“We have the capability to locally assemble the Nissan X-Trail if there is sufficient demand”, said Frank Torres, President, of Nissan India Operations, in an interaction on the sidelines of the Nissan X-Trail India drive experience. At present, the fourth-generation X-Trail, which will be officially launched in India on 1 August, is being brought in via the CBU route and as one fully loaded model.
The X-Trail is Nissan’s first new car in three years and will set the ball rolling for more CBU models. This will then be followed by a facelift for their Magnite compact SUV. Nissan is hopeful that it will get more footfalls into their showrooms as the X-Trail will be retailed via the existing Nissan network and not from a premium chain as its rivals have done for their top-end models.
However, Nissan’s biggest launches will be two new C-SUVs in five-seat and seven-seat guises that it will share with its sister company, Renault. These C-SUVs will be locally built not just for the Indian market but also for export purposes to both LHD and RHD markets.
Showcased in 2022 and finally being launched, the X-Trail will be offered as one fully loaded model and powered by a mild-hybrid 1.5-litre three-pot petrol engine. It produces 161bhp and 300Nm and will come mated to a CVT powering the front wheels.