Nissan X-Trail E-Power 2023: sub-$50,000 hybrid variant launches in Australia

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Nissan has announced it will bring a mid-range ST-L E-Power variant of its Nissan X-Trail to Australia, joining the existing top-spec Ti and Ti-L hybrid grades in the lineup. 

Priced from $49,490 before on-road costs, the ST-L will be the cheapest E-Power hybrid variant available in the X-Trail family tree. 

The new grade is some $4700 cheaper than the next most expensive hybrid X-Trail, the Ti, which is priced from $54,190 before on-road costs, while the flagship Ti-L starts at $57,190.

The Nissan X-Trail in hybrid guise competes with the likes of the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV which starts from $56,490 before on-road costs and traditional hybrids such as the Toyota RAV4 starting from $39,050. 

Nissan Australia says that the new Nissan X-Trail ST-L variant will join the lineup from the second half of 2023. 

Where does the ST-L fit into the current X-Trail range?

The ST-L is now positioned as the entry-level variant for those wanting to step into a hybrid X-Trail, with the Ti and Ti-L sitting above at higher price brackets. 

Cheaper non-hybrid X-Trails are available, starting from as low as $36,750 before on-road costs for a two-wheel drive ST. 

As the mid-spec grade, ST-L E-Power includes features such as an 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen, six-speaker sound system, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, leather-accented steering wheel and heated and powered front seats. 

18-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control, four USB ports, automatic LED headlights and tail lights and tyre pressure monitoring are also standard for this variant. 

What do you get if you jump up to the higher variants?

The flagship Ti has the above, plus:

• Adaptive matrix LED headlights 
• auto wipers
• A 10.8-inch head-up display 
• A large 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
• A 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen 
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto connectivity 
• 10-way powered driver and front passenger seat 
• Leather accented seat trim
• Three-zone climate control
• A panoramic sunroof 
• Power tailgate 
• 19-inch alloy wheels 

The Ti-L  variant adds as the above features, plus:

• Larger 20-inch alloy wheels
• Heated steering wheel
• Heated rear seats
• Nappa leather seat upholstery 
• Remote engine start 
• Ambient lighting in doors 
• A larger 10-speaker Bose sound system
• Motion-sensing auto tailgate 

A background refresher on the E-Power and E-Force systems

In basic terms, Nissan’s E-Power system consists of a 2.1kWh battery pack and dual electric motors, along with a turbocharged petrol engine. 

The combined system output is rated at 157kW with 150kW coming from the front axle and 100kW coming from the rear axle. 

Unlike other hybrid systems, the driven wheels in the Nissan X-Trail are only powered by the onboard electric motors. 

There is no physical connection between the combustion engine and the driven wheels. The petrol engine is used only to generate electricity to feed to the electric motors. 

What about E-Force?

E-Force (stylised as E-4orce) is Nissan’s name for the vehicle’s all-wheel drive system. It has been specifically designed to work with electric motors, rather than combustion engines. 

Nissan says the all-wheel drive system has a rear torque response that is 10,000 faster than a mechanical four-wheel drive system. 

Nissan lists some of the benefits of the E-Force as the following:

• Braking can be controlled individually to each wheel
• Torque can be distributed front to rear 
• Dual regenerative braking on both axles 
• Near-perfect weight distribution 
• Faster take offs and linear engine tuning 

Nissan X-Trail E-Power 2023: prices in Australia

All prices listed are before on-road costs.

Non-hybrid models:

• ST 2WD: $36,750
• ST 4WD: $39,790
• ST-L 2WD: $43,190
• ST-L AWD: $46,290
• Ti 4WD: $49,990

Hybrid E-Power models:

• ST-L: $49,490 (NEW)
• Ti: $54,190
• Ti-L: $57,190