Nissan X-Trail Back for India: Petrol Only Launch in August

Nissan has maintained its presence in India with just one model, the Magnite compact SUV, since April 2023, when production of the Kick was stopped. The new Nissan X-Trail will change that. Nissan sold the first and second generation models of the SUV in India; they even introduced the third generation a few years ago, but it never launched.

The fourth-generation X-Trail, available internationally since 2021, has been spotted testing on Indian roads. The Japanese brand introduced this model in India in 2022 and announced its upcoming launch. Nissan chief planner François Bailly confirmed to Autocar India that the X-Trail will go on sale in August, but with a petrol engine only.

A dealer confirmed a limited import (CBU) of up to 2,500 units without homologation. “This is a special import for true petrol fans, especially Nissan enthusiasts,” they said.

Sources claim that according to their research and customer feedback, petrol engines are a better fit for the Indian market currently. They also mentioned favorable government policies and taxation for petrol engines. Introducing a hybrid would increase taxes and hence the price.

Nissan X-Trail will not have a hybrid option in India. The 7-seater SUV will only be available with a 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol engine (204 bhp and 305 Nm) and a CVT transmission. It’s unclear whether it will come with 2WD or AWD.

Nissan had also revealed the Juke and Qashqai SUVs at the same 2022 event, both featuring some form of hybridisation. These models may still be under evaluation for the Indian market.