On the heels of the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid’s reveal, Nissan is reportedly considering a gas-electric version of its Rogue crossover.
According to Automotive News, the chief engineer of the X-Trail Hybrid, which was recently launched in Japan, said the company is considering the addition of the hybrid powertrain to the compact Rogue. The Rogue, which competes with the RAV4, is largely the North American version of the X-Trail sold globally.
Toyota showed off the 2016 RAV4 Hybrid earlier this month at the New York Auto Show. It uses a 2.5-liter four-cylinder with an electric motor and will offer all-wheel drive when it goes on sale later this year.
The Japanese-market X-Trail Hybrid uses a 2.0-liter gas four-cylinder that produces 145 horsepower with a 30 kW motor, teamed with the CVT transmission. On their fuel economy tests, it delivers the equivalent of 48.5 mpg U.S. The setup in the X-Trail is said to deliver more low-end torque for better acceleration, according to AutoNews.
Nissan currently markets the Pathfinder Hybrid in the U.S., which doesn’t account for too much of that three-row crossover’s sales. But with ever-tightening fuel economy and emissions regulations, and the fact the Rogue is already partially sourced from Japan where X-Trail Hybrid is built, a Rogue Hybrid doesn’t seem like a far-fetched idea.
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