Nissan X-TRAIL News

Nissan’s new local boss has outlined the direction the brand will take in the face of increasingly strict emissions regulations and changing market forces. Nissan’s Managing Director for Oceania Steve Milette says the first priority for new models won’t be to simply meet emissions targets, but to provide products that customers are asking for. The brand has just confirmed it will launch the (already expected) Nissan Navara Pro PHEV ute in 2027, there’s also a new-generation Nissan X-Trail on the way for 2027. The pressure is on for Nissan to sell more efficient cars to customers, too, as it reached the second-highest place for NVES (New Vehicle Emissions Standard) fines in 2025, an amount totalling $10,763,050. CarsGuide asked if there’s a path out of the NVES challenges facing the brand and if a refresh of the brand’s line-up is on the cards as part of that. “In terms of product introductions, yeah, yeah, for sure,” Milette told CarsGuide. “We have a pipeline, a robust pipeline.” “We can't talk about the details of those products, but all I can say is, it's going to be positive for us because the product resonates with the needs of Australians, and especially from a diversity of powertrain.  “Not just the vehicles themselves and the segments they play in, but the diversity of powertrains.” With the new X-Trail and the Navara Pro, Nissan isn’t confirming a move into any new (or previously served) segments, meaning passenger cars may still not be part of Nissan's plan. “There's some dominant segments: medium SUV, obviously. The utility market, the ute market, is huge. And traditionally, we've been, you know, we've been pretty strong at the SUV segments in general, like from smaller to to Patrol size,” Milette said. “And so I think for us, you can expect that we're going to be introducing products in the big segments that really are aligned with our history in terms of what we stand for, like very capable SUVs, very capable four by fours, innovative in terms of powertrains.  “That's where we're going.” This could point to the Nissan Terrano plug-in hybrid 4WD, and several electric and range-extender or plug-in hybrid SUVs from China, such as the NX7 and NX8. This would give Nissan an answer to the Denza B5 4WD and Toyota RAV4 plug-in hybrid. Nissan’s new addition to the X-Trail line-up, a more efficient front-wheel drive version of the e-Power hybrid system, could be considered a move in the right direction for its daunting NVES fines, but Milette says that wasn’t the primary reason for it. “Two-wheel-drive e-Power is a positive contributor to NVES, but its main purpose is to meet a need of the market,” Milette told CarsGuide. “I mean, 25 per cent of the sales in Australia so far this year are hybrid. Half of those are two-wheel drive, so we've only participated in half of that.  “So I think from a consumer preference, now we're in all of that segment.” “But from an NVES perspective, I think the north star is that as a brand we become self-sufficient… the portfolio that balances the negatives with the positives, if you will.” If Nissan sells more low-emission hybrids and electric cars, it will reduce the total amount of fines brought on by its ‘dirtier’ models like its Navara ute and its petrol SUVs. For reference, its second place ($10,763,050) in the 2025 list of brand fines saw it behind Mazda’s whopping $25,425,850 but well ahead of Subaru's $6,981,750. “But until we get there, we're well aware that we'll have to trade for credits, and there are published numbers. Like you saw, it was a public number in 2025.  “All I can say is that that's not the real cost.” Brands that find themselves with credits (likely through selling mostly EVs) rather than fines can agree to sell those credits to brands that have racked up fines, though Milette didn’t specify where those credits would come from. “For us, it's ‘what does the consumer want?’ We have a very powerful brand in Patrol as an example. If consumers want to buy Patrols, and they do, we're going to sell them Patrols. “No matter what the NVES impact there might be.”

Nissan has confirmed the new-generation X-Trail mid-size SUV will launch locally late next year. This means that the Australian launch of the new-generation Nissan X-Trail will follow about 12 months after the US launch of the Rogue, which is the same car but with a different name. “This current generation that we’re in, I think we were two model years after the launch of the first left-hand drive ,” said Nissan Australian Managing Director Steve Milette to CarsGuide. “With the way the platform principles are now working at the global level from a product development , between the first left-hand drive and first right-hand drive, it’s been condensed quite significantly. “It’ll be a year or less, which is good news.” In contrast Nissan has taken more than two years to bring the Patrol to Australia after it went on sale in left-hand drive markets. Nissan already offers one e-Power hybrid-only model in Australia, the Qashqai small SUV, and it’s unclear whether the brand will expand this to include the X-Trail to further reduce the fleet CO2 emissions. “It’s a possibility,” said Milette when posed with the question. “I can’t confirm that that is definitely going to happen, but we know that the hybrid market has expanded globally, but especially here. “I would say even in our current-generation X-Trail, we’ve gone from very low percentages to now 33 per cent is e-Power, and by the end of December, it’ll be closer to 50 per cent.” At this stage Nissan Australia hasn’t confirmed the local specifications for the next-generation X-Trail, however the new US-specification Rogue gives an indication of what to expect. There’s a new e-Power hybrid powertrain that’s claimed to be quieter and more efficient. The dual-motor, all-wheel drive e-Power is also 11kW more powerful than the current version, with a total system output of 168kW. A 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine will also be offered as a pure-combustion engine option in the US. A version of this engine is already offered in the outgoing model. In addition to the e-Power hybrid all-wheel drive, the current, outgoing X-Trail is offered with a 2.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine in Australia, as well as a new front-wheel drive e-Power hybrid powertrain. Nissan Corporate Executive of Family, Products & Components Strategy Richard Candler previously told CarsGuide there is a “very large amount of new”, despite still being underpinned by an iteration of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance CMF-CD platform the current model rides on, For example, the structure is claimed to be completely different and much stiffer than before. Additionally, there is a fresh design and a reworked strut front, multi-link rear suspension set-up with a wider track width. All Rogue trims feature 90-degree opening doors, LED headlights, dual 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and touchscreen multimedia system (14.3-inch on higher grades), a wireless charger, 64-colour interior ambient lighting, as well as multi-zone climate control.

Nissan Australia is, like many legacy brands, in the unenviable position of trying to tackle an increasingly volatile market that’s favouring newcomer brands from China. With a new Managing Director at the helm in Oceania, former Nissan Canada President Steve Milette, the brand’s next moves include ‘going back to basics’ to remind customers why they liked Nissan in the past, and what Nissan is bringing to the table in an increasingly electric market. But it’s not full-EV that Nissan’s got a key focus on just yet, after the long-serving Nissan Leaf and the low-volume Nissan Ariya, the brand is looking at tech it’s been using for years as a way to improve its positioning - including to bring down its potentially hefty NVES emissions fines. Nissan’s e-Power hybrid system has been around for a while, but the view from the top at the brand’s local arm is that Australians have perhaps not been properly introduced to the tech. The way e-Power works is as a series hybrid, which means the engine charges a battery and electric motors propel the car alone. It’s different to the more traditional parallel hybrid system, which involves the engine also helping power the wheels, as Toyota and Honda have been using for quite some time. Unfortunately for Nissan, it no longer has the upper-hand on series hybrid tech. When CarsGuide asked Milette, along with Nissan Australia’s Senior Manager of Corporate Communications Angus Thompson, if it was frustrating to see customers flock to newcomer brands offering an ‘EV driving experience in a hybrid’, the answer from both was an agreed ‘yes’. “I think it wasn't a wake up call,” Thompson told CarsGuide. “I think it was just something where we had to look at ourselves and say we need to do a better job of telling our story.” It lines up with a comment Milette had just made about Nissan Australia’s messaging when it comes to what e-Power is. “We were focused on ‘e-Power’ and forgetting the hybrid, and some people didn't really know what e-Power was, and so now we're trying to connect.  “I mean, in Australia, we're doing a mall tour. We're going through key cities, key malls, and it's all about ePower, and you know, explaining what it's all about and inviting them for test drives. “I think that's, again, back to my challenger mindset. We're going back to the basics.”

Nissan has released images and tech details on the full production version of the 2027 X-Trail including its third-generation e‑Power range-extender hybrid powertrain. Breaking cover in the US initially, where the car is manufactured in Tennessee and marketed as the Rogue, the new mid-size SUV has been positioned as a core model for North America now offering e-Power hybrid tech for the first time. Like the current X-Trail, its hybrid system is built around a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol three-cylinder engine now developing 110kW/232Nm and operating as a generator to charge a 1.67kWh lithium-ion hybrid battery. Nissan said this latest iteration has been “specifically tuned for quietness and efficiency” and boasts 42 per cent thermal efficiency (the percentage of energy from fuel the engine converts into mechanical power). The brand’s internal testing has returned a combined cycle (urban/extra-urban) fuel economy figure of 6.2L/100km for the all-wheel drive Rogue, which is in line with the 6.1L/100km WLTP number recorded by the current X-Trail e-Power e-4orce AWD model on sale locally since early 2023. Due in US showrooms before the end of the year, the 2027 Nissan Rogue Hybrid will launch in dual-motor AWD SR and SR Technology Package grades with SV, SR and Platinum models available in early 2027. The entry-level SV e-Power is priced from US$35,490 (~$49,900). Motors are AC synchronous permanent magnet, the front unit producing 151kW/329Nm and the rear 100kW/195Nm. Overall output is quoted at 168kW. Despite still being underpinned by an iteration of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance ‘CMF-CD’ platform the current model rides on, Nissan Corporate Executive of Family, Products & Components Strategy Richard Candler previously told CarsGuide there is a “very large amount of new”. For example, the structure is claimed to be completely different and much stiffer than before. Additionally there is a fresh interior design and a reworked strut front, multi-link rear suspension system with a wider track width. Three-cylinder, turbo-petrol pure-combustion models will be offered alongside the hybrid although it’s unclear whether 4x2 hybrid variants, popular X-Trail options in Australia (delivering 5.4L/100km economy), will be available in the States. All Rogue grades feature 90-degree opening doors, all LED exterior lighting, a 12.3-inch multimedia display and instrument cluster (both 14.3-inch on higher grades), 64-colour ambient lighting, wireless charging, multi-zone climate control, top-shelf safety and more. Announcing the newcomer, Nissan Americas Senior Vice President, Chief Product and Planning Officer Ponz Pandikuthira said, “We've created a hybrid SUV that delivers an agile and spirited driving experience while adding the benefits of a hybrid powertrain. “The instantaneous torque delivery, with a quiet and efficient powertrain, will redefine what hybrid means in this segment," he said. CarsGuide contacted Nissan Australia for comment on the new Rogue Hybrid’s arrival in the US and when a new fifth-generation X-Trail may come to local showrooms, a spokesperson telling us they “cannot comment on future product planning”.  

Nissan is reportedly fast tracking the development of its new-generation X-Trail in order to claw back declining sales. As reported by Automotive News, this new mid-size SUV from the Japanese carmaker is set to launch in the US badged as the Rogue in November 2026. It was previously set to arrive in mid-2027. At launch a single, high-spec trim with the e-Power hybrid powertrain will reportedly be offered in the US. More variants, including versions with a standard petrol engine, will follow at a later date. This specific trim level has reportedly been strategically selected for volume and margin, however stock is expected to be slim. Nissan is set to initially import US-spec versions of the X-Trail/Rogue from Japan. This means these examples will attract tariffs in the US. However, the Japanese carmaker is reportedly set to begin domestic production of the petrol-powered variants at its US production facility in Tennessee in mid-2027. Domestic production of the e-Power hybrid variants is planned for early 2028. For reference, all Australian-specification versions of the new-generation Nissan X-Trail will come from Japan. Although the US launch of the new-generation X-Trail/Rogue has been fast tracked to November, it appears the Australian launch timing remains unchanged for now. CarsGuide understands the new-generation X-Trail will launch in Australia in late 2027. The Japanese carmaker is still rolling out versions of the outgoing X-Trail in Australia. There are new, two-wheel drive X-Trail e-Power hybrid variants coming in Australia, as well as a tough-looking Rock Creek trim level. Nissan revealed the new-generation X-Trail earlier in 2026 and it’s based on an iteration of the Renault-Nissan Mitsubishi Alliance CMF-CD platform that underpins the current model. Despite the carryover architecture, Nissan claims it reworked the structure and it’s much stiffer than before. Additionally it has completely reworked the suspension system with a wider track width. Under the bonnet is a new-generation e-Power hybrid that’s claimed to be quieter, smoother and more fuel efficient than the current version. A pure petrol powertrain will be offered globally, though it’s unclear whether it’ll be offered in Australia. It appears the glasshouse has carried over but with new body cladding and styling. At this stage the interior design hasn’t been revealed.

It has never been a better time to buy an SUV with seven-seats, with a range of options across all price ranges. But if you're looking for a seven-seater, but don’t want to spend any more than about $45K? We’ve got you covered. Here are the five most affordable seven-seater SUVs on sale in Australia. The MG QS is last on our list for affordability but first on our list for practicality thanks to its giant five-metre length, which offers more third-row room than the others here. The QS is a proper larger SUV, while the others here are on the smaller side of large. The price of $46,990 is a drive-away offer too, so the value is still outstanding.  We have tested the MG QS and liked the roominess, the hefty list of standard features and the 10-year warranty.   Things we didn't like include the fairly small petrol engine, which has to work hard to carry this big car around. We also felt the cabin stying looks great, but some of the materials felt a bit cheap.  The Mitsubishi Outlander has been around for decades and has been a stalwart in driveways of Aussie families. A low list price of $42,540 for this entry grade is also good to see.  We tested the Outlander and liked its value for money and good looks, but found the third row to be cramped and the CVT transmission to offer lacklustre performance.  The Nissan X-Trail is not only one of the original mid-sized SUVs that’s been around for more than 25 years but for a long time it was one of just a few that offered seven seats. The new X-Trail is one of the best SUVs here and it's wonderful to see it priced so affordable at a list price of $41,305. Of course we have tested it and liked the ride comfort and good handling, but we noted that the spare wheel is under the third row seats and little things like the sound system quality weren’t as good as some rivals. Chery has returned to Australia with an array of excellent vehicles and the Tiggo 8 is no exception. At just over 4.7m long the Tiggo 8 is classed as a large SUV, although that’s still not huge. We’ve tested it and liked the quality of the interior, the amount of features for this $41,990 drive-away price and the good ride.  We prefer the super hybrid version of this SUV, which offers better fuel economy although the price tag is more than this petrol version. Indian car maker Mahindra makes a pretty compelling proposition here with the XUV 700, which is our cheapest seven-seater SUV at $36,990 drive-away for the AX7 entry grade. The AX7 is considered a mid-sized SUV at just under 4.7m long. We’ve tested it and liked the punchy 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine, the mountain of standard features for the price, but felt the interior quality could be better and the ride and handling wasn’t exactly great.

A deadly 6.8-magnitude earthquake in Japan has halted production at multiple facilities across two major domestic car brands, Toyota and Nissan. As it currently stands 13 people have been killed in the earthquake and, as reported by Automotive News, production output of more than 5000 vehicles could be lost due to the facility shutdowns. One of the affected production facilities is Toyota’s Miyata assembly plant, which produces many Lexus vehicles. These include the ES sedan, as well as the UX, RX and NX SUVs. One shift was reportedly suspended at the Miyata production plant on July 28, following the earthquake. Production then restarted in the morning of July 29, but was suspended again in the afternoon. A decision was reportedly made to suspend production until July 31. "Lexus Australia is currently assessing the impact of the recent Kumamoto earthquake in Japan on production and supply of vehicles for the Australian market," said a Lexus Australia spokesperson. "While this is still an emerging issue, we can confirm that currently production for NX, UX, ES and RX has been suspended since 28 July, 2026 pending safety assessments and supplier impact. "Lexus is currently studying the impact of this suspension and in the process of developing a recovery plan." Two facilities that manufacture components for Toyota vehicles reportedly suspended production following the earthquake. This reportedly includes Aisin Kyushu, which produces suspension components for Toyota vehicles, as well as engine components and doors.   Ahrestry Corporation is also reportedly affected and it is an automotive diecast component maker. At this stage neither company has reportedly given a clear indication of when production output will resume at full capacity. Nissan partially suspended production at its Nissan Shatai Kyushu and Nissan Motor Kyushu facilities following the earthquake. The former produces the Nissan Patrol/Armada and Infiniti QX80 SUVs, as well as the Elgrand people mover. The latter, on the other hand, produces the Kicks and X-Trail SUVs, as well as the Serena people mover. “I can confirm that Nissan Motor Kyushu and Nissan Shatai Kyushu have partially suspended production this week due to earthquake-related parts supply delays,” said a Nissan Australia spokesperson. “At this stage, we have not received any information to suggest there will be any interruption to the supply of vehicles destined for Australia. However, the situation remains fluid, and we will continue to monitor developments closely.”

Hybrid family SUV buyers have a new cheaper option in Australia. Nissan has released the pricing for its more affordable X-Trail e-Power hybrid lineup that kicks off from $45,990 before on-road costs - a rough $3000 cut compared to previously. It is now priced the same as the segment-leading hybrid-only Toyota RAV4 (also from $45,990). The changes make the most affordable e-Power grade also in closer proximity to hybrid versions of the Hyundai Tucson (from $42,850) and Kia Sportage (from $44,450).  Customer arrivals for the new X-Trail models will begin in September 2026, with order books open now. Cheaper hybrid X-Trails are less powerful and swap all-wheel drive for front-wheel drive. These variants are powered by a 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol and single electric motor set-up, producing 150kW/330Nm, compared to the AWD’s dual-motor 157kW/525Nm. Nissan’s hybrid set-up utilises electric motor power to drive the wheels, with the petrol engine solely responsible for generating electricity doing away with the need for a traditional transmission.  These variants offer improved fuel efficiency at 5.4L/100km compared to the AWD's 6.1L/100km and also emit less CO2 into the atmosphere.  Nissan has also introduced a stand-alone Rock Creek seven-seater petrol variant, priced from $48,315, making it the most expensive three-row X-Trail on offer. This variant adds a bigger 12.3-inch digital driver display and a 10.8-inch head-up display as well as new orange-accented 18-inch alloy wheels.   The Rock Creek features several blacked out elements, including the front grille, roof rails and door mirrors.  The front and rear badges have been given orange accents, along with the steering wheel.  The X-Trail is Nissan’s most popular model in Australia, and is a strong competitor in the mid-size SUV segment.   These new hybrid models will work to offset the brand's impending emissions fines under the Australian New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) while making sought-after hybrid variants more affordable. Nissan showed off the next-generation X-Trail earlier this year that is due to land in Australia towards the end of 2027.  It will introduce an updated e-Power hybrid set-up that it claims is even quieter, smoother and more fuel efficient.  It will also have a more rigid overall structure and a reworked suspension system. The next-generation X-Trail will continue to be offered with petrol power globally, but Nissan may consider only bringing the hybrid to Australia in light of emissions restraints.  

Nissan has issued an urgent recall notice affecting its most popular model. A total of 13,795 Nissan X-Trail e-Power mid-size SUVs could have a potentially dangerous software issue, according to the official notice from the Federal Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts. The affected X-Trails covered model years from 2022 to 2026, and used the Japanese brand’s e-Power hybrid technology. A software issue with the lithium-ion battery controller could cause the vehicle to enter a fail safe mode, which means the vehicles could lose power while driving and wouldn’t be able to charge the battery. Unlike other hybrids, Nissan’s e-Power technology only uses the petrol engine to charge the battery and the electric motors drive the wheels, rather than a combination of both. This means if the battery can not charge, the vehicle can not be driven. The recall notice said if this occurs it could “increase the risk of an accident, causing injury or death to the vehicle occupants and other road users”. Nissan will be contacting affected owners and urging them to attend their local dealership to have the software reprogrammed at no cost. Nissan also recalled 237 Qashqai e-Power compact SUVs for the same issue. The affected models cover the 2025 to 2026 model years and again will be reprogrammed free of charge.

Nissan may have finally bounced off rock bottom as the embattled Japanese giant executes its turn-around plans and posts promising results off the back of new model launches. Its grand turn-around plan, dubbed Re:Nissan has seen the company need to take drastic measures to reverse a financial slide into oblivion, including shuttering some of its factories, and turning more than ever to its Chinese joint-venture with Dongfeng for new model launches. It is not just the exciting new Frontier Pro plug-in hybrid ute and successful N7 sedan from China that have shown promising results for the brand. It also posted smaller declines in the last quarter of its financial year both in Japan and North America. Europe and the rest of the world didn’t perform as well for the brand, but make up a smaller portion of its overall sales. The brand also noted that US tariffs had a huge impact on its bottom line for the financial year. The company is predicting a return to an operating profit off the back of new and refreshed model line-ups across all the markets it plays in, predicting a 20 billion yen (a little over 175 million AUD) net income off the back of a brutal A$4.7 billion dollar loss to the end of this Japanese Financial Year, described as “extraordinary non-recurring losses” related to the brand’s realignment according to the company’s CFO George Leondis. CEO Ivan Espinosa said the company was tracking ahead of its goals for the end of the year, as it enters the “final year of Re:Nissan”. The brand is banking on higher demand for its range of incoming new-generation offerings, which in the financial year 2026 will include the NX8, N7, and Frontier Pro as export models from China, new models also from China based on the Terrano PHEV off-road concept and Urban PHEV concept small SUV (many of which are likely for an Australian arrival). Outside of that, the brand will also launch the new Tekton in India, Infiniti QX65 in the US, Elgrand people mover in Japan, as well as the Rogue e-Power in the US and Kicks in Japan. The confirmation of the Kicks launching in Japan opens the door to the previously overseas-only model launching in Australia thanks to its availability in right-hand drive. It could potentially serve as a replacement for the recently-discontinued (and relatively unpopular) Nissan Juke as the brand’s new entry-level SUV. Meanwhile the new-generation Leaf, which has undergone a radical transformation to a crossover SUV instead of a hatchback, has been delayed indefinitely for an Australian arrival, with the brand earmarking competitiveness issues in the small EV space and a focus on mass-market e-Power hybrids going forward. It leaves the mid-sized Ariya as the brand’s sole fully electric offering in Australia. Other new products to look out for from Nissan for the our market include the next-generation X-Trail, due in 2027, which will ride on an updated platform, feature a wider track width and new suspension, as well as feature the latest and more efficient version of the brand’s e-Power plugless hybrid tech. Nissan continues to take a battering in the Australian market, with the brand down 32.2 per cent year-on-year. It has seemingly permanently dropped out of the top-10 in Australia, making way for new entrants like BYD and GWM. By the end of April 2026, Chery was also now in the top-10, ranking eighth, leaving just Mazda (6th), Isuzu (10th), and Toyota (1st) the only remaining Japanese players in the list.