A hybrid version of the Nissan X-Trail SUV, a car Americans know as the Rogue, will be going on sale in Japan in mid-May. Should it come to the United States as a Rogue hybrid?
The X-Trail Hybrid is equipped with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 145 hp (147 PS) and 153 lb-ft (207 Nm) of torque. The gasoline engine is paired with an electric motor that makes an additional 40 hp (41 PS) and 118 lb-ft (160 Nm) of torque.
All this hybrid power is channeled through Nissan’s Xtronic continuously variable transmission and is available with front or all wheel drive.
The two motors act as a single power source, but they’re linked to the drivetrain with two clutches. Called Intelligent Dual Clutch Control, the system delivers power to the transmission without the use of a torque converter. The system has the capability of disengaging the electric motor from the engine, allowing the car to be powered by just the electric motor.
The system gives the X-Trail a rating of 48.5 mpg for the front-drive model using Japan’s JC08 test cycle. The JC08 cycle tests real-world commuting with a stop-and-go traffic simulation. It’s similar in scope to the EPA city cycle, information from the Global Fuel Economy Initiative’s website indicated.
Should Nissan decide to bring the hybrid X-Trail to the US as a Rogue, it will have competition from Toyota’s RAV4 Hybrid, which was launched at the 2015 New York Auto Show, and Subaru’s XV Crosstrek Hybrid. Toyota hasn’t released fuel economy figures, but the Subaru is rated at 34 mpg city and 40 mpg highway, albeit in all-wheel-drive form.
So should Nissan bring the Rogue Hybrid to the US? Comment below and let us know.
In the meantime, enjoy this TFLcar video as the team takes the gasoline-powered Rogue off road:
