Nissan will be staging a world premier unveiling for its next generation X-Trail crossover SUV at the coming Geneva Auto Show which is but a few weeks away.
Unlike many such press unveilings of late, there’s no calculated drip-drip of advance media information or teaser sketches, so the first time anyone outside Nissan gets to see the new X-Trail will be at the show itself. And that’s good–we like surprises.
So, what can we tell you? This second generation X-Trail will be spun off the same C-platform family that underpins Nissan’s new small Rogue SUV, and will be targeted mainly at Europe and Japan to fight the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. From what we hear, the trucklet won’t be coming to the U.S. because Nissan will soon have the Rogue and Murano covering where the X-Trail might conceivably go. (We’re not yet sure where that leaves Canada, which presently markets both the current X-trail and Murano).
Expect, then…
...another car-based, urbanized SUV with front-drive/selectable all-wheel drive, plus a new-tech 2.0-liter gas four cylinder (MR20DE is a hot tip). A bigger gas 2.5-liter may also be added. An oil burning 2.2 TDi will also be inthe cards for Europe.
The current X-Trail (shown), now seven years old, has been a steady and successful seller, so Nissan’s been in no urgent rush to replace it. The most interesting version has always been the 2.0-liter turbo for Japan, which pumped out a not inconsiderable 276 bhp, which sounded insane but in actual fact, wasn’t.
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