A hybrid SUV with better off-road performance? 2023 Nissan X-Trail e-4orce detailed ahead of the Toyota RAV4 and Mazda CX-5 rival's launch

Nissan has launched the next-generation X-Trail mid-size SUV in Japan, with a focus on hybrid tech and a promise of a return to the adventurous roots of the nameplate.

The internal combustion versions of the new T33 X-Trail will arrive in Australia in the fourth quarter of this year, with ‘e-Power’ hybrid variants set to follow sometime in 2023.

Nissan’s ‘e-power’ hybrid technology differentiates itself from Toyota’s parallel hybrids by separating the combustion engine from the wheels, driving them exclusively with electric motors.

This removes the need for a transmission, and subsequently is said to bring the refinement of an electric car with the range of a combustion car. This new e-Power system in front-wheel drive form will be available in the new-generation Nissan Qashqai e-Power which launches in Australia in 2023, after the arrival of the petrol versions later this year.

Read More About Nissan X-TRAIL

2023 Nissan X-Trail pricing and specs: What to expect from Toyota RAV4, Mazda CX-5 and Mitsubishi Outlander rival Nissan X-Trail 2022 features and non-hybrid engine detailed The end of the ute era? Nissan X-Trail expected to overtake Navara

The new X-Trail reaches beyond this, offering Nissan’s new variable compression turbocharged 1.5-litre engine with the all-wheel drive version of ‘e-Power’, which the brand dubs ‘e-4orce.’

The variable compression engine is said to eliminate turbo lag, providing better response at low revs, while also providing increased fuel economy at higher compression, and higher power in its lower compression mode. It's also said to lower engine noise across the rpm range.

The X-Trail's e-4orce electric system is said to offer better torque control than traditional all-wheel drive hardware.

Meanwhile, the e-4orce hybrid powertrain drives the front wheels with a 106kW/250Nm electric motor and the rear wheels with a 100kW/195Nm motor. The combined system output is 150kW/330Nm, a massive improvement on the combustion version which produces 135kW/244Nm from a non-turbo 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine.

As the wheels are driven exclusively by electric motors in e-4orce variants, Nissan says this offers the X-Trail additional off-road and on-road driving performance, thanks to more control over torque at the wheels ensuring less slippage on loose surfaces.

Nissan says regenerative braking can be applied to the inside wheels while cornering, and when braking, it can send the majority of braking force to the rear to make decelerating less jarring for the driver and front passenger, improving on-road performance and safety.

The electric components can assist with cornering and braking, not just regeneration efficiency.

The brand also says the new-generation X-Trail has increased chassis rigidity and better refinement thanks to a focus on improving panel gaps.

While combustion versions of the X-Trail will be available in Australia and other markets, the Japanese market will exclusively receive e-Power versions. At the Japanese launch event, executives explained this is because the X-Trail is seen as ‘the Nissan SUV’ in the Japanese market and thus needs to reflect the latest sustainability and safety technology of the brand.

The brand also explained the tough new design language is designed to invoke the spirit of the original X-Trail, as well as supporting the adventurous spirit the new car will have thanks to its new e-4orce system.

Pricing and specs for the new X-Trail range have already been revealed for Australia, but only for combustion versions which are set to arrive in Q4 of 2022. The entry-point to the range, the front-wheel drive 2.5-litre automatic ST, will start from $36,750, and the range reaches to $52,990 for the all-wheel drive Ti-L.

When hybrid X-Trail variants do arrive in Australia, don't expect them to come cheap.

The e-Power variants are confirmed for the Australian market, but timing is yet to be locked in. If the brand follows the same strategy as it employed for the smaller Qashqai, expect hybrid X-Trails to sit atop the range, with pricing north of the $50,000 mark.

Standard equipment at this level for the X-Trail includes dual 12.3-inch screens for the multimedia suite and digital instrument cluster, as well as high-grade interior trims, 19-inch wheels, a panoramic sunroof, and premium audio.

Stay tuned for more on the hybrid X-Trail range closer to its launch in Australia.