Nissan X-Trail Nismo’s Launch Is Right Around The Corner

The Nissan Rogue in Japan, while essentially the same, is quite different from what we have stateside. There, the compact SUV is called the X-Trail, and it’s exclusively powered by Nissan’s not-so-conventional e-Power hybrid system. This setup has yet to arrive in the US despite being confirmed. However, the biggest advantage of the JDM Rogue will be revealed soon – an X-Trail Nismo is arriving this year, and its launch is happening sooner than expected.

In fact, Nissan Japan is already preparing the launch of the Nismo-fied X-Trail, with a livestream of its launch scheduled on YouTube. It’s happening within the day, specifically on August 21, 10:00 am JST, which is, of course, tonight at 10:00 pm ET. While not deliberately announced as the X-Trail Nismo, the upcoming launch came with a teaser image showing a concealed Nissan X-Trail’s front end, highlighted by a red accent on the bumper.

Don’t believe us? Compare the teaser image and the regular Rogue using our slider below.

A Bunch Of Nismo Upgrades Inside And Out

Nissan hasn’t officially shared any information about the upcoming X-Trail Nismo, but thanks to leaked information from Japan, we have an idea of what to expect. It will wear the usual Nismo styling, like what you see in the GT-R Nismo, which means it will have a different grille, bumpers, side mirror caps, roof rails, and badging – all in black with red accents here and there. The 20-inch wheels will likewise be unique, while some paint options will also be endemic to this model.

Inside, Nismo branding will be evident in the cloth trim and red stitching, while some versions will also get Recaro sports seats packaged as a variant. And, as a full-fat Nismo model, the upcoming X-Trail Nismo will also have a red marker at the top portion of the steering wheel, just like other models from the Japanese performance brand.

Don’t Get Too Excited Just Yet

However, there’s one problem with this upcoming X-Trail Nismo. According to leaked information, the X-Trail Nismo will have the same e-Power setup as the non-Nismo siblings, which means it will gain no additional grunt. While that is a big blow for those expecting more oomph, Nismo will reportedly employ some chassis tuning, which includes speed-sensitive electric power steering, a different ECU, and a Nismo-exclusive sports suspension setup for the springs and shock absorbers. The compact SUV will also have Nissan’s e-4orce all-wheel-drive system that’s found in the Ariya Nismo.

This will be the first time that Nissan will introduce a full X-Trail Nismo model. Previous Nismo offerings for the nameplate came in the form of aesthetic packages without performance changes, such as stiffer springs. It’s also unclear if this X-Trail Nismo will become a Rogue Nismo for the US, but we sure hope it does, so it becomes the street counterpart of the off-road-focused Rock Creek models currently being offered.