Nissan Launches 2WD X-Trail in Australia

Nissan has announced a new, more affordable two-wheel-drive version of its X-Trail compact SUV for the Australian off-roaders on a budget. The model is priced aggressively at AU$27,990 driveaway and is available starting the first day of this year.

Powering the X-Trail will be the 2.0-liter 102kW (136 hp) four-cylinder engine from the smaller Dualis in place of the 2.5-liter 125kW (167 hp) engine of the AWD X-Trail. The standard list price for the entry-level Nissan X-Trail ST 2WD manual is AU$28,490, with the ST-L variant, that comes with standard CVT automatic transmission, is priced at AU$34,490.

This makes it the cheapest Japanese crossover vehicle in its class, beaten only by entries from Korean manufacturers such as Hyundai and Kia. However, other direct 2WD rivals like theAU $28,990 Mitsubishi Outlander and AU$28,990 Toyota RAV4 come with bigger, more powerful 2.4-liter engines.

The company’s decision to add two-wheel drive variants to the range comes as a result of the success with the format in the smaller Dualis, which has enjoyed a 212 percent increase in sales volume this year, mainly due to the appeal of the cheaper 2WD models.

The X-Trail ST comes with a long list of standard features, including 17-inch alloy wheels, side airbags, roof curtain airbags, Bluetooth handsfree phone system, MP3 player input, six-stack CD changer, steering-wheel mounted audio, phone and cruise controls, as well as heated and cooled glove box. ST-L trim level adds leather seat trim, electrically adjustable and heated front seats, rear cargo blind, privacy glass, climate control air-conditioning and front fog lights.