Nissan NX7 previewed, could be exported to Australia from China like its NX8 sibling

Dongfeng Nissan has revealed the new Nissan NX7 from almost every angle, with the Chinese government subsequently revealing some key specifications for the new crossover SUV.

The NX7 appears to be the production version of the Urban SUV PHEV Concept revealed at the Beijing motor show in April.

It's made the transition from concept to production vehicle with few changes, though it's sprouted door handles and conventional exterior mirrors. It retains a LiDAR unit above its windscreen, as well as split-level LED daytime running lights up front that tie it in with other Nissans such as the new Leaf and facelifted Ariya.

Dongfeng Nissan has yet to reveal the interior, however, if its NX8 showroom-mate is any guide, we can expect a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster as well as dual 15.6-inch displays and a 63-inch augmented reality head-up display.

The NX8's cabin is largely devoid of physical switchgear, while ambient lighting, patterned surfaces and two-tone colour schemes add visual interest.

A Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology filing, shared by CarNewsChina, reveals the production NX7 will follow the concept in featuring a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain.

The NX8, in contrast, features a choice of electric or extended-range electric powertrains.

Dongfeng Nissan therefore is employing the same strategy as with its N6 and N7 sedans – the former is a PHEV, while the latter is around 100mm longer and is offered only with electric power.

Per the MIIT filing, the NX7 uses a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with 73kW and an electric motor with 170kW of peak power, along with a 40.9kWh battery offering up to 225km of range on the more lenient CLTC cycle.

The N6 PHEV sedan, in contrast, features a 75kW/135Nm 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, and a 155kW/320Nm electric motor, but much smaller-capacity 20.3kWh or 21.1kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries.

The five-seat NX7 measures 4785mm long, 1920mm-1932mm wide and 1660mm-1665mm tall, with a wheelbase of 2815mm.

The Australian-market X-Trail, in contrast, measures 4690mm long and 1725mm tall on a 2705mm wheelbase.

The NX8 is larger still, measuring 4870mm long, 1920mm wide and 1680mm tall on a 2917mm wheelbase. In terms of dimensions, it slots neatly between the Australian-market X-Trail and Pathfinder, the latter of which was recently discontinued. Unlike those, however, it's offered exclusively with five seats.

It's available in China as an extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) with lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries ranging in capacity from 20.3kWh to 43.2kWh, and as an electric vehicle with either 73kWh or 81kWh LFP batteries.

Electric range is up to 310km on the CLTC cycle in EREV variants, and up to 650km in EV variants.

All NX8s are rear-wheel drive, with EREVs featuring a 195kW/310Nm electric motor and a 109kW/225Nm turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine which serves as a generator, while EVs have between 215kW and 250kW of power, plus 310Nm of torque.

Nissan is tapping its Chinese joint venture as a source of products for key export markets, and that includes Australia.

The Frontier Pro dual-cab PHEV ute has already been confirmed to dealers for a local launch and spied testing in Melbourne, while other Dongfeng Nissan models that could come here include the N7 sedan, the NX8 SUV, and a production version of the Terrano PHEV concept revealed alongside the Urban SUV PHEV concept at Beijing.

“As a right-hand drive market, we're there for the future investments of all those products that you've seen in China. At least our hands are up; whether we get them or not, that remains to be confirmed,” Nissan Oceania managing director Steve Milette told CarExpert.

MORE: Explore the Nissan showroom