Nissan has unveiled three SUVs to the Indian market after being tested abroad. One of the three will make it to the Indian shores while the other two are still in speculation. Fourth generation Nissan X-Trail will be one of the first SUVs to be available for purchase post testing.
Nissan X-Trail will be housing the conventional 1.5 litre turbo petrol engine that puts out 160 hp or a hybrid powertrain with 200 hp for the FWD variant and 210 hp for the AWD variant. The company touts its hybrid powertrain as ‘e-power’ as is a combination of a three-cylinder petrol engine and an electric motor. It will come with four and five seater options when it hits the market.
“The Indian market has boundless potential, and it is critical that we introduce the best vehicle line-up to align with what modern Indian consumers want and need,” said Frank Torres, President, Nissan India. “Following the success of the Nissan Magnite in India, we plan to strengthen our focus and leverage our expertise on high-quality SUVs that have become synonymous with our reputation.”
Looks
X-Trail fits the large V-motion grille right at the centre of the front bumper flanked by LED headlights and wrap around DRLs. A smaller air dam sits below the V-motion grille and the front bonnet has quite the creases and lines. The profile boasts the body cladding and flared wheel arches adding to the butch look of the car.
The Juke has round edges with sharp lines and it looks more appealing when compared to Qashqai and X-Trail. The Juke houses a 1.6 litre petrol engine that puts out 92 hp of power. The Qashqai and X-Trail share the same architecture and globally it is offered in turbo petrol and e-power variants. The engine comes mated to a 6-speed manual transmission or a CVT that churns 155 hp and it is the same engine that we saw in the kicks as well, assisted by an electric motor though.
The company announced that it is studying the feasibility of two of its most popular global models for the dynamic Indian market. Confirming that testing has begun on the X-Trail and Qashqai, while at the same time showcasing the Juke, Nissan aims to assess their suitability for the rapidly evolving Indian consumer base.
Focusing specifically on their adaptability to Indian roads and differing terrains, the tests will assess each vehicle’s ability to meet customers’ needs. Starting this month, the vehicles are being put through their paces by Nissan’s top engineers on the roads that surround the company’s manufacturing plant in Chennai.
Over the coming weeks, Nissan will be identifying the feasibility of models from its global portfolio for the future potential vehicle line-up in India. Once testing is complete, the X-Trail will be introduced for sale first, followed by other models.
These vehicle assessments are part of a holistic study that Nissan is undertaking to prepare for its future in India. The wide-ranging review also includes securing future localised production for the long-term viability of domestic and export manufacturing, as well as exploring the potential for electrification in the longer term.
“The success of Nissan Magnite has shown what’s possible for the Indian market when you combine an excellent product with manufacturing competitiveness, supported by strong government partnerships. We look forward to strengthening Nissan’s presence in India and delivering further innovation and excitement for our Indian customers,” said Torres.
