After a long period of inactivity at Nissan India, the Japanese carmaker is finally gearing up to launch the fourth-gen X-Trail as a CBU. Having first showcased it in October 2022, Nissan has now officially teased the SUV ahead of its launch. Once introduced, this will be the second model in Nissan’s line-up, along with the Magnite, since the Kicks was discontinued in April 2023.
- X-Trail will only be offered with a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol
- Will rival the Hyundai Tucson, Skoda Kodiaq, VW Tiguan
Nissan X-Trail: what to expect?
The X-Trail is not a new nameplate in India – the first- and second-gen models were sold here. The third-gen was showcased here a few years ago, but it never went on sale. The fourth-gen X-Trail, which has been on sale overseas since 2021, has been undergoing tests in India for a while now.
The Nissan X-Trail is a premium executive SUV, available in either 5-seater or 7-seater guises. The latest version is built on Renault-Nissan’s CMF-C platform and while it is offered with a plethora of petrol and hybrid powertrain options overseas, India will only get a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine.
Sources claim that based on their research and customer feedback, it is the petrol specification that’s suitable for now. The current government policy doesn’t really favour hybrids, making them an expensive proposition. It will anyway be a niche offering as Nissan can only import up to 2,500 units without the need for homologation.
The X-Trail will, therefore, be available with a 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine that produces 204hp and 305Nm. While a CVT gearbox has been confirmed, it isn't known if it’ll come with 2WD or AWD.
Nissan X-Trail only a stopgap solution
The X-Trail is only a stop-gap solution to help maintain consumers' interest in the brand. Nissan had also showcased the Juke and Qashqai SUVs at the same event in 2022, both of which are still understood to be under evaluation for our market.
These models will help keep the conversation around the brand alive while it readies a fresh product onslaught from 2025 onwards. This will include a new Creta-rivalling 5-seater SUV based on the new-gen Renault Duster, and a 7-seater derivative of that; a Magnite facelift is also on cards for later this year.
The X-Trail will compete with the Jeep Meridian, Hyundai Tucson, Skoda Kodiaq and Volkswagen Tiguan in India. Of these, the Kodiaq also comes as CBU import while the Tucson and Tiguan are assembled from CKD kits. Prices can, therefore, be expected to be around Rs 30 lakh-35 lakh (ex-showroom).
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