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Next Nissan Qashqai and X-Trail to debut this year, plug-in hybrid Qashqai planned – report

Redesigned versions of both the Nissan X-Trail and Qashqai will be revealed this year, the latter featuring both plug-in hybrid and ePower variants.


Nissan is expected to debut a redesigned Qashqai in September, while a new X-Trail could debut even sooner.

Autocar reports the redesigned Qashqai should appear at this year’s Frankfurt motor show, while the next X-Trail may appear mid-year.

The upcoming Qashqai won’t move to a new platform but will instead remain on the current model’s CMF platform, shared with the X-Trail, according to the report.

It will, however, receive a plug-in hybrid option similar to the system used by alliance partner Mitsubishi in the Outlander PHEV.

As is becoming increasingly common, the redesigned Qashqai range is also likely to receive mild-hybrid technology to meet tougher emissions standards in Europe.

Autocar also reports the Qashqai will be available with Nissan’s ePower system.

Different to a conventional plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, ePower mates a small, 1.2-litre internal combustion engine to a generator. The petrol engine, however, is used to charge the battery pack only when necessary, the wheels completely driven by the electric motor.

The redesigned Qashqai will drop its diesel variants, though Australian buyers haven’t been able to purchase one since 2017.

It's is a hugely important model line for Nissan in Europe, where the Qashqai is the best-selling SUV on the market and Nissan’s most popular model.

The 2021 X-Trail has already been snapped by spy photographers, revealing a bolder grille reminiscent of the redesigned Juke.

Inside, there’s also a radically different interior with an expansive digital instrument cluster and a tablet-style infotainment system similar to that of the redesigned Juke.

The smaller Qashqai may adopt a similar interior design.

Though plans for UK production of the X-Trail were scuttled, the Qashqai will continue to be manufactured alongside the Juke in Nissan’s Sunderland plant in the UK.

Don’t expect a battery-electric Qashqai, however. Nissan is expected to introduce a battery-electric SUV next year, with its own design, name, and pure-electric platform.

It’s expected to look much like the Ariya concept from last year’s Tokyo motor show, which appeared more-or-less production-ready – depending on how bold Nissan is prepared to be with its final design.

Nissan’s already shown US dealers an unnamed electric, two-row crossover, said to be the size of an X-Trail externally but as spacious as a Murano.

The EV SUV reportedly has a range of 482km and can hit 100km/h in under 5 seconds.

It’ll also use the next generation of Nissan’s ProPilot semi-autonomous technology.

The Nissan Qashqai and X-Trail were last redesigned in 2014 and are therefore two of the oldest models in their respective segments.

Those segments are also among the most fiercely competitive in the Australian market.

Both models have received some changes during their runs, however, including matching facelifts in 2017.

Last year, the Qashqai was the fifth best-selling SUV in its class, falling short of the Honda HR-V's sales total by less than a hundred units.

The X-Trail performed even better, bested only by the Mazda CX-5 and Toyota RAV4.

It’s unclear as to when Nissan will redesign its full-size Pathfinder crossover, which first appeared in 2013.

It also received a facelift for 2017, but its sales were down 29.1 per cent last year and it was outsold by rivals like the Holden Acadia and Kia Sorento.

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