By: Jason Woosey
Smyrna, Tennessee - Nissan has revealed the facelifted version of its Rogue SUV. But what does that have to do with the X-Trail? The Rogue is the US-market version of Nissan's X-Trail and global versions will receive similar upgrades, according to sources abroad. Our Nissan SA contact expects the facelifted X-Trail to reach local shores during 2017, although exact timing and specifics have yet to be confirmed.
What's new then? The US-spec facelift is the usual melting pot of aesthetic, feature and mechanical upgrades.
The first thing you'll notice is the more striking front end, with a larger 'V-motion' grille flanked by familiar looking headlights. You'll also find a new bumper at the back, along with darker-tinted taillights with a boomerang signature in the upper section.
The key changes inside are a redesigned flat-bottomed steering wheel, a new soft-touch, stitched inlay on the front passenger’s side of the dashboard and the top model gets the option of premium 'tan' leather with quilted inserts. As before, the X-Trail is offered in both five- and seven-seat guises.
New optional gadgets include Forward Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, Intelligent Cruise Control, Lane Departure Warning and a 'kick sensor' automatic tailgate.
The only big news on the engine front is the addition of a hybrid powertrain option, mating a 2-litre normally aspirated petrol engine to an electric motor. Given the relative unpopularity of hybrids on local shores, it's unlikely that the hybrid would be offered in South Africa.
That said, the local engine line-up has yet to be confirmed. With a little luck, Nissan might throw its 120kW 1.6-litre turbopetrol engine into the global mix, although that has not happened in the US-market's case, where the tried-and-trusted 2.5-litre normally aspirated four soldiers on as before.
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