Nissan has significantly expanded its X-Trail e-Power range with three new front-wheel-drive variants that lower the price of entry into its unique range-extender hybrid technology by almost $3000.
The move comes as competition intensifies in Australia’s booming electrified medium SUV market.
The new X-Trail ST-L 2WD e-Power starts from $45,990 before on-road costs, undercutting the existing all-wheel-drive ST-L e-Power by $2925.
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It is joined by the Ti 2WD e-Power ($50,915) and Ti-L 2WD e-Power ($54,715), with first Australian deliveries due in September.
The move doubles the number of X-Trail e-Power variants from three to six and follows Nissan Australia’s decision earlier this year to permanently reduce prices across its all-wheel-drive e-Power line-up by up to $3000 as it prepared for the arrival of the latest top-selling Toyota RAV4 Hybrid and the Japanese brand’s first plug-in hybrid RAV4.
Unlike conventional hybrids, Nissan’s plugless e-Power system uses its petrol engine solely as a generator to produce electricity. The wheels are driven exclusively by an electric motor. There is no plug-in capability.
Until now, Australian buyers wanting e-Power technology had to choose an all-wheel-drive model. The addition of front-wheel-drive versions gives Nissan a more direct rival to the two-wheel-drive hybrid variants that make up a significant proportion of Toyota RAV4 sales.
The new front-wheel-drive models are also more efficient than their all-wheel-drive counterparts, with claimed combined fuel consumption of 5.4L/100km compared with 6.1L/100km, while CO2 emissions fall from 139g/km to 123g/km.
The revised line-up also gives Nissan much stronger pricing across the electrified medium SUV segment.
The entry-level ST-L 2WD e-Power matches the Toyota RAV4 GX Hybrid’s $45,990 list price, while sitting $3000 below the RAV4 GXL Hybrid. It also remains well below Toyota’s new plug-in hybrid range, which starts at $59,515 for the XSE 2WD and extends to $66,340 for the flagship GR Sport AWD.
The existing all-wheel-drive e-Power models continue alongside the newcomers, with pricing from $48,915 for the ST-L, $54,415 for the Ti and $58,215 for the Ti-L.
Buyers wanting all-weather capability therefore retain the option of all-wheel drive, while those prioritising value and efficiency now have a lower-cost alternative.
Nissan Oceania Managing Director Steve Milette said expanding e-Power to front-wheel drive would make the technology more accessible.
“Hybrid has become the powertrain of choice in the medium SUV segment, and a two-wheel-drive e-Power X-Trail puts us exactly where the strongest demand is,” he said.
All MY26 X-Trail models continue to be backed by Nissan’s conditional 10-year/300,000km warranty when serviced within the dealer network, along with five years of capped-price servicing at $399 per visit.
Nissan X-Trail e-Power pricing (before on-road costs)
- X-Trail ST-L 2WD e-Power — $45,990
- X-Trail ST-L AWD e-Power — $48,915
- X-Trail Ti 2WD e-Power — $50,915
- X-Trail Ti AWD e-Power — $54,415
- X-Trail Ti-L 2WD e-Power — $54,715
- X-Trail Ti-L AWD e-Power (20-inch alloys) — $58,215
