play

Nissan's twin-Pathfinder plan and the regulatory maze keeping Chinese automakers out of the U.S., in one brisk pass.

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