2027 Nissan X-Trail: New base hybrid matches RAV4 on price, no cheaper option coming

The expanded Nissan X-Trail e-Power hybrid range now starts at $45,990 before on-road costs, matching the base price of the top-selling Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, but there are no plans to introduce a cheaper version.

That’s because, as Nissan Australia explains, there’s no such configuration available globally.

While the e-Power range opens with the front-wheel drive ST-L, the petrol-powered X-Trail lineup also includes an ST FWD variant.

When asked whether the e-Power range could expand downwards with an ST grade, Nissan Oceania managing director Steve Milette told CarExpert: “It does not exist anywhere in the world.”

The Japanese-market X-Trail e-Power lineup opens with the X, which has substantially more standard equipment than the Australian-market ST petrol variant.

This includes dual-zone climate control, front parking sensors, a surround-view camera, and power-adjustable, heated front seats, which means it’s closely aligned with the Australian-market ST-L e-Power.

At $45,990 plus on-roads, the ST-L e-Power FWD costs $3090 less than its all-wheel drive sibling and matches the RAV4 GX FWD on price.

However, both Japanese SUVs have a higher base price than the most affordable hybrid-powered members of the Kia Sportage (from $44,450 plus ORCs) and Hyundai Tucson (from $42,850 plus ORCs) lineups.

Other similarly priced entry-level hybrid SUVs include the Honda CR-V e:HEV X ($49,900 drive-away) and Subaru Forester Hybrid ($46,490 plus ORCs).

However, Nissan is currently offering a drive-away offer on the X-Trail ST-L e-Power FWD. It’s priced at $45,990 drive-away, with a $1000 fuel card included. This deal is available for vehicles purchased before October 30, 2026, and delivered by November 30, 2026.

As is typical in the Australian new-car market, though, it’s Chinese-brand model that lead on price. The GWM Haval H6 Hybrid opens at $40,990 drive-away, and the MG HS Hybrid+ opens at $39,990 drive-away, with both Chinese mid-size SUVs currently available with further discounts.

Nissan is only just now adding front-wheel drive hybrid versions of its X-Trail lineup, over seven years after Toyota launched front- and all-wheel drive hybrid versions of its RAV4 in Australia, and over four years after both FWD and AWD e-Power variants of the X-Trail were launched in the Japanese market.

“Originally we launched with four-wheel drive only… We brought that in because it emphasised both e-Power and e-4orce, in terms of delivering that unique packaging to the market,” said Aleks Pecanac, X-Trail senior product manager.

“We have seen the hybrid market grow significantly since that time, so we’ve been working in the background very hard to get that two-wheel drive model.

“Things obviously don’t happen as quickly as we sometimes like, but the one thing we did have going for us was the government policy of [the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard]. That helped us to accelerate that car.

“I think ideally would we have wanted to have it a little bit sooner? Absolutely. But we’re very excited and happy we have it now. We can cater to that segment that we’re currently not fulfilling.”

Mr Milette said it wasn’t a case of Australia being a low-priority market for Nissan.

“It’s not so much about was it a priority market or not a priority market, like it wasn’t identified as a need way back when, and then the team identified it as a priority and it takes the time that it takes and then now here it is and we’re very happy to have it because it is the right time for it,” he told CarExpert.

The expanded lineup, which also includes a new petrol-powered Rock Creek grade, comes around 12 months before the next-generation X-Trail will make its local debut.

MORE: Explore the Nissan X-Trail showroom