Nissan X-Trail Hybrid

Luxury hybrid cars are the flavour of the moment here in India. Having showcased quite a few of them (Read: VW Passat GTE, Toyota Prius) at the 2016 Auto Expo, it’s time for carmakers to add a tinge of green to their vehicle line-up through these environmentally-friendly models. One such lesser known model is the X-Trail Hybrid that Nissan India showcased earlier this year.

While we are already familiar with the first and the second generation of the X-Trail, the current-gen model (introduced in 2013) never made it to the Indian shores. Now though, Nissan India is readying the X-Trail in the eco-friendly hybrid avatar. India, in fact, will be the fourth market in the world after Japan, Thailand and Indonesia, to have the X-Trail Hybrid.

Design wise, the X-Trail Hybrid carries some of the quirky design cues that we have come to expect from the Japanese. The high-set hood and the ‘V’ chrome accent on the grille are very Nissan-like though what’s entirely new are the rather small yet striking pair of headlights featuring LEDs. In profile, the X-Trail remains calm and features subtle design curves. The delicately flared wheel arches and minimal cladding all around lend a very functional look to this car. Lastly, the rear-end design like in most premium crossovers isn’t as impactful as the front-end though it still looks attractive with those nicely detailed taillights and a big tailgate.

Inside, the dashboard is noticeably angled towards the driver which adds to the sporty experience behind the wheel. The dashboard itself has a distinct ridge flowing across the top half that moves on to the door pads. The unique looking three-spoke steering wheel gets a silver accent which matches those on the centre console and the door pads. It’s not all good news, however, as the screen for the infotainment system is disappointingly small and the shiny black finish on the centre console and around the gear lever doesn’t look particularly rich either.

Now on to the all-important hybrid drivetrain. The X-Trail combines a 2-litre, in-line 4-cylinder petrol engine with a 31kW electric motor for a total power output of around 180bhp. All that power is sent to the road via Nissan's Dual Clutch Control. This seemingly complex system houses a petrol motor that is paired to an electric motor with one clutch and secondly, an electric motor that is connected to the CVT gearbox with another clutch. This hybrid arrangement is available in Nissan’s front-engine, front-wheel-drive cars only which means the forthcoming X-Trail Hybrid will not be sold as an all-wheel drive vehicle.

The X-Trail Hybrid will be a unique proposition when it hits the showrooms here in India. Considering that we have only had luxury hybrid vehicles as sedans up until now, the option of driving a relatively efficient and eco-friendly crossover model will certainly appeal to many among us.