Nissan X-Trail Nismo coming to take on Toyota RAV4 GR Sport – report

The Nissan X-Trail has never been accused of being sporty, and while most members of the booming mid-size SUV segment are staid, there’s still a market for something more dynamic.

According to Japanese outlet Creative Trend, that has led Nissan to plan a Nismo version of its popular X-Trail, which would follow in the footsteps of sporty mid-size SUVs like the Volkswagen Tiguan R Line.

It’ll form part of an updated X-Trail lineup that’ll reportedly be revealed on August 21, 2025, and go on sale in Japan next month.

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Above: Current Nissan X-Trail

Changes across the range will reportedly include a new grille and front bumper, and fresh wheel designs.

Inside, the facelifted X-Trail will reportedly get a black upper dash and doors, replacing the existing brown, plus USB-C outlets to replace the USB-A outlets, a new infotainment system with Google built-in, and a 3D view for the available surround-view camera.

However, the Japanese website says tri-zone climate control has been removed, while ventilated front seats haven’t been added like on the related Mitsubishi Outlander.

The X-Trail Nismo will reportedly be offered only in e-Power with e-4orce form, meaning an extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) powertrain with all-wheel drive, and exclusively with five seats.

Above: Nissan Note Aura Nismo

According to Creative Trend, it’ll get the following unique equipment:

• Nismo-exclusive grille, bumpers, mirror caps
• Available Nismo Stealth Grey paint with a Super Black roof
• Black roof rails
• Enkei 20-inch alloy wheels
• Michelin Pilot Sport EV tyres
• Nismo-exclusive fabric and leatherette upholstery

There will also be red stitching for the seats, steering wheel, dashboard, armrest and doors, as well as other Nismo touches like a red-accented start button.

A set of leather and Alcantara-clad Recaro sports seats will reportedly be an additional option.

The report says the X-Trail Nismo will also bring chassis upgrades including retuned steering and suspension, as well as tweaks to the all-wheel drive system.

Above: Nissan Rogue Rock Creek

However, it won’t get any more power. The current X-Trail e-Power with e-4orce has a 105kW/250Nm 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine mated with 150kW/330Nm front and 100kW/195Nm rear electric motors.

Not only is the facelifted X-Trail set to get a sporty Nismo flagship, it’s also getting a Rock Creek edition like that offered with the almost identical Nissan Rogue built in the US.

This more rugged variant will reportedly also be offered exclusively in e-Power with e-4orce guise, albeit with a choice of five- or seven-seat configurations.

Standard features will reportedly include black 19-inch wheels with orange accents, wrapped in all-terrain tyres, as well as a unique front bumper and grille, plus waterproof trim and orange stitching inside.

The X-Trail Rock Creek will also reportedly be available with the same ‘hero’ paint scheme – Canyon Beige, with a Super Black roof – as the Rogue Rock Creek, along with a range of other exterior colours.

Launched in the US-market Rogue for 2025, the Rock Creek grade brings a unique front fascia, a tubular roof rack with integrated cross bars, and 17-inch satin black wheels wrapped in 235/65R17 Falken Wild Peak all-terrain tyres.

Inside, there’s water-repellant leatherette upholstery and Lava Red accent stitching.

Notably, there are no mechanical enhancements for either the US-market Rogue Rock Creek or the upcoming X-Trail Rock Creek, making it more equivalent to a Subaru Forester Sport than the tougher Forester Wilderness offered overseas.

It’ll battle not only the Forester Sport but also the upcoming Toyota RAV4 Adventure/Woodland, and replace the Japanese-market X-Trail Extremer X, which is effectively the same as our local N-Trek.

The launch of a facelifted X-Trail comes almost two years after the related Rogue received a refresh in the US, bringing revised front- and rear-end styling, new interior trim, and an available 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen featuring Google built-in.

Above: 2026 Nissan Rogue

Nissan also ditched USB-A outlets for USB-C outlets.

The reason for the delay in Nissan facelifting the X-Trail stems from the fact it was launched considerably later than the Rogue.

Nissan launched the current Rogue in the US in late 2020, but the X-Trail didn’t launch in Japan until July 2022 and in Australia until later that year.

Don’t be too jealous of buyers in markets where the Rogue is sold, however – they don’t get the e-Power powertrain, though they do get a 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine in lieu of the naturally aspirated 2.5-litre four sold here.

MORE: Explore the Nissan X-Trail showroom