2021 Nissan X-Trail revealed in leaked images

The 2021 Nissan X-Trail has been leaked online, confirming its bold new look and more upmarket cabin.

The X-Trail – or Rogue as it’s known in the USA – is a critical car for Nissan.

It often sits third in the mid-sized SUV class in Australia, trailing the all-conquering Toyota RAV4 and Mazda CX-5. But the current model is getting long in the tooth, and can’t match its rivals when it comes to technology – or when the driving experience is concerned, frankly.

Images posted on Worldscoop show the mid-sized SUV rival will have a dual-tiered headlight design and more aggressive grille than the existing model.

It combines elements of the updated Patrol and all-new Juke, and certainly has far more presence than the ageing current model.

But the biggest change arguably come inside, where the new X-Trail will debut a set of digital dials, what appears to be a new infotainment system, and a more luxurious overall design than the current model (bottom).

How Nissan will spec the X-Trail for Australia remains to be seen, but the car pictured (top) has brown and black trim with what look like quilted leather seats. Even the steering wheel is new for 2021.

There’s also an off-road mode selector, suggesting Nissan has tried to give the X-Trail a hint of extra ability off the beaten path. Whether that’s actually the case remains to be seen.

Nissan Australia hasn’t confirmed when the new X-Trail will arrive in Australia, but Nissan USA says the car will debut in the North American autumn – or our spring.

We expect to see the new model in Australia late this year or early next.

Do you like the look of the new X-Trail?