Nissan’s about to release an electrified X-Trail

New Zealanders love SUVs. We also love saving money at the pump, yet while there’s been a push for more hybrid and electric vehicle options, it’s taken a while for this section of the market to catch up. 

Driven reported that earlier this year the small and medium SUV markets combined were responsible for nearly 50 percent of new car registrations in some months. New car sales in general have been helped by the Clean Car Discount scheme that makes hybrids cheaper to buy, as well as run. With buyers incentivised to select hybrid options, it’s exciting to see Nissan electrify one of their most popular models in NZ: the X-Trail.

Nissan finally capitalises on the hybrid SUV hype

Despite the success Nissan has had with its all-electric Leaf, the company hasn’t made a family-sized version of that for this new X-Trail. Instead, it’s sticking with the tried and true hybrid formula seen with other SUVs like the Toyota RAV4 Prime and Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. 

These hybrids are a great option for customers wary of range concerns with electric vehicles,  but still looking for a car with increased fuel efficiencies.. Even better – they’re often bigger, more family friendly and more practical than their fully electric counterparts. 

So what does that mean for the new X-Trail? For any of the new e-POWER models, it means buyers are getting a 1.5 litre petrol engine that essentially acts as a generator for the electric motor that then powers the wheels. 

A hybrid X-Trail is about more than just fuel efficiency

Like most modern SUVs that aren’t necessarily off-road ready, the X-Trail e-POWER comes in a choice of two-wheel and four-wheel drive options. Dubbed e-4ORCE, the four-wheel drive version is not only hard to type without upsetting our spell check, but adds another electric motor for the rear wheels. Nissan is promising smooth power from the extra motor with the seamless torque electric vehicles are known for. 

At low speeds, the X-Trail will mainly use the electric motor as that’s when these are the most efficient and provide quiet motoring around urban environments. Once you’re on the motorway, that’s when the petrol engine will kick in to keep the batteries charged. It’s a system most manufacturers have settled on for their hybrid SUVs. Electric motors are best at low speed and stop-start conditions, while petrol engines are more efficient for motorway cruising and higher speeds, so these hybrids are really offering the best of both worlds.

Will it still do SUV things?

Nissan is confident the X-Trail will do everything you’d expect from a big, modern SUV. Not only does it have space for the whole family and everything they might want to bring with them, the four-wheel drive option means it will go anywhere they want to go as well. In fact, Nissan says it’s the most capable X-Trail yet and that may just be down to the electrified powertrain. 

Having separate motors for the front and rear wheels enables the hybrid X-Trail to shift its power delivery to prioritise stability and traction in difficult services. Regular petrol-powered four-wheel drives can do this too of course, but not without a complex series of differentials and transfer cases. A hill-descent control system adds further control, and drivers can choose from five different terrain modes for whatever conditions they’re facing. 

And that’s what we know so far! The Nissan X-Trail has always been a favourite SUV for New Zealanders, and with a hybrid option on the way that promises to enhance it’s practical credentials it’s looking like an even better option for drivers who need the ultimate family car.