Nissan will be hot on the heels of the new Skoda Kodiaq with a more powerful X-Trail next year. A new range-topping diesel engine will help to boost the SUV in the face of fresher rivals, as will minor styling tweaks and cabin updates for the 2017 model year.
In an interview at the 2016 Paris Motor Show with Auto Express, former UK MD and recently appointed Vice President of Nissan Europe East James Wright revealed that a new 187bhp diesel engine will be brought to the UK to complement the current range of 1.6-litre units. The 2.0-litre four cylinder diesel engine is an engine offered in other markets, but will need to be upgraded for Euro 6 standards.
Wright claims that the addition is about offering “something richer” in the current SUV lineup as that’s what buyers are demanding. He cites the fact that over 40 per cent of X-Trails sold are top-spec Tekna grades and come fitted with four-wheel drive, therefore costing over £30,000. The next logical step, therefore, is to introduce a range-topping engine and boost sales further.
Currently, the most powerful X-Trail you can buy features a 160bhp 1.6-litre petrol, while the sole diesel has just 128bhp. As well as an extra 60 or so BHP, the new engine should have considerably more torque which could boost its towing ability. By comparison, both the Kia Sorento and Hyundai Santa Fe produce 194bhp from a 2.2-litre diesel, while the Skoda Kodiaq can be specced from a 187bhp 2.0-litre from launch.
Details of what the rest of the X-Trail’s mid-life upgrades will consist of are yet to be officially confirmed. We can expect minor tweaks to the exterior and improvements in cabin quality, plus the same semi-autonomous driving tech and new upmarket ‘Premium’ trim that Nissan will debut in the 2017 Qashqai earlier in the year.
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