Now you can reserve a Nissan online in a few simple steps. Learn more about how this new service works and get started today. [[1744]]
NISSAN PROJECT NORTH
Canadian
Winter Tested
Discover Project North and find out how a wide range of Nissan models are validated in real-life Canadian winter driving conditions.
“Harsh winters are a fact of life here in Canada. To help ensure Nissan vehicles perform well in deep snow and freezing temperatures, we take them to task in extreme winter conditions — a program we call Project North.”
— Kuno Paeng, Field Quality Investigations Sr. Engineer
PROJECT NORTH LOCATION
Extreme Is the Norm
Project North mainly takes place in Sagueney and Dolbeau-Mistassini, Quebec. Historically, these areas have seen an average annual snowfall of over 300 cm, with temperatures that can dip below -20 °C — a benchmark for North America’s harshest winter conditions.
Plus, to address specific winter needs based on customer surveys, we put select Nissan models through their paces in Timmins, Calgary, Edmonton and Winnipeg.
NISSAN VEHICLES FOR CANADIAN WINTER
Project North Alumni
Kicks®
Boldly designed for a confident ride with available Intelligent All-Wheel Drive - and it's Project North verified. [[2036]]
2026 model shown
Rogue®
Snowy roads and freezing temps are why we built Rogue with standard Intelligent AWD and available Snow Mode. [[2036]]
2026 model shown
Sentra®
We’ve also looked at the 2024 Sentra as part of the Project North program. It may be sleek and sporty, but it’s been validated for comfort in the cold.
2024 model shown
ARIYA
Our EV crossover has also been through Project North. Its available e-4ORCE All-Wheel Drive and lounge-like interior stand up to the Canadian climate. [[1139]]
2026 model shown
Frontier®
Frontier strikes a balance of 4X4 toughness and modern comfort. Thanks to Project North, we know it can tackle Canadian winter conditions and still keep you cozy. [[2035]]
2025 model shown
Pathfinder®
The legendary Pathfinder also performed well under Project North conditions. Like Frontier, it offers standard Intelligent 4X4 and premium cabin touches. [[2035]]
2023 model shown
“We do what’s necessary to put the vehicle through severe Canadian winter conditions — even if it means getting up at 3:00 am or driving into a blizzard at 10:00 pm.”
— Marcelo Tesolin, Project North New Model Sr. Engineer
PROJECT NORTH TESTING
Nissan vs. Winter
Project North adds an extra layer of real-world validation when it comes to cold weather. By taking some of our most popular models out in extreme Canadian conditions, we can be even more confident in their winter capability.
WINTER VEHICLE PERFORMANCE
As Real as It Gets
Canada’s climate can feel like five countries in one. When driving Nissan vehicles in Quebec, we come up against virtually all the winter weather conditions found in North America. See how we evaluate our vehicles’ winter performance for the nuanced needs of Canadian drivers.
20,000 km in Freezing, Snowy Conditions
Performance exercises start early in the morning, when temperatures are typically at their lowest. With hand-picked routes in Northern Quebec, we drive Project North vehicles up to 20,000 km in temperatures lower than -20 °C. This lets us validate hardware and tech like Intelligent All-Wheel Drive in the field — which we did on the all-new 2025 Kicks, the 2024 Rogue and more. [[2036]]
Active Blizzards and Snow Intake
We also take vehicles out in active blizzards. Apart from evaluating systems like AWD and Intelligent 4X4 on models like Frontier and Pathfinder in real-world conditions, it allows us to monitor snow intake. For example, we want to ensure our vehicles aren’t taking on too much snow when a truck tosses up fresh powder on the highway — a spontaneous scenario that happens in Canada and now helps inform our global standards. [[2036]] [[2035]]
Salt, Sand and Gravel
Beyond heavy snow, we also validate AWD on terrain that includes salt, sand and gravel — materials used to tame icy surfaces. Since this kind of terrain can damage or corrode your car’s exterior, we also evaluate the paint used on Nissan vehicles to help ensure it stands up to the elements — key when you’re interested in a sportier looking ride like the Sentra. [[2036]]
Starting and Driving in Extreme Cold
Project North also lets us look at our vehicles’ start function in the extreme cold. When it comes to the ARIYA, our all-electric crossover, we have specific exercises to help ensure the batteries and charging features can stand up to extreme Canadian temperatures. [[1161]]
WINTER VEHICLE COMFORT
Cozy Through It All
Making sure your cabin warms up quickly and remains cozy is a big part of Project North. We park certain models outside overnight in -20 °C temperatures to see how they respond when we start them up — and quality assure cabin comfort in harsh real-world conditions.
“Our goal with Project North is to use a wide variety of winter conditions to ensure Nissan’s design, test and evaluation standards become the Cold Weather Global Benchmark.”
— Lingraj Hombal, Kicks and Durability & Corrosion Sr. Engineer
PROJECT NORTH RESULTS
NISSAN VEHICLES FOR WINTER IN CANADA
Project North Verified
Explore models we validated in real Canadian winter conditions — and see what’s next for Project North.
Kicks®
- Available Intelligent All-Wheel Drive[[2036]]
- Standard heated front seats
- Available heated steering wheel and Automatic Temperature Control
- Available Remote Engine Start
2026 model used
Rogue®
- Standard Intelligent All-Wheel Drive[[2036]]
- Standard heated front seats, steering wheel and outside mirrors
- Standard Dual-Zone Automatic Temperature Control
2024 model used
Pathfinder®
- Standard Intelligent 4X4 [[2035]]
- Standard Terrain and Drive Mode Selector
- Standard heated leather steering wheel and heated outside mirrors
2023 model used
ARIYA
- Available e-4ORCE All-Wheel Drive technology [[1139]]
- Standard heated front and rear seats, steering wheel and outside mirrors
2023 model used
Frontier®
- Standard Intelligent 4X4
- Standard heated leather steering wheel and heated seats
- Standard Remote Engine Start [[2078]]
2023 model used
Sentra®
- Available Remote Engine Start [[2078]]
- Standard heated front seats
- Available leather-wrapped heated steering wheel
2024 model used
Murano®
- Standard Intelligent All-Wheel Drive [[2036]]
- Standard heated front seats and heated steering wheel
- Towing capacity of up to 1,500 lbs
2026 model used
Armada®
- Up to 460 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque [[1904]]
- Available heated 2nd-row seats
- Towing capacity of up to 8,500 lbs
2026 model used
PROJECT NORTH CONTINUES
Check Back Soon
Project North doesn’t end here. Come back in the future to see how upcoming Nissan models handle harsh Canadian winter conditions.