Nissan X-Trail: cheaper hybrids and adventurous Rock Creek arrive to rival RAV4, Tucson, Forester and CR-V

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Nissan has cut $3000 off the X-Trail hybrid, by cutting a motor.

Existing X-Trail hybrids, which are all-wheel-drive as standard, are priced from $49,080 before on-roads. From today though, Nissan will offer front-wheel-drive X-Trail hybrids from the ST-L grade up. At $45,990 before on-roads, exactly the same as the hybrid-only Toyota RAV4 GX.

This seemingly drastic mechanical change is possible because of how Nissan’s hybrid system, called e-Power, works. The engine, a 1.5L turbocharged three-cylinder, never drives the wheels. Instead, it powers the electric motors that turn the wheels, or it charges the battery.

Current X-Trail hybrids have an electric motor for each axle; the new variants simply lose the motor at the back.

The front-wheel-drive X-Trail e-Power produces 150kW and 330Nm, only seven kilowatts down on the combined power figure of the all-wheel-drive version, that uses the same front motor but adds a 100kW/195Nm rear axle unit. 

What is lost in overall torque when opting for the 2WD version is unknown as Nissan Australia does not quote combined torque output for its E-Force all-wheel-drive system. 

Both the X-Trail and the RAV4 are undercut by hybrid versions of Hyundai’s strikingly designed Tucson ($42,850 before on-roads) and the Renault Symbioz ($42,990 before on-roads). Though the X-Trail beats the Honda CR-V hybrid ($49,900 driveaway) at first glance, Honda only quotes driveaway prices, so the difference between the two could be smaller than it looks. 

Deleting the rear motor improves efficiency and emissions, down to 5.4L/100km and 123g/km of CO₂. Unfortunately, that’s undercut again by the Hyundai (4.9L/100km, 110g/km) and Renault (4.7L/100km, 107g/km). Equivalent figures for the AWD X-Trail hybrid are 6.1L/100km and 139g/km.

Adventurous new Rock Creek grade

After luring value-driven buyers away from the RAV4 and Tucson on one hand, Nissan is luring outdoorsy types away from their Foresters on the other.

Also announced today is the X-Trail Rock Creek. Based on the existing ST-L variant, it’ll only come with seven seats and a 2.5L four-cylinder petrol engine (no hybrid here) driving all four wheels through a CVT.

At $48,315 before on-roads, the Rock Creek is $2435 more than the ST-L. 

On the exterior, your extra spend nets you black stuff (grille, roof rails, door mirrors), orange stuff (Nissan badges, accents on the Rock-Creek-specific 18-inch alloy wheels, accents on the front bumper) and a new front bumper in a retro three-slot design.

The stereotypical adventure-ready medium SUV rival, the Subaru Forester, starts from $43,490 before on-roads, though the Forester seats only five.

Also available is the ‘Baja Storm’ colour you see here, paired with a black roof.

On the inside, the orange highlight theme continues with orange stitching on the seats and dashboard and an orange Nissan badge on the steering wheel. More notable is ‘durable ballistic nylon’ seat trim, on which a Rock Creek logo is embroidered.

Tech is upgraded from the ST-L, by adding a fully digital 12.3-inch instrument cluster ahead of the driver, and a 10.8-inch head-up display.

Though the Rock Creek’s upgrades are somewhat limited, the X-Trail is already quite handy off the tarmac, with a five-mode four-wheel-drive system and hill descent control.

The new X-Trails can be ordered now, with deliveries expected in September.

2026 Nissan X-Trail: prices in Australia

All prices listed are before on-road costs.

• ST FWD: $38,305
• ST 4WD (7-seat): $41,305
• ST-L FWD: $42,780
• ST-L e-Power FWD: $45,990
• ST-L 4WD (7-seat): $45,880
• Rock Creek (7-seat): $48,315
• ST-L e-Power 4WD: $49,080
• Ti e-Power FWD: $50,915
• Ti 4WD: $51,580
• Ti e-Power 4WD: $54,580
• Ti-L e-Power FWD: $54,715
• Ti-L 4WD: $54,580
• Ti-L e-Power 4WD: $58,380