Nissan is preparing to launch another SUV under its Nismo performance banner, but this one might leave buyers wanting more. The X-Trail Nismo, set to debut in Japan on August 21, brings sharp looks and a few chassis tweaks, but not the kind of firepower usually expected from the Nismo name. Since the X-Trail is the overseas counterpart to the Nissan Rogue, American buyers won’t see this one, which might be for the better.
A Meaner Look Without The Muscle
Nismo has been expanding into Nissan’s SUV lineup, most recently with the Armada, and now with the X-Trail. According to Creative Trend, you can expect a sportier front end with a massive splitter with complementary side skirts, a redesigned rear bumper, flared wheel arches, and plenty of red accents. It will ride on 20-inch Enkei alloys wrapped in Michelin rubber, with six colors available, including some two-tone options. At the end of the day, this is more of an appearance package than anything else.
Same Power, Subtle Tweaks
Nissan
Despite the badge, the X-Trail Nismo keeps the same 211-hp e-Power hybrid system as the standard model. That setup pairs a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine with dual electric motors, good for a respectable but unchanged 0 to 60 mph time of around 7 seconds. Instead of added horsepower, Nissan has focused on smaller refinements: firmer suspension, recalibrated steering, and tweaks to the e-4ORCE all-wheel-drive system. These adjustments should make it sharper in corners, but don’t expect it to transform the SUV into a performance machine.
What About The US?
Nissan
For now, Nissan hasn’t confirmed whether the Rogue will ever get a Nismo variant. But even if it did, it’s hard to imagine much demand for an SUV that looks like a racer but can barely hold its own against a Toyota Prius. Compare it to the Nissan Z Nismo, a car that backs its aggressive styling with real upgrades under the hood, and the X-Trail Nismo feels more like a 16-year-old upbadging his first car. Reports suggest the next-generation Rogue, due in 2026, might get its own Nismo trim. If that happens, let’s hope Nissan gives it a treatment that lives up to the badge.
